Smash 4 Jigglypuff Guide

Smash 4 Jigglypuff Guide by UrinalChopsticks

So lets be real. Jigglypuff has it hard in smash 4. With better recoveries, no edge hogging, and faster shield regeneration its not easy playing jigglypuff. This guide is to help you better understand jigglypuff, and how to use her properly against these new mechanics in smash 4. If you have never played jigglypuff before thats okay because you should be able to learn from this guide no matter how much time you have spent playing her. I will start very basic, and eventually move to more advanced techniques and strategies.

PROS & CONS

PROS

-Has the best aerials in the game

-Great recovery with multiple jumps

-Can carry opponents offstage and all the way to the blast zones

-Is one of the best characters at punishing rolls

-Can crouch under a lot of attacks because she is so small

-Has a great aerial drift speed

CONS

-Has the slowest run speed in the game

-Is the lightest character in the game

-Struggles with projectiles

-Struggles against characters with good vertical kill moves

BASICS

To play jigglypuff you need to have a good understanding of some fundamentals of smash. Every character in the game benefits from good fundamentals(obviously). Good fundamentals with Jigglypuff is very important, and you will get a lot more milage out of this information with jigglypuff than most characters.

SPACING

The most basic understanding of spacing is always being aware of the space between you and your opponent. Good spacing can be exhibited in many forms, but the most important with Jigglypuff is using the hit boxes of her high priority aerials properly. There is a lot more to spacing, but this is the most basic understanding you need to have for this guide. Spacing aerials is something you need to be good at to play Jigglypuff effectively. To space aerials properly you need to hit with the very tip of the hit box of your moves. You are trying to hit your opponent from as far away as possible. Doing this makes Jigglypuff very hard to hit because she can use her great aerial drift speed to fade away if there is ever a threat of a counter attack. Here is an example of good spacing compared to bad spacing.

Properly spaced http://imgur.com/8bwW2YK

Poorly spaced http://imgur.com/x6emmBW

As you can see in the first picture jigglypuff is hitting Mario with the very tip of her feet. Even if Mario was shielding Jigglypuff would be to far away to be shield grabbed or hit by any of Mario’s out of shield options. In the second picture Jigglypuff is very close to Mario. Even though Jigglypuff’s aerials are fast and have great priority poor spacing will get you punished. If Mario was shielding it would be a free shield grab for Mario or an up smash out of shield. Even if Mario isn’t shielding he could still counter attack with a forward tilt or dash attack.

ZONING

Zoning is a concept that when combined with proper spacing can make Jigglypuff pretty scary. Zoning is essentially throwing out hit boxes, and letting your opponent know that if they try to approach they will get hit. Threatening your opponents approaches with good zoning, and pokes will make your opponent have to rethink their approach and fight you on your own terms. Jigglypuff is great at zoning with her long lasting Neutral air and Forward air.

CONTROLLING SPACE

This is an easy concept to understand, but a hard concept to master. Controlling space means controlling the stage, and where your opponent can go. Having stage control forces your opponent to do something stupid so you can punish them. once you have control of center stage your opponent has no where to go, and if you can push forward, and give your opponent less and less amount of the stage to use it gives them less and less options. The main purpose of controlling space is to push your opponent off stage because they simply have no where else to go.

Here is a good example of Zero exhibiting good spacing and zoning while controlling space. https://gfycat.com/MildTotalAlleycat After the Back air connects Zero notices that his opponent is in a bad position. He’s near the ledge with limited options. Zero uses well spaced forward airs to zone and make sure that the game and watch cannot move forward or make an approach. Zero baits a shield grab with his zoning pressure, and punishes it with a forward air. This launches the game and watch offstage, and sets up for an edge guard, and he eventually takes the stock.

Here is an example of a different way to control space.https://gfycat.com/LikelyScholarlyAvocet Hungrybox hits with a forward air which sends his opponent to the edge of the stage. He moves up to give his opponent less amount of the stage to use. Even though he isn’t actively zoning his opponent knows he is in a bad position with very little stage control and very few options. Just hungrybox’s presence makes his opponent shield. Hungrybox connects with a back air once he drops his shield to send him offstage. Notice that after his opponent is sent offstage Hungrybox doesn’t follow him. Hungrybox knows that he still has stage control, and even if his opponent comes back he will just get put back into the same situation near the edge. Not approaching and maintaining stage control is a good way to pressure your opponent to do something stupid so you can punish. If your opponent is in a a bad position it doesn’t matter if you wait 2 seconds to do something or 20 seconds to do something they are still in a a bad position, and they have to make a move. its not always the most exciting to wait someone out, but a little bit of patience goes a long way.

