The fan favorite racecar driver of Smash Bros. returns with his signature flair and speed. Captain Falcon is one of the fastest characters in the game, and has a toolkit that makes him one of the stronger characters at aggressive play. Fast dashes, great throws, nice combos and a variety of devastating attacks make Captain Falcon an offensive threat. Captain Falcon is also one of the most stylish characters in the game, with an arsenal of risky and flashy moves that will rouse the crowd and intimidate foes if pulled off. Captain Falcon's focus on offense gives him a sizable flaw in his defense. Lacking a projectile, he is forced to play at close-range and sometimes has trouble against tight projectile zoning. Captain Falcon also has one of the weaker recoveries in the game. Nevertheless, he is an exceedingly fun character for any player that likes to win with style.
Captain Falcon is fast. On the ground, he is second only to Sonic at dashing, making him a speedy character indeed. Captain Falcon is not too bad in the air either, with above average lateral air speed and one of the highest fall speeds in the game, which synergizes well with Captain Falcon's solid aerials and helps him pull off slick combos. Captain Falcon is a middle-heavyweight, being in the range of characters like Link. Even though his recovery is nothing to write home about, Captain Falcon has a handy wall jump when Falcon Dive isn't enough.
Captain Falcon punches two times. Hold or steadily hit the button to cause him to finish the combo with a strong punch. Mashing the button makes Captain Falcon enter a repeating series of jabs, finishing with one long-reaching jab forward. Captain Falcon's brief three hit combo is still a quick and reliable move, with the last hit knocking foes far away from Falcon and sometimes KOing. The repeated jab is somewhat unreliable, given that foes can commonly escape before the combo finishes. However, the finishing hit has deceptive range, and might catch foes offguard if they escaped the repeated jab or you miss entirely.
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Falcon Roundhouse
Captain Falcon performs a roundhouse kick. The attack can be angled up or down with the control stick. This move is decent for spacing. It has good reach, and you can angle it to strike in several directions, but it's relatively slow for Captain Falcon. Usually, you should just stick to short hopped aerials for mid-range poking, so this move doesn't see much use.
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Blazing Axe
Captain Falcon does an axe kick, which can meteor smash opponents at Captain Falcon's ankles. Like many of Captain Falcon's ground moves, this attack feels unnaturally slow and awkward, but it does have great reach, making it somewhat usable if you space it well. Landing the meteor smash won't be easy, but the kick's good range and sweeping motion helps you strike recovering foes with it from onstage.
Falcon Sweep
Captain Falcon performs a sweep kick with both legs. This move is awkwardly sluggish, but it has surprising reach and a nearly horizontal knockback angle. This feature makes it great for setting up edgeguards and edgeguarding itself. The high horizontal knockback can doom characters with more restricted recovery trajectories like Mario, Little Mac or even fellow Captain Falcons.
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Speed Tackle
Captain Falcon charges forward and hits with his whole body. This move is a standard dash attack. It is quick to come out and launches Captain Falcon a short distance forward. It is a fast and reliable punish, and it can potentially lead to a combo if you land a weak hit. Like all dash attacks, this move is punishable if blocked, so use it with care.
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Captain Falcon climbs up and does a revolving kick on to the stage.
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while hanging
while hanging
Smash Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Smash ( or )
Smash ( or )
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Inferno Elbow
Captain Falcon reels back and delivers a powerful elbow strike. The attack can be angled up or down with the control stick. This move is hands down Captain Falcon's strongest smash attack, making it a natural KO move. In terms of strength, it is one of Captain Falcon's best KO options, usually KOing as early as 80% uncharged. It's glaring flaw is that it is quite slow, being shieldable on reaction during the windup and leaving you open to punishment afterwards. Use its range to your advantage and perhaps incorporate it out of a pivot to increase your chances of landing this.
