Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Wario uses exceptional air drift to slip through projectile gaps, then converts nair, fair, down tilt, and grab into carries, juggle pressure, and a much scarier game once Waft time has built up. Dark Samus can still keep this matchup stable because Wario’s grounded range is limited and the frame table shows clear shield punishes on Jab, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, every smash attack, back air, and down air. Even nair, fair, and down tilt still lose to Up B (4f), so Dark Samus does not have to stay passive after every close-range touch. The win condition is to avoid becoming a full-Charge Shot statue. Mix missiles, partial Charge Shot, fair, and drift-back movement to scramble Wario’s approach angles, then force him either onto the ground or toward the ledge before Waft takes over the pace of the match. For kills, ledgetrapping with Charge Shot, fair, uair, and up smash is more reliable than deep edgeguards. Covering bike-less recovery and jump getup together keeps Wario from turning one last scramble into a Waft comeback.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Dark Samus OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 2 | 4 | -23 |
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| Jab | 8 | -16 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -15 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -13 |
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| Down Tilt | 5 | -7 |
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| Dash Attack | 5 | -33 |
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| Forward Smash | 18 | -34 |
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| Up Smash | 11 | -35/-37 |
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| Down Smash | 8 | -44 |
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| Neutral Air | 4/20 | -4/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 5 | -7/-7 |
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| Back Air | 9 | -11 |
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| Up Air | 8 | -2 |
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| Down Air | 9/11/13/15/17/19/21 | -16/-15 |
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| Neutral B | 8 (11 Grab Release) | — | ||
| Side B | 20/24 | ** | ||
| Up B | 6/8/12/16/20/29 | ** | ||
| Down B | 16, 10, 8, 12 | —, -41, -24, -28 |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not rely on full Charge Shot alone. Mix missiles, partial Charge Shot, fair, and drift-back aerial movement so Wario cannot lock onto one approach lane.
- After blocking Jab, forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt, dash attack, any smash attack, back air, or down air, default to Up B (4f) and extend to OOS Uair (8f), OOS Fair (9f), or Grab (10f) when spacing allows.
- Keep nair and fair interactions point-blank only. Once they hit shield, use Up B (4f) to reset space and convert that reset into juggle or ledge pressure.
- As Waft charge advances, avoid center-stage brawls and rotate Charge Shot, fair, uair, and up smash at the ledge so bike-less recovery and jump getup are covered together.
Actions to Avoid
- Waiting with full Charge Shot for too long and letting Wario sync his air drift timings while Waft passively charges in the background.
- Escaping upward every time and drifting into the anti-air lane where nair, uair, and Corkscrew can catch the landing.
- Swinging with punish options that do not reach after shielding nair, fair, or down tilt and giving Wario a free second approach.
- Overchasing offstage for the kill, then surrendering center stage and starting a last-hit scramble after Waft has already become active.