MOVESET ANALYSIS

Grounded moves:

Dash attack

-Good for extending grounded combos

-Good for punishing missed techs

-Can actually kill at higher percents

Jab

-Jigglypuff’s jab is great because it is low to the ground so you can jab reset missed techs, and crouching opponents

-Double jab has okay knock back, and only situational use Up tilt

-A great move for rest set ups

-Has little start up and end lag

-Great for if you need a quick hit box behind Jigglypuff

Forward tilt

-Has situational uses like quick follow ups on the ground

-Is decent near the edge because it sends at a down and away angle

Down tilt

-Has situational uses such as to shield poke

-Doesn’t do anything that Forward tilt can’t do other than reach lower

Forward smash

-Has great knock back with quick start up, and a decently lasting hit box

-Great for punishing rolls

-Has the most knock back of all of Jigglypuff’s grounded moves

-Best grounded Finisher

Up smash

-Also good for punishing rolls

-Decent knock back kind of laggy though

Down smash

-Jigglypuff’s worst smash attack

-I dont think i have ever used this move

-Sends at a horizontal angle so good for gimping bad recoveries

-Has little start up with lots of end lag

-Everything Down smash does Forward smash and Up smash do better

Neutral B

-Pretty much useless, but can be used to grab the ledge

-Has high commitment with little control, and is easy to avoid

Side B

-Has a deceptively long lasting hit box

-Does a lot of damage to shields

-Great combo starter

Down B

-Jigglypuff’s strongest move that comes out on frame one, but has 4 seconds of end lag

Up B

-A completely useless move, but can be ledge cancelled

-Has a small hit box with a lot of lag

Aerials:

Neutral air

-A great approach option

-Stays out for a long time

-Has very little start up

-Has two different hit boxes

-Has a strong hit box on start up, and a weaker one on after

-Can beat a lot of projectiles

Forward air

-Another great approach option with longer range than neutral air

-Quick start up little end lag

Back air

-Jigglypuff’s best aerial kill move

Has great knock back, and can kill early if not stale

Down air

-Can set up into rest

-Great for pressuring shields or covering tech options on a platform

Up air

-Great for juggling

-Also great for covering tech options on platforms

Throws:

Forward throw

-Great for getting an opponent offstage or in the air

Up throw

-Good for getting an opponent in the air, but doesn’t give any follow ups so you have to chase them into the air

Down throw

-Pops your opponent up in front of you

-Can have good follow ups at low percents, but only of you read an air dodge

Back throw

-Great for getting an opponent offstage

Pummel

-Jigglypuff’s pummel does 3% damage so use it to rack up lots of damage if your opponent does not mash out of grabs.

NEUTRAL GAME

By now you can probably see that Jigglypuff is all about the aerials. Her fast long lasting aerials paired with six jumps give her a lot of mix up options in approaching. Your main approach option is either Forward air or Neutral air. Both of these aerials will stuff a lot of approaches from an opponent, and can beat out most projectiles. Pound is also a great approach mix up. The hit box lasts a long time, and can break shields so use your aerials to pressure them to shield then break it with pound. Jigglypuff’s neutral game revolves around throwing out spaced aerial pokes towards your opponent while properly spacing, zoning, and controlling space. In neutral Jigglypuff is looking to get her opponent in the air and juggle with aerials or get an opponent offstage for an edge guard where she excels.

JIGGLYPUFF’S CROUCH

Jigglypuff’s crouch is amazing because of how low it goes. With her crouch being so low she can crouch underneath a lot of attacks, and grabs. Here is a list of things she can crouch under. Disclaimer: This list was made on smashoards, and is not complete, but covers pretty much everything.

WFT 

-Neutral B (All levels of charge)

-Initial jab

-Grab

-Forward Smash

Fox/Falco 

-Neutral B

ZSS 

-Neutral B (All levels of charge)

-Forward Smash

-Side B (Only if you are crouched under the thin part of the whip. You will get hit by the small ending blast, and by the gun if you are too close)

-Forward tilt (Non-angled)

-Initial Jab

-Dash Attack

Pit/Dark Pit 

-Neutral B (Non-angled)

Samus 

-Smash Side B (NOT the ending explosion)

-Neutral B (Uncharged)

Robin 

-Neutral B (Uncharged and full charge. Will dodge projectile of 2nd level, but will get hit by the ending explosion)

