Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Mewtwo can stop Ken’s advance with Shadow Ball and high air mobility, then turn Forward Air, Back Air, Up Air, Down Throw, and Up Throw into explosive damage or kills. If Ken gets impatient from outside and starts jumping in, he usually loses first to the range gap and the landing trap.
The tradeoff is that Mewtwo’s defense once grounded is much weaker. Rapid Jab Finisher, Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, and Down B are all very punishable for Ken, especially through Up B (5f). Mewtwo’s large hurtbox and low weight mean that once Ken reaches the range where Jab or Down Tilt connects, the close-range damage route becomes the real win condition immediately.
By contrast, Forward Air, Up Air, and Neutral B are mostly safe, while Neutral Air, Back Air, and Down Air reduce mostly to Up B (5f) as the practical answer. It is more stable to use walk shield and Hadoken to eat into Shadow Ball charge time than to keep trying to jump over it on reaction. After Teleport, do not overchase offstage; prioritize taking the landing spot or the ledge continuation instead.
For kills, it is much more repeatable to cash out through Jab or Down Tilt into Shoryuken, grounded ledge pressure, and Up B or Up Smash on Mewtwo’s landing than to fish for one giant center-stage swing. Mewtwo’s comeback damage is too high to stay in a long scramble once Ken already has the opening.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Ken OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Jab | 5/8/11… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -30 |
| |
| Jab | 5 | -12 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 10 | -15/-15/-16 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 8 | -14/-15/-15 |
| |
| Down Tilt | 6 | -11/-12/-12 |
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| Dash Attack | 10 | -14 |
| |
| Forward Smash | 19 | -20/-18 |
| |
| Up Smash | 9/14/18/22 | -39 |
| |
| Down Smash | 21 | -8 |
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| Neutral Air | 7/11/15/19/23/27 | -8/-7 |
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| Forward Air | 7 | -3 |
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| Back Air | 13 | -5/-6/-6 |
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| Up Air | 10 | -3/-4/-4 |
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| Down Air | 15 | -6 |
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| Neutral B | 9(+12) | -16 to -2 |
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| Side B | 10 (21/23/25/27/29/31/33/39) | — | ||
| Up B | ** | — | ||
| Down B | 16 | -30 |
| |
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not jump immediately at Shadow Ball. Mix walk shield and Hadoken so the charge time gets cut down, then force the touch through a grounded entry or a landing catch.
- After blocking Rapid Jab Finisher, Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, or Down B, punish immediately with the reachable option from Up B (5f), OOS Uair (8f), OOS Nair (9f), and Up Smash (9f) so Mewtwo’s grounded turn ends there.
- Do not auto-mash after blocked Forward Air, Up Air, Neutral B, or Teleport landing. Track the drift-back landing and lateral movement first, then turn the second touch into Jab or Down Tilt pressure.
- At kill percent, reduce center-stage callouts and finish through Jab or Down Tilt into Shoryuken, ledge traps, and Up B or Up Smash covering Mewtwo’s landing instead.
Actions to Avoid
- Panicking at Shadow Ball and jumping in from too far away so Forward Air, Back Air, or Up Air starts the exchange on Mewtwo’s terms.
- Blocking Rapid Jab Finisher, Jab, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Smash, Up Smash, or Down B but still letting Mewtwo reset spacing for free.
- Swinging in place after every blocked Forward Air, Up Air, Neutral B, or Teleport reposition and letting Mewtwo drift away to restart the outer spacing game.
- Chasing too deep offstage after Teleport and walking directly into the return Back Air or throw range on the way back.