Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets rough if Incineroar keeps playing at mid-range and repeatedly eats Cross, Axe, and whip swings, because his slow run speed and weak recovery get punished at the same time.
The win condition is not to chase Simon head-on. Use walking shield and short jumps to shift the projectile angles, then once you reach body range, turn each opening into ledge carry with nair, grab, and Side B.
The table shows that Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Down Air, and Side B are punishable on shield by nair, grab, or Up B, while Forward Tilt, Fair, Bair, Uair, and Neutral B are not reliable immediate punishes. When those safer swings hit shield, take space instead of forcing a miss.
For kills, do not overcommit offstage. Keep Simon cornered, cover jump from ledge with bair or Up Smash, and catch neutral getup or roll with Side B and grab so you finish the stock at the ledge without exposing your own recovery.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Incineroar OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -21 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -23 |
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| Rapid Jab | 9/12/15… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 3 | -37 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -8/-7 |
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| Up Tilt | 10 | -17 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 7 | -31 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 8 | -42/-28 |
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| Dash Attack | 10/13/16/19/22/24 | -26 |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -28/-26 |
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| Up Smash | 16 | -27/-26 |
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| Down Smash | 14/20 | -33/-30/-27/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 8… | -12/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Back Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Up Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -21/-23 |
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| Neutral B | 30 | -6 |
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| Side B | 19 | -15 |
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| Up B | 6/9/… | ** | ||
| Down B | 18 | ** | ||
| Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 14 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Mix walking shield with short jumps so you do not run directly into Cross and Axe before reaching Simon himself.
- When you block Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, the smash attacks, Down Air, or Side B, use the table and punish with OOS nair, grab, or Up B to push him to the corner.
- Once you get in, loop nair, grab, and Side B pressure so Simon does not get the room to reset whip spacing.
- At the ledge, crowd him before Holy Water is set, then cover jump with bair or Up Smash and roll with Side B.
- Keep edgeguards shallow and prefer ledge trapping, forcing Simon to swing on the way back and sending him out again.
Actions to Avoid
- Fishing for Revenge on every projectile and getting broken open by delayed whip timing or grabs.
- Dashing in from mid-range over and over into Axe, Fair, or Forward Tilt spacing.
- Forcing instant shield punishes on Forward Tilt, Fair, Bair, Uair, or Neutral B when the table shows they are not reliably reachable.
- Chasing too deep offstage for a hard kill and letting Simon reverse the situation against your weak return path.
- Taking big panic jumps from the corner and drifting into the vertical lane of Axe and Fair.