Basic Ness strategy?

[PK n00b]

Hey guys, I'm a new player and I'd like some advice. My friends play Smash 64 socially, but I've never been very good at video games so I didn't play. A few days ago I decided to give it a shot and chose Ness. I know that Ness is usually considered an advanced character and that beginners are usually told to use Kirby, but all my friends use Kirby and I wanted a unique character.

Anyway, I've searched the boards and read a bunch of FAQs, and I've found a ton of information on individual moves, but I can't seem to find any information on overall strategy. For Kirby, the strategy that works with my friends is to kick and throw opponents off the edge, chase them off, drill kick them down, and use your multiple jumps to recover. Is there an accepted general gameplan like this for Ness?

I read in a FAQ that one of Ness's best moves is the shield breaker jump (C-right, C-down, A), so I've been trying to incorporate that. I've also had some success using his throw. But I don't really see how individual moves connect into an overarching strategy the same way they do for Kirby.

I know there are a lot of more experience players reading this - any ideas for a Ness gameplan for a n00bish beginner like me?

edit: I should also mention that the games I play in are usually multiplayer with 3 or 4 players. The most common other characters I face are Kirby, Samus, Falcon, and Jigglypuff.

 

[Wenbobular]

Ness = DJC, double jump cancel...a lot of his combos are double jump canceled repeated aerials to an off the stage spike. Against heavies I think it's generally Uair repeatedly at low percents, Usmashes, Utilts to rack up damage, then to an Fair or another weak move to get off the stage, then Dair. You could skip the Fair and just go for a throw too...probably.
Floaties are a bunch of Fairs and Bairs off the edge to Dair.
Sweetspotting the ledge with your up-b is also important because Ness has a recovery that's probably the most vulnerable in the game. Maybe tied with Falcon. Sweetspotting is difficult beans though.
I can't do any of this by the way, it's quite hard. Play Fox instead.

 

[Thino]

PK thunder into the mayhem and down air should get you many KOs in FFA

 

[Box_of_Fox]

I'd work on DJCing the most. The ability to cancel quickly with Ness is key to safe but aggressive attacks. If it works, spam throw against your friends until they hate you for it. Its their fault for not being good enough to dodge away

 

[Wenbobular]

Yeah, but you don't get better this way.

 

[Box_of_Fox]

But it makes his friends better ;-0

 

[cmasterchoe]

Definitely incorporate Ness's throw, his throw is probably one of the most horizontal in the game (and heaven forbid you play on mushroom kingdom where you can just stay on the right side and throw them off the stage at will). One of the more effective combos is dAir and then repeating each time they get up. You'll have to be good at short-hopping/DJC but nailing them each time they get up with downspike will surely frustrate them.

You can also downspike and utilt, juggle (utilt a couple times) and then use a Fair or Bair.

Ness is a ******* to control and get DJC timing down, but once you do you'll have tons of fun.

 

[kuenzel]

his up-air has alot of priority, and (if you can) try and spike people down with his fast, easy to pull off down air. His throwing is one of the best, so get used to doing that alot, even if your friends call you cheap. His smashes are also decent and at times unpredictable (down-smash)
The piont? try to avoid using his specials (occasionally pk fire) and focus on his phisical attacks.

 

[hambread]

i think another important thing is know which moves not to use. dont spam your smash or DB. i would suggest you work on your UB directions. it goes very far, it is powerful and kirby is pretty slow to jump out (maybe its psychological) and is pretty light. aim your UB so you can align yourself with the ledge. fastfall and grab the ledge. it is better than landing ON the platform with agonising lag and kirby feet in your face. if you're lucky the kirby will jump out and get killed when you recover.

 

[metaknight007]

to go for the easy kill camp near edge then throw Dair spike

 

[strider43]

Up tilt dair Uair combo is the best for ranking up damage.

Up tilt twice so the person is about your head, jump up and Dair, if the person doesn't tech the dair then do an Uair to get them into the air and repeat until you can kill them by grab or Uair.

 

[Rupus]

However, anyone who knows how to press the Z button is likely to tech, so that's not so useful.