-Forward Smash

Megaman 

-Side B (Will dodge projectile, but will get hit by explosion if nearby)

-Jab

-Forward tilt

ROB 

-Neutral B (At all levels, Non-angled)

-Forward tilt (Non-angled)

-Standing Grab

Mii Gunner 

-First half of Forward Smash (Machine gun fire, but will get hit by ending blast)

-Neutral B1 (Uncharged)

Diddy 

-Neutral B (Depends on the charge, but crouch will always dodge the peanut when it is at it’s apex)

-Side B (Only at the apex of the jump)

Link/Toon Link 

-Neutral B (Depends on the charge, but crouch will always dodge the arrow at it’s apex)

-Side B (Link only, and only when not angled down.)

Zelda 

-Down B (Only if you are in contact with the phantom before he swings his sword, so you must be relatively close to the portal. You will take no damage, but be pushed back)

-Grab

-Forward Smash (First half and only when you are right next to Zelda, but will get hit by the ending explosion)

Sheik 

-Neutral B (Grounded)

Ganondorf 

-Down B (Grounded)

-Forward tilt

-Jab

Marth/Lucina 

-Neutral B (You will dodge the latter half of the blade, but only at the ending half of the active hit box)

-Standing Grab

Ike 

-Initial Jab

-Standing Grab (Timing is strict. Must crouch right as grab comes out)

-Forward tilt (Non-angled)

DHD 

-Down B

-Side B

DK 

-Up tilt (Only if you are in front of DK)

-Forward tilt (When not angled down)

Little Mac 

-Forward tilt (If you are close enough Mac will actually travel past you)

-Straight Forward Smash (If you are close enough Mac will actually travel past you)

-KO Punch (You are still affected by wind hit box)

-Neutral B (May have to time the crouch due to the bounce)

C. Falcon 

-Forward tilt (Non-angled)

-Forward Smash (Tip of elbow hit box)

-Down Smash (Foot hit box)

-Initial Jab

-Standing Grab

Rosalina & Luma 

-Neutral B

-Forward Smash

-Forward tilt

Luigi 

-Neutral B

Peach 

-Standing Grab (Must time the crouch as grab comes out)

-Jab

-Up tilt

Bowser Jr. 

-Neutral B (Must be timed so you crouch almost right before it hits you)

-Forward Smash (Again, crouch must be timed right before move starts)

Bowser 

-Side B (Must be timed so you crouch right as claw comes out, and you cannot be too close to Bowser)

Crouch can also duck under a lot more attacks if on a slanted stage like lylat cruise.

REST SET UPS

Up tilt to rest: This a fairly straight forward and easy rest set up. This only works as a true combo at low percentages so this will never combo into a rest kill, but it is still worth landing if both players are at low percent because rest does so much damage. here is an example of the up tilt to rest set up. https://gfycat.com/SomberSickBobwhite

Rest out of shield: This is also a pretty easy set up. Simply wait for a laggy move to hit your shield, and immediately jump out of shield and rest. Here is an example of rest out of shield.https://gfycat.com/HeartfeltInexperiencedArabianoryx

Drop shield to rest: The same as rest out shield but slightly easier. With very little shield stun, and less end lag to drop your shield in smash 4 most of the time you dont even have to jump out of shield you can just drop shield, and immediately rest. here is an example of drop shield to rest.https://gfycat.com/FilthyUncomfortableHamadryad

Ledge canceled sing to rest: This is a one trick pony, and is hard to set up. This isn’t super important but i thought it was at least worth mentioning. WARNING: this will not work against good players. Here is an example of ledge canceled sing to rest. https://gfycat.com/AjarPaltryCarp

Covering tech options with rest: This is a great way to set up for rest. This isn’t hard to execute, but is kind of tricky to set up. you have to cause a knockdown, and read what your opponent will do. In the example i read my opponents roll in towards the stage because he is near the edge, and most players will go for a roll towards the stage to regain some stage control.https://gfycat.com/LikelyBronzeHapuka

Rest out of jab combo: This is a very underused set up for rest. I use this a lot, but i dont see a lot of other players utilizing it much. Jigglypuff can rest out of rapid jab combos because rest comes out so quickly. here is an example of rest out of a jab combo.https://gfycat.com/PotableAlarmingBittern Here is a list of characters and percents at which rest will work for getting out of jab combos.

