Need Help with the Link MU

[KenMeister]

I get the feeling it's in our favor, but since I've only ever played 2 high level Link players through Smash Skype groups, I need help on how to approach this matchup. I have this habit of constantly underestimating Link's ftilt, jab and nair, which tends to stuff my approach options alot, and when I go to camp with fireballs, he tends to win the projectile war against me. I've been told cape is good, but I'm worried I might get baited into using it, so how should I approach Link, play the neutral game, and bait him into making an opening for me? (btw, I sort of consider lag a factor give it messes up my perfect shield timing)

 

[A2ZOMG]

I get the feeling it's in out favor, but since I've only ever played 2 high level Link players through Smash Skype groups, I need help on how to approach this matchup. I have this habit of constantly underestimating Link's ftilt, jab and nair, which tends to stuff my approach options alot, and when I go to camp with fireballs, he tends to win the projectile war against me. I've been told cape is good, but I'm worried I might get baited into using it, so how should I approach Link, play the neutral game, and bait him into making an opening for me? (btw, I sort of consider lag a factor give it messes up my perfect shield timing)

Screw this matchup honestly. Link in many ways has the right advantages in the right places for this matchup, though his vulnerability to combos and edgeguards is actually pretty huge in this matchup.

Link's biggest weakness as you might have heard from me is his horrible midrange game, but Mario happens to be really bad at actually exploiting this (you can blame his crappy F-air and DA for that). Most of the time you'll try to fullhop fireball and hope he gets frustrated by it until he leaves himself open with something slow.

It's not really worth trying to cape his projectiles. Link's arrows are one of the few good zoning projectiles in this game that aren't Sheik's Needles or item tossing (because they beat reaction time). You also don't really get anything out of Caping the Gale Boomerang aside from maybe pushing him back.

In general though, you CAN take comfort in the fact that Link in general sucks at hurting you when you are outside of his Jab range. It's just that Mario can't really do much in this range either and his attacks lose head to head against Link's. If you really want to, you could try FLUDDing him to the ledge and trying to punish his ledge getup given he probably won't punish that. Most importantly, you want to maximize your reward from comboing him out of D-throw, and then edgeguarding him with N-air, Cape, Fireballs, or FLUDD as applicable. Link is still very easy to gimp in this game as none of his aerials, including his Up-B, are very good for defending him from edgeguards. Unfortunately, Link also happens to be very good at edgeguarding Mario as well with both his N-air and D-air. His D-air in particular probably should straight up beat your Up-B head on, while his N-air will likely trade with your Up-B but gimp you if you get caught out of your second jump.

I actually do believe Link wins this matchup (and vs Doc as well) slightly for now. Mario's reward on him can turn it around, but Link also has good reward and more consistent answers in neutral.

 

[Inferno3044]

Hey KenMeister. I would be glad to give you some tips on the Mario vs. Link match up.

So as you may have found out, Link can set up a better projectile wall than you. He has three of them while Mario's fireball really has its uses in other places such as helping your approach/landing. Because of this, you will have to approach a campy Link. You can do different things vs. Link's projectiles: mainly shield, dodge, or reflect. If you are a safe distance he can't punish a reflect. As for Link's ftilt, jab, and nair stop underestimating them. I don't know why you get stuffed since I've seen no footage of you but it might be a result of poor spacing on your half. Learn how to be just outside of your opponent's moves. It's a very helpful skill to know and really separates players.

As for basic Mario vs. Link stuff, Mario wins this quite solidly. To put it simply, Link's weaknesses are that he's slow, easily to combo, and vulnerable to edge guarding. Mario's strengths are his speed, combo power, and edge guarding. Link's weaknesses just match up with Mario's strengths so well. The biggest thing to worry about is his ability to stuff approaches, but once you get past his defense just keep the pace up. You have much faster moves than him and you can really take advantage of that.

If I didn't answer anything, let me know.

 

[A2ZOMG]

Hey KenMeister. I would be glad to give you some tips on the Mario vs. Link match up.

So as you may have found out, Link can set up a better projectile wall than you. He has three of them while Mario's fireball really has its uses in other places such as helping your approach/landing. Because of this, you will have to approach a campy Link. You can do different things vs. Link's projectiles: mainly shield, dodge, or reflect. If you are a safe distance he can't punish a reflect. As for Link's ftilt, jab, and nair stop underestimating them. I don't know why you get stuffed since I've seen no footage of you but it might be a result of poor spacing on your half. Learn how to be just outside of your opponent's moves. It's a very helpful skill to know and really separates players.

As for basic Mario vs. Link stuff, Mario wins this quite solidly. To put it simply, Link's weaknesses are that he's slow, easily to combo, and vulnerable to edge guarding. Mario's strengths are his speed, combo power, and edge guarding. Link's weaknesses just match up with Mario's strengths so well. The biggest thing to worry about is his ability to stuff approaches, but once you get past his defense just keep the pace up. You have much faster moves than him and you can really take advantage of that.

If I didn't answer anything, let me know.

You mentioned that Mario has to approach, and Link excels at stuffing approaches (especially given Mario does not have a lot of burst presence in midrange, unlike say Fox who both runs faster, has a strong DA, and a better camping projectile). Frankly, on top of his ability to edgeguard Mario, I can't see how this matchup is Mario's favor.

Also, edge-guarding is by far not one of Mario's strengths. Link's recovery just is probably the worst recovery in the game that isn't Little Mac's. It's so terrible that even Mario, who has some of the worst edgeguards in the game overall has a relatively easy time harassing Link offstage. This also has to be factored against Link's weight (slightly mitigated by comboing him, though Link like Mario benefits extremely noticeably with Rage) and Link's ability to very consistently edgeguard Mario out of his Up-B.