Oh, and BoF, it may make his friends better, but when they learn how to evade his throws he's a tad screwed.

 

[Wenbobular]

Yeah, but that's only when they learn how to z-cancel.

 

[RedYoshi92]

DJC alot of your attacks with ness.DJC his dair helps alot because It can set you up for another one.I'm pretty sure most of his moves Z cancel.

 

[Box_of_Fox]

Well I like things step by step, Meow. Its simply taking turns on who gets screwed, rather than pushing all techniques at the same time.

1. Friends own PK noob
2. PK noob adapts with an emphasis on throwing
3. Friends eventually figure out how to z-cancel/avoid throws
4. PK noob readapts, placing emphasis on DJC
5. Friends adapts accordingly
6. PK noob adapts accordingly to his friends according adaptation
7. Friends adapt to PK noob's accordingly adapted adaptation to their accordingly adapted adaptation.
8. PK noob readapts to his friends readaptation of his own according readaptation of their own accordingly adapted readaptation...accordingly.
(Infinity): They get better.

 

[valoem]

Well I like things step by step, Meow. Its simply taking turns on who gets screwed, rather than pushing all techniques at the same time.

1. Friends own PK noob
2. PK noob adapts with an emphasis on throwing
3. Friends eventually figure out how to z-cancel/avoid throws
4. PK noob readapts, placing emphasis on DJC
5. Friends adapts accordingly
6. PK noob adapts accordingly to his friends according adaptation
7. Friends adapt to PK noob's accordingly adapted adaptation to their accordingly adapted adaptation.
8. PK noob readapts to his friends readaptation of his own according readaptation of their own accordingly adapted readaptation...accordingly.
(Infinity): They get better.

Sounds like the full smash learning curve lol

 

[metaknight007]

DJC?? he cant even Z-cancel yet

 

[PrimaryFox]

Heres a pro strat...Go hide in the corner and keep hitting the same guy with PK thunders....If he comes to get you just uptilt him and promise not to do it if he goes away...when he goes away pk thunder him some more....its a pro mind game....also u got like 2 other people that will **** him when hes stunned by ur pk thunder so it will be hard for him to come get you rofl...

 

[mooseproduce]

"just uptilt him and promise not to do it if he goes away"

A good round of Smash should have half of the gameplay taking place in real life

 

[Thunder Llama]

I feel reeeealy sorry for you, having to play a bunch of kirbies especially if they only do that cheap nub tactic.

 

[greenblob]

At least he'll probably learn how to DI out of Kirby's fair and utilt soon enough...

If you want immediate results, first learn how to spike consistently without suiciding.

 

[PK n00b]

Bumping this thread after five months to give an update.

I've developed a very basic gameplan that basically involves using DJC attacks to rack up damage and finishing with throws. The main problems that I'm having now:

1. Sometimes I have trouble controlling the range of my jumps. I assume this is something that comes with practice and endless repetition, but if anyone has any tips on how to stay close to the ground, I would love some advice.
2. Because my entire gameplan rotates around attacks coming off jumps, I sometimes lose track of my jumps and end up falling to my death because I slip off or get knocked off with no jumps left. Is there some trick to avoiding this?
3. I sometimes get grabbed in midair and thrown during my double jumps. How do I avoid this?

I feel like most of my problems now are just because I can't react and press the right buttons fast enough, so the best way to improve is through practice. But if there are any strategic holes in my game that you guys think will cause problems or result in developing bad habits, I would appreciate some more advice.

 

[Habibi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpxhmXWZkm8

 

[Volrec]

you aren't good Habibi,

jump, DJC bair last second, oh god i'll never see it comingf

 

[Wenbobular]

If it's staying close to the ground, then button-slide across two jump buttons, followed by an aerial move.
And keeping Ness alive comes with experience once you know how to move him around effectively.

 

[l0telephone0l]

I find doing nairs as an approach followed by a uair (if they have low damage) a safe approach against big grabbers (like dk). Quick djc's just require practice.

Alternatively, you can get a transfusion of Isai blood.