Falcon Punch



Falcon Punch refers to Captain Falcon's neutral B attack. It is one of most powerful moves in all three Super Smash Bros. games, with the highest knockback of any of Falcon's attacks (including charged smashes). This move is one of the few attacks in the game that is more powerful than the Home-run Bat at high damages (combined with the fact that Captain Falcon's home run attack flies upwards rather than sideways), and thus players use it in Captain Falcon's world record Home-run Contest strategies. Falcon Punch is also very slow, with a start-up time of 52 frames. As with all neutral B attacks in Melee, this move can be redirected by tapping the analog stick in a direction, returning it to neutral, and pressing B quickly.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Captain Falcon can turn around during the start-up of the punch, increasing its damage. This is a Reverse Falcon Punch (see second picture).

Strategies
Double-jump facing away from your opponent and right before you fall, Reverse Falcon Punch. As you tilt the motion towards your opponent you reduce the time it takes to charge on the ground, strengthen the punch by reversing it, and use the attack just as you hit the ground. Best to use it on off-guard opponents that are expecting you to flee.


 * Tip: It will take a couple tries to get used to, but when you do, your opponent won't know what hit them.

Combos into Falcon Punch
Despite the slowness of Falcon Punch, there are a few situations where a launcher (namely, down aerial) can combo into Falcon Punch.

Tapion Punch Combo
Named after Tapion, this two-hit combo leads into Falcon Punch after an l-canceled down aerial. It works on Fox as low as 75% damage, Falco as low as 78%, and C. Falcon as low as 80%. It can be avoided with Directional Influence.

G-Regulate's Falcon Punch Combo
Named after G-Regulate, this combo works similarly to the Tapion Punch Combo, but uses a platform. Captain Falcon must l-cancel a down aerial onto a platform so that it hits an enemy below him. Against some characters at some damages (notably Marth at 65%), Falcon can combo his down aerial into Falcon Punch. It can be avoided with Directional Influence.

Trivia

 * If used correctly, it can knock off all the bases of a Gamyga.
 * Captain Falcon once had his own animé; in the end, he uses an extremely powerful Falcon Punch (see this video) to destroy Black Shadow.
 * The Falcon Punch is something of an internet meme. For example, it is sometimes jokingly referred to as the most powerful attack in the universe.