Peach Matchup (Dark Samus)

Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)

Peach’s follow-up damage after a floating hit is extremely high, and her neutral air is fairly safe, but she is easier to punish after unsafe pokes like jab, tilts, dash attack, and most smash attacks, so do not let yourself overcommit to airborne pressure alone.
Missiles, Charge Shot, and retreating forward air can disrupt Peach’s floating start point; if you stop her lateral movement before she pulls a turnip, it becomes much harder for her to build her preferred low-air game.
For kills, it is more stable to avoid close-range scramble wars and instead force Peach to choose between jump and air dodge by combining Charge Shot, up smash, and offstage recovery reads.

Full Move Frame Quick Reference

Win Condition Checklist

• Read Peach’s floating height and vary your missile and retreating forward-air timings so you can force her to land before striking with grab or forward air.
• After blocking dash attack or a smash attack, do not let the punish slip; push her toward the ledge and keep the advantage going.
• Do not wait only for full Charge Shot; mix in partial charge and aerial movement so Peach cannot lock in your forward approach angle.

Actions to Avoid

• Charging Charge Shot at the same distance over and over and allowing floating forward-air entries for free.
• Jumping at a turnip immediately and eating a high-damage neutral-air follow-up.
• Overchasing offstage and getting your position reversed by back air or up B.