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Luigi Cyclone is Luigi's Down Special Move in all five Super Smash Bros. games. It is similar to the Mario Tornado. The attack makes Luigi spin around many times. It can be used as a vertical recovery move by mashing the B button, though this works best after a jump because the move carries Luigi's momentum with it. The move is very hard to use in other situations, as it requires pressing the Special Move button very quickly, which in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee is very difficult to do. In Brawl, however, this is much easier, due to the game being slower. It is a multi-hit attack since Super Smash Bros. Melee.

History[]

Super Smash Bros.[]

In Super Smash Bros., there are a total of two hits, one at the beginning of the hit, and one at the end when Luigi sends out his hands, which is extremely powerful. The Super Smash Bros. one is in the middle of difficulty between Melee and Brawl and has by far the best power of any of the 3 cyclones. It is usually considered Luigi's other main killing move outside of Super Jump Punch. It goes diagonally in the air, but it is possible to aim the control stick to only send the cyclone vertical. This takes very quick hand speed as well.

Super Smash Bros. Melee[]

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the Luigi Cyclone is the primary vertical recovery as long as someone has very quick tap speed. The player must tap the B button at least 14 times for Luigi to gain the cyclone's full height. There are a total of two hits very similar to the original with one right at the beginning and one when Luigi raises his hands. This version of the cyclone has the best combo ability and very low K.O ability/gimping ability. Unlike in Brawl, the momentum of a jump does not contribute to the performance of the cyclone, so the same height is gained in all situations. However, unlike other games, the Melee cyclone needs to be "charged" by performing it so that the last few frames (when the second set of hitboxes comes out) occur on the ground.

It is also by far the hardest cyclone to do fully, with only people with very fast hand speed being able to do it correctly. It takes around twice the hand speed as a Jumpless Rising Cyclone from Brawl, but the rising cyclone in Melee cannot be performed from the ground. It is also a very quick out of shield move and is a good approaching move but with low priority. It is a primary combo starter vs fast fallers or heavies. In addition, using this move on the ground and hitting left or right on the control stick allows for very rapid horizontal movement, equal in speed to Captain Falcon's full dash. Hence it is tied for the fastest means of ground movement. If B Button is pressed again after the technique is executed on the ground Luigi will hop into the air, which can be useful to combo opponents to a slightly higher damage percentage. When in the air, even if the B button is pressed once instead of mashing it, the charge will be wasted when used in the air unless the cyclone is directed so that Luigi land on a platform at the end or immediately following the attack lag frames.

The cyclone also becomes "charged" immediately when executed on the ground, even if Luigi is knocked out of the animation after only one frame. Thus it can be useful to force a clash when charging it, so as to eliminate the risk of punishment from ending lag.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl[]

Luigi Cyclone

Luigi using "Luigi Cyclone" in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Luigi Cyclone can travel across the stage quickly, has more hits than Melee, less power, and is very good at gimping certain characters. The vertical recovery distance is now much easier to perform than its Melee counterpart. It has less vertical distance than the original, but has the most horizontal distance of all 3 games. Also, the Super Jump Punch has better horizontal distance, allowing Luigi to recover much easier than any other Super Smash Bros. game. The Brawl Cyclone is also one of the better moves Luigi has to approach and bait.

Luigi's Special Moves
64 Melee Brawl 3DS/Wii U Ultimate
Standard Special Fireball
Side Special Green Missile
Up Special Super Jump Punch
Down Special Luigi Cyclone
Final Smash Negative Zone Poltergust 5000 Poltergust G-00

Custom Variations[]

Mach Cyclone[]

Mach Cyclone

Mach Cyclone is one of Luigi Cyclone's down specials that can be used via customization. It can push enemies away, and though it does not do as much damage it can lift Luigi quite far into the air.

Strengths:

  • Increased vertical recovery
  • Last hit launches
  • Can push opponents away to possibly escape from attacks


Weaknesses:

  • Deals slight damage
  • Slight sideways movement
  • Doesn't deal damage while spinning

The Mach Cyclone's vertical movement could make up for the lack of vertical movement of Fiery Jump Punch, but the player will need to mash the special attack button very fast in order to make Luigi rise up into the air when he starts the move in the air; on the ground it does this automatically. The last hit launches, but the rest of the move cannot deal any damage. The move does not have much horizontal movement, but this can be remedied if paired with the Green Missile move.

Clothesline Cyclone[]

Clothesline Cyclone

Clothesline Cyclone is Luigi Cyclone's other customization. This is a slower but more powerful attack which can send opponents flying sideways.

Strengths:

  • Higher launch power
  • Useful for K.O options

Weaknesses:

  • Slow
  • Less recovery

This move has high launch power, so it is good for getting opponents off-stage, but this also prevents all the hits from connecting up strong damage. The move also has kill power. It is a slow move, making it bad for recovery and trying to catch opponents that are farther away.

Luigi's Custom Special Moves
Custom 1 Custom 2
Standard Special Bouncing Fireball Iceball
Side Special Floating Missile Quick Missile
Up Special Fiery Jump Punch Burial Header
Down Special Mach Cyclone Clothesline Cyclone

Techniques[]

There are a few main techniques using the Cyclone in Brawl.

  • Cyclone Cancel (CC): Pressing Down+B right before Luigi touches the ground allows him to instantly use the move again. [1]. This also allows Luigi to rise slightly on the ground if he taps the B button on the ground while moving.
  • Jumpless Flying Cyclone (JFC): Using the Cyclone without jumping is very harder than using it with jumping. It takes around double the tap speed. However it is considered usually better as it allows Luigi to make a double jump afterward as well.
  • Normal Flying Cyclone (NFC): Using the cyclone with jumping is by far the easiest way to recover. It does however leave Luigi open for gimps as Luigi doesn't have a 2nd jump anymore otherwise.
  • Stationary Aerial Cyclone (SAC): Using the cyclone to keep Luigi in the same area in midair. Takes exactly half the tap speed as the other cyclones. Also known as a Half Rising Cyclone or HRC.
  • Aerial Cyclone Gimp (ACG): Jumping and then using a fully powered cyclone to kill a character off the top (usually someone with a slow Down Aerial Attack like Snake), or to fast fall and then fully tap cyclone off stage vs someone's recovery, usually this is vs. Diddy Kong or Marth. Similar to the Meta Knight Up Aerial and then Mach Tornado gimp, but less effective.
  • Full Rising Cyclone (FRC): A fully vertical/horizontal cyclone.

Trivia[]

  • The Luigi Cyclone has no effect whatsoever on the tornadoes on Hyrule Castle. Attempting to attack or enter the tornadoes is not advised.
  • On certain levels and against certain characters, a Luigi with lower port priority will start with the cyclone charged, and will immediately be able to execute a Rising Cyclone when the match starts. For example, if Luigi is against Marth on Dream Land he will start with the cyclone charged, but against Fox, he will not. The list appears to be random.
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