Bowser Jr. – Jab2 under 15% (must be close)

Diddy – Jab2 under 40%

G&W – Jab1 under 90%

Little Mac – Rapid Jab under ~20%

Sheik – Jab2 under 50%

Robin – Jab1 under 20%

Kirby – Jab2 under 90% (must be very close)

Fox – crouch Jab1 and Down-B

Falco – Jab2 under 100%

Works only with down and in DI:

Bowser Jr. – Jab1 under 30%

Fox – Jab2 under 85%

Robin – Jab1 under 85%

Duck Hunt – Jab1 under 45%

Down air to rest: This is a very tricky set up. Down air to rest is hard to execute, and set up. here is a good video explaining how to down air to rest way better than i can it also goes into more detail about resting out of jab combos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRLCd1dYA-o&feature=youtu.be

EDGE GUARDING

Jigglypuff is one of if not the best at edge guarding in smash 4. Her multiple jumps, and floatiness allow for her to stay offstage for a long time. Once you get an opponent offstage there are a few ways i like to finish edge guards.

When near the ledge Forward tilt and Down tilt are good for pushing characters offstage who are coming back at stage level or grabbing the ledge after their invincibility has run out. Depending on where they are recovering from you have a lot of options. If your opponent drops low i like to walk off with a falling Neutral air or short hop, and fast fall a Neutral air towards them. If one of these Neutral airs connect you should be able to get an easy follow up with a Forward air or another Neutral air. If your opponent likes to recover really low, and hug the stage you can walk off and do a falling Back air or Forward air, and stage spike them. I see a lot of villager, robin, and duck hunt players like to recover very low like this. If your opponent recovers high it is a free Neutral air, Forward air, or Back air and just keep following them with Forward air until they can’t come back. Jigglypuff is probably the only character that can consistently carry an opponent straight to the blast zone. Jigglypuff has traditionally been known for her wall of pain edge guards. https://gfycat.com/VerifiableFickleDuckbillplatypus In smash 4 wall of pains aren’t very consistent, and since Back air has really good knock back it is better for KOing rather than comboing. Both Back air and Forward air combo into themselves, but i find Forward air to combo into itself much more reliably at a much wider variety of percents and fall speeds. Instead of a wall of pain you can do a wall of forward airs as long as you simply follow their DI https://gfycat.com/SerpentineSimpleAiredaleterrier

OUT OF SHIELD OPTIONS

A short but important section. All of jigglypuff’s aerials out of shield are good. Neutral air is by far her fastest aerial out of of shield though. Rest out of shield is obviously a good option, but only against laggy or poorly spaced attacks on shield. Up smash is a good out of shield option that can kill so use it punish rolls or poorly spaced attacks. I like to just drop shield and throw out a double jab or Forward tilt sometimes as get off me move, but it is very situational.

PUNISHING MISSED TECHS

This is a more advanced concept and is important to do with every character, but i think this is very important for Jigglypuff so i thought i would briefly go over it. In smash 4 unlike some previous titles you have the ability to air dodge out of the tumble animation. This in combination with less hit stun makes ground teching a rarity. To cause a knock down and be able to ground tech you must hit the ground while in hit stun or in tumble. Since teching is something that rarely happens i see lots of players miss techs so this is something you should always be looking out for because there is a pretty good chance they won’t tech. Jigglypuff is very good at punishing missed techs and tech options in general. Since Jigglypuff can stay in the air for so long she can cover a lot of options not just on the ground, but on platforms as well. When an opponent misses a tech there will be a green flashing animation where they hit the ground. Once you see this green flash that means they have very few options, and your job is to cover as many of their options as possible. Here is an example of the reflex wonder punishing a missed tech https://gfycat.com/TintedDefensiveAnchovy In the example you can see fatality miss the tech, and reflex immediately lands with a double jab to get him offstage. Once he is offstage he connects with a falling Neutral air into a Forward air to finish the stock. Jigglypuff’s jab,Forward tilt, and Down tilt are all great for hitting grounded opponents that miss a tech. Jigglypuff can also punish missed techs with a jab reset to rest or a tech roll with rest(see example under rest set ups). Here is another example of punishing a missed tech by reflexhttps://gfycat.com/ScentedAbsoluteBunting Reflex connects with a Forward air and sees his opponent is going to land on a platform. Instead of following him he takes just a second to see how his opponent reacts. Once he sees the missed tech he rises with another Forward air to cover the missed tech and continue the combo. Jigglypuff is amazing at covering tech options on platforms. Her Forward air, Up air, Neutral air, and Down air are all great for covering these options.

I hope that this guide gave you a better understanding of Jigglypuff or got you hyped to play her. So go to tournaments and rep Jigglypuff and show everyone that she is good!