Smash ( or )
Smash ( or )
Smash ( or )
Smash
Smash
Roundhouse Revolver
Captain Falcon kicks upward two times. This move is rather weak and inaccurate, but it is a decent anti-air and has mild KO potential if unstaled. Due to Captain Falcon's speed and low traction, using an Up Smash out of a dash causes Captain Falcon to slide a fair distance ahead while using the move, which can catch foes offguard but also prevent both hits from connecting properly. It is punishable if you miss due to its moderate duration, so throw it out sparingly.
Smash
Smash
Smash
Smash
Smash
Glorious Kick
Captain Falcon kicks in front, then behind him. The front kick is weak for a smash attack, but the back kick has surprising power. Although it's not the best multi-directional attack, this move does hits both sides, so you can use it to punish a predicted roll. However, like Captain Falcon's other smash attacks, it is easy to respond to if you use it carelessly and is very punishable as well if you fail to hit, so don't use it too often.
Smash
Smash
Smash
Air Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Twin Kicks
Captain Falcon kicks forward two times. This move is a great aerial poke due to its long reach. The first hit does low knockback while the second hit knocks foes away. Therefore, if you land after striking with just the first hit, you can potentially combo out of the move. It is also generally a great spacing tool, as well as a moderately reliable combo follow-up.
Knee Smash
The famous Knee of Justice. Captain Falcon lunges out with his knee. Hitting an opponent with the knee as the spark appears results in heavy knockback. This attack is best saved as Captain Falcon's aerial KO move. It requires both timing and precision to land, but when you get the sweetspot, it hits almost as hard as a Falcon Punch. Granted, it has very high landing lag and has some trouble hitting grounded foes, making it a high risk high reward attack. It is possible to combo into this move, but the percentage threshold is extremely precise and requires a bit of prediction from your part as well.
Justice Backhand
Captain Falcon punches behind him. This move is very quick and has a fair amount of range and knockback. It can serve as an alternate spacing tool due to how quick it starts and ends as well as its good knockback, but it lacks range compared to Neutral Air and has a high hitbox that makes it ineffective against shorter grounded characters. It is also a moderately strong edgeguard attack, and can even KO at moderately high percents if unstaled.
Falcon Wheel
Captain Falcon performs a spin kick over him. This is arguably Captain Falcon's best aerial attack. It is very quick, covers a wide arc above him and has the perfect knockback and stun to lead into a myriad of combos. You can use it as a combo starter or a combo follow-up, and it can also be used to juggle your foe and keep them in the air. Its good range also makes it a decent anti-air. Do not hesitate to use this move often, as it is a vital part of Captain Falcon's playstyle.
Power Stomp
Captain Falcon stomps downward, meteor smashing foes struck by his feet. This is one of the better meteor smashes in the game. It is quick and has a short duration, so you don't need to commit too much when using the attack. As a meteor smash, it is a natural edgeguarding move. Even if you hit with Captain Falcon's body, which sends foes diagonally upward instead of down, it can still knock them further from the stage, possibly KOing if close to the edge of the screen. Down Air is also usable onstage and can set up some combos as it bounces a meteor smashed opponent up, but keep it mind that it has punishable landing lag.
Throws
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
after grab
after grab
after grab
Knee Strike
Captain Falcon knees the grabbed opponent. This move has great speed and average damage, leading to average overall damage output. Like all grab attacks, it's used once or twice to tack on extra damage after a grab.
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after grab
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after grab
Speed Impact
Captain Falcon punches the grabbed opponent forward. This move is a standard sideways throw, tied with Back Throw for Falcon's most damaging throw option. Use it to get foes offstage to set up a potential edgeguard when your front is to the nearest edge.
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after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Falcon's Boot
Captain Falcon kicks the grabbed opponent backward. This throw is practically a reverse version of Forward Throw despite its different animation, just minutely slower and weaker. Like Forward Throw, it is used as a standard sideways throw, sending foes offstage for edgeguards.
