Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Snake can lock down midrange with Grenades, C4, and Nikita, then cash out with high-damage down tilt, up tilt, and dash attack. If Fox tries to force his way in with straight-line dash approaches and short-hop entries, his light weight and fast fall speed make it easy for one interception to snowball all the way into kill percent. Once Fox gets pushed offstage, his recovery is also direct enough that extended scrambles around Nikita and Cypher usually favor Snake.
That said, Snake does not have high mobility or especially free landings, and the frame table shows that Fox can punish Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Down Smash, all aerials, and Side B on shield with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Dair (8f), Up Smash (8f), and Grab (10f). Once Fox gets in once, up tilt, up air, and dash attack let him keep the landing trap going and deny Snake the time to reset Grenades.
The win condition is to avoid relying on Blaster alone, remember that Snake’s very low crouch can slip under those shots, and use dash-back movement plus shield to survive the first Grenade before punishing Snake’s grounded buttons into close-range pressure. After getting that first hit, Fox should not overextend every string; it is more stable to respect Grenade pull on frame 1, track the fall and escape route, and take the second hit on the landing instead.
For kills, Fox should favor back air and Up Smash at the ledge, up air on landings, and preemptive coverage of Cypher’s rise path rather than deep offstage chases. Snake’s recovery distance is long, but his lateral air drift and landing freedom are not, so Fox wants to keep stage control and close each escape route one by one.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Fox OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -8 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -16 |
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| Jab 3 | 8 | -32 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 4 | -22 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -22/-22/-21 |
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| Up Tilt | 6 | -18/** |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 5 | -26/** |
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| Forward Smash | 41 | -18 |
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| Up Smash | 11/35 | -39/+1 |
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| Down Smash | 8/20 | -28/-14 |
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| Neutral Air | 10/18/26/36 | -14/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 23 | -14/-14 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -13/-14/-15/-15 |
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| Up Air | 10 | -10/-11 |
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| Down Air | 3/10/17/25 | -17/-18/-16 |
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| Neutral B | 1 (Grenade Pull) | — | ||
| Side B | 41 | -19/-14 |
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| Up B | — | — | ||
| Down B | 9 | — | ||
| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not dash or short-hop straight into the space already covered by Grenades and C4; use dash-back movement and shield to weather the first explosive, then hit Snake himself.
- When Snake’s Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Down Smash, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Back Air, Up Air, Down Air, or Side B hits shield, answer immediately with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Dair (8f), Up Smash (8f), or Grab (10f) so he cannot reset traps for free.
- After getting in, watch Grenade pull and its drop position, then keep the advantage with up tilt, up air, and dash attack landing traps instead of forcing one overlong string.
- At kill percent, stay on stage and finish with ledge back air, Up Smash, up air on landings, or coverage on Cypher’s rise path rather than chasing too far offstage.
Actions to Avoid
- Trying to stop Snake with Blaster alone and getting your shots ducked under by crouch before eating a down tilt or dash attack whiff punish.
- Ignoring Grenade and C4 placement, then charging in with neutral air, dash attack, or dash grab and giving Snake a trade that turns into ledge pressure.
- Extending pressure on autopilot after the first opening and letting Snake reset neutral with frame-1 Grenade pull.
- Overcommitting offstage for the kill and volunteering for Snake’s Nikita or Cypher escape mix while Fox’s own recovery remains the more fragile one.