For the longest time, I played Super Smash Bros. incredibly casually. I still don’t make it out to tournaments, mostly to avoid being embarrassed by the truly talented, but I have enjoyed taking it a bit more serious. When Super Smash Bros. Ultimate released, I decided to dive in a bit harder and try to focus on getting better at a technical level. The easiest ways to improve your Smash Ultimate game comes down to three specific ways to learn the game and its characters better.

Lose More, Learn More

With matchmaking being a bit tough in terms of finding specific levels of players, it’s not exactly easy to find players that are better than you. That being said, you can assume that anyone playing Smash Ultimate seriously has a specific setting they’re playing on when they search for online opponents. If you want to find the best of the best, start playing multiplayer with the following settings: no items, omega stages, and 3 stock. This is a simplified way to achieve tournament rules, and anyone set to these rules, especially the no items and 3 stock, are bound to be on top of their game.

Sometimes, you’ll find people like yourself who may be in the process of improving, but that’s a nice reprieve from getting rocked 3 lives in a row by a Pichu main. These settings expose you to the best of the best, and the more you lose, the more you learn. Try not to aim for wins every time, rather, see what you can do to learn your opponent’s style. Try moves you see them doing, or position yourself on the map in ways that seem to mirror their approach. It’s the fastest way to learn what works best for you. Of course, this all depends on your character.

Know your Main Inside and Out

It’s fun to explore which character is the most fun to play, but after you narrow your favorites down, strive to pick one to really dig into. This means learning how far their reach is, what their recovery jump pattern looks like, and even combos that can send your opponent to the sky. The easiest way to find characters that compete at a high level, other than your personal enjoyment, is to look up tier lists such as the one above.

When you want to start playing competitively, or at least more seriously, the most beginner-friendly characters are going to be those mid-tier and high tier characters. Personally, I find Pikachu to be the perfect character to learn first, due to a great balance of speed and power, but that’s for you to find out. Try them out, and see what you can pull off.

Don’t Skip Training Mode

As great as it is to practice with live players online or maybe on the couch, training mode is essential. This is where you can practice your moves, try new combos, and even face off against an AI that knows your style. This forces you to play against your tendencies, a learning opportunity that will directly benefit your skills.

Conclusion

Simply put, practice makes perfect. Once you find a character you love and can see yourself succeeding with, go ahead and hit training mode and take on some competition you may not be ready for. A few losses in a row will suddenly turn to wins, and as you improve, this incredible game only gets deeper and more enjoyable.

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