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after grab
after grab
after grab
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after grab
Falcon Upper
Captain Falcon punches the grabbed opponent upward. This is one of the many unfortunate Up Throws overshadowed by their character's Down Throw. Up Throw does vertical knockback and can set up combos, but Down Throw is simply much better at its job, given its lower knockback making it better at comboing. Up Throw has some situational use, mainly at early percentages against fast fallers.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
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after grab
Shining Slam
Captain Falcon smashes the grabbed opponent into the ground. This is Captain Falcon's bread-and-butter throw, his go-to setup for combos. It has weak knockback and a slightly diagonal upward angle, which leads very nicely to Captain Falcon's aerial attacks. This should be the throw you use the most, as it starts much of Captain Falcon's combos.
After a significant delay, Captain Falcon unleashes an incredibly powerful fiery punch. Captain Falcon's most well-known attack is as famous for its power as it is for its unwieldiness. It is extremely sluggish and telegraphed, making it easy to interrupt, and still has extreme ending lag once the move is over, once again leaving Captain Falcon vulnerable. It is still very strong, and is actually the fastest and strongest out of Captain Falcon's Neutral variants. There's no doubt about it; getting a KO with this move will make you an instant favorite among spectators. Note that you can reverse the direction of Falcon Punch by holding in the opposite direction after starting the move, which can throw off inexperienced players and increase its strength.
Falcon Dash Punch
The Falcon Punch is weaker, but Captain Falcon slides forward during the attack. Even though it lacks range and is very slightly slower than the default, the main perk of Falcon Dash Punch is its range. The Falcon Dash Punch travels a short distance forward, which can catch foes unaware of your custom move off-guard. However, it is no faster than the default Falcon Punch, so it can still be easily interrupted, making it a worse attack overall. It does help Captain Falcon's recovery in a pinch due to its forward motion, so if you're not planning to use Falcon Punches as an attack, this is your best choice.
Mighty Falcon Punch
The Falcon Punch takes even longer to come out, but has a larger attack radius. Even though it appears to be a slower but stronger Falcon Punch at first glance, the Mighty Falcon Punch is slightly weaker than the default, and its main draw is the size of the attack. The increased startup delay can throw off other players' timing, but like many features of the Falcon Punches, can be safely avoided by experienced foes. Its large size does make it handy for edgeguarding it you space it properly, as it can be very stressful to evade the massive hitbox of the attack while recovering from a disadvantageous position.
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Raptor Boost
Captain Falcon rushes forward. If he reaches an opponent, he will uppercut on the ground or do a downward hook in the air. Raptor Boost has changed quite a bit from previous iterations, losing some speed but gaining a lot of strength, enough to be a KO move. It is risky to use however, since the hook is triggered by proximity, and it can be punished if it whiffs or is shielded. Keep it fresh for the perfect KO opportunity, particularly to punish rolls. Lastly, Raptor Boost can be used to recover horizontally, although it follows a predictable path and doesn't travel very far, so it is rarely used as such.
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Heavy Raptor Boost
Captain Falcon rushes forward slower and over a smaller distance, but his uppercut is stronger. As a simple slower but stronger variant of Raptor Boost, the Heavy Raptor Boost's benefits and drawbacks are obvious. Greater strength means earlier KOs, while lesser speed makes it harder to land it in the first place. It's use is very uncommon, as the longer distance of the default Raptor Boost is ultimately more helpful and more reliable as a KOing punish
Wind-Up Raptor Boost
After a brief delay, Captain Falcon rushes forward very quickly and over a greater distance, but his attack is weaker. This variant is very odd. It's supposed to be faster and cover more distance than the default Raptor Boost to compensate for its reduced power. However, its significant startup delay, which exceeds that of the Heavy Raptor Boost, nullifies the increased speed and distance a bit. This makes it more or less as the same as Raptor Boost when it comes to punishing rolls, but it has lower KO potential, making it a worst choice as an attack overall. It is better for horizontal recovery due to its long distance, though.
Falcon Dive
Captain Falcon leaps upward. If an opponent is near, he will grab on to them and explode, launching himself higher up. Near the end of the attack, he can directly hurt foes with his flaming fist. This is Captain Falcon's main recovery move, and it is frankly below average. Instead of an active attack, it is a grab that can be easily evaded by experienced players, leaving Captain Falcon vulnerable to edgeguarders. It also follows a rather limited arc, even though Captain Falcon can influence his horizontal distance a bit, making it quite predictable as well. Whenever you're offstage, recover with care. As an attack, Falcon Dive is mediocre, since his normal aerials are more reliable. It does see some use as a flashy combo finisher, but since it leaves Captain Falcon helpless if you miss, it isn't really worth the risk.
