Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ken clearly wins the damage race once he gets a grounded starter, but Meta Knight’s mobility, juggle routes, and edgeguards make this matchup dangerous the moment Ken starts chasing in the air. The plan is to keep Meta Knight low with Hadoken, walking shield, and grounded checks, then punish Dash Attack, Forward Tilt string, Up Tilt, Neutral B, and Side B the instant they become unsafe. Trying to swat everything with jumps usually backfires because Meta Knight’s Nair, Fair, and Up Tilt convert quickly into vertical pressure, so Ken’s defense should stay compact and grounded. Stocks come most reliably from ledge pressure, Up Smash, and confirmed Shoryuken routes after real starters, not from desperate midstage guesses that hand Meta Knight an edgeguard opening.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ken OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Jab | 4/7/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 3 | -24 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 6 | -16 |
| |
| Forward Tilt (2) | 2 | -22 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 2 | -23 |
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| Up Tilt | 8 | -20/-19 |
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| Down Tilt | 3 | -9 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -18 |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -6 |
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| Up Smash | 8/12/17 | -28 |
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| Down Smash | 4/9 | -26/-19 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -3/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 9/12/15 | -8/-8 |
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| Back Air | 7/13/20 | -9/-8 |
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| Up Air | 6 | -6 |
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| Down Air | 4 | -6 |
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| Neutral B | 12 | -81 |
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| Side B | 26/30/34/38/42/46/ 50/54/58/62/66/70 | -24 |
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| Up B (1) | 8/22 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | 7/20 | ** | ||
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Hadoken and patient walking to keep Meta Knight from entering freely with aerial drift
- Punish Dash Attack, Forward Tilt string, Up Tilt, Neutral B, and Side B on block every time the opening appears
- After launching Meta Knight, do not chase too high; cover the landing spot and ledge path instead
- Mix recovery timing and path so early jump-ins and panic aerials do not get farmed
- Build kills through ledge pressure, Up Smash, and confirmed Shoryuken routes instead of forcing risky Tatsu calls
Actions to Avoid
- Chasing Meta Knight too high in the air and getting clipped first by Up Tilt or Nair into juggle flow
- Blocking Dash Attack or the Forward Tilt string and then letting Meta Knight reset without punishment
- Repeatedly forcing Tatsu or jump-in approaches that get stuffed by Fair and Bair spacing
- Swinging for desperate Shoryukens or Saving reversals in center stage and handing over edgeguard momentum