Falcon Strike
Captain Falcon leaps up with an uppercut. He will not grab nearby opponents during the move. This is Captain Falcon's obligatory "improved recovery but worsened attack" custom move, but it works really well due to the nature of Falcon Dive. Increased distance is always a good thing, especially since it was a lacking feature of Falcon Dive. The loss of the grab is negligible, as it is replaced with an uppercut that is much better at countering edgeguards, although still fairly inaccurate, though the reusability of the other two is sacrificed.
Explosive Falcon Dive
Captain Falcon leaps up slower and shorter, but his grab attack is extra powerful. This variant's flaws and strengths are clear-cut. This move is terrible for recovery, on par with Doctor Mario's Super Jump Punch at distance, so you must be a lot more careful offstage. However, it's main draw is not as a recovery, but as an attack. When you grab an opponent, the explosion can reliably KO at 100%, and even lower in midair, making it uselful as a hard punish in midair. Overall, this variant of Falcon Dive is a useful alternate worth trying.
Falcon Kick
Captain Falcon kicks with his leg enveloped in flame. He will kick forward on the ground and diagonally downward in the air. This move is a weak, long-range punish, and it travels fast enough to catch foes out of rolls. It is moderately slow and is very punishable if shielded, so use it with care. The attack is strongest at the start, and can serve as a surprise KO move. It is rather unwieldy in midair as it is quick to come out and has good knockback, but extremely punishable landing lag.
Falcon Kick Fury
Captain Falcon does a kick that hits multiple times. This variant is odd but certainly an acceptable substitute. Although it is slower, the multiple hits make it just as good at punishing rolls as the Falcon Kick, and can drag foes closer to the edges of the screen. The multiple hits chain into each other reliably and you are likely to get the finishing hit if you manage to snag your opponent. The last hit is strong and has some minor KO potential as well. It is strictly worse in the air, as it is harder to get to the final hit while descending, and usually leads to Captain Falcon getting punished even after getting a successful strike upon landing.
Lightning Falcon Kick
Captain Falcon takes longer to start the kick, but the kick itself travels farther and is very fast. Captain Falcon can stun enemies upon landing from a Lightning Falcon Kick. This variant shares a similar problem with Wind-Up Raptor Boost: it is supposed to be faster, but comes with a noticeable startup delay that renders the added speed useless. Moreover, it has weak knockback that makes it inferior to Falcon Kick as well. The main perk of Lightning Falcon Kick is the stunning hit, which can potentially set up deadly KO moves. However, it is similarly punishable like the landing hits of the other Falcon Kicks, which forces you to use prediction and foresight to setup a stunning kick. It is very hard to utilize, but the ability to setup KOs with the stun makes it a niche but usable custom move.
Taunts
Control
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Captain Falcon beckons the opponent and yells "Come on!"
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Captain Falcon charges up surrounded by flames.
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Captain Falcon salutes and says "Show me your moves!" Oddly, he has different animations depending on the direction he faces, taking longer to execute the taunt if facing right.
Captain Falcon calls his signature racecar: the Blue Falcon, which comes zooming in from the foreground. If the car hits any opponent, they will be taken to a cinematic cutscene where Captain Falcon commits vehicular manslaughter at supersonic speeds, launching them at an angle. This final smash is a standard trapping variety, as it requires you to hit at least one character with the Blue Falcon for it to initiate. The initial hitbox is moderately large, but the animation can throw you off of the machine's position. When aiming it, simply visualize the rough shape of the car in front of Captain Falcon, and try to get as many characters as you can. Blue Falcon is slightly unique in that it pauses the battle for the rest of the players to let the cutscene play out, which can disrupt other players' strategies or divert their attention.
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