Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Little Mac wants to punish Dark Pit’s jab string, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Up Air, and Neutral B with Up B (3f) and OOS Nair (5f), then cash out on the aerial landing before Dark Pit escapes again.
In Little Mac vs Dark Pit, jumping at arrows is weaker than staying grounded in center, walking the spacing forward, and reading the landing spot when Dark Pit has to come back down.
The table shows that Dark Pit’s Forward Tilt, all smashes, Rapid Jab Finisher, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Up Air, and Neutral B all have meaningful shield punish windows, so every solid block can become real damage.
Back Air is still only barely punishable when it lands shallow, and chasing offstage is exactly what Dark Pit wants, so Little Mac should value center stage and ledge waits over direct edgeguard attempts.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Little Mac OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -18 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 3 | -23 |
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| Rapid Jab | 6/8/10… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4 | -40 |
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| Forward Tilt | 10 | -22/-19 |
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| Up Tilt | 6/15 | -23/-13 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -17 |
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| Forward Smash | 10/21 | -26 |
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| Up Smash | 6/7/10/18 | -27 |
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| Down Smash | 5/18 | -27/-28/-14/-15 |
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| Neutral Air | 4/7/10/13/16/19/22/25 | -12/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 11/14/18 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -4/-3 |
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| Up Air | 10/13/16/19/22 | -12/-11 |
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| Down Air | 10 | -8 |
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| Neutral B | 16—76 | -21 to -15 |
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| Side B (1) | 18 | -36 |
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| Side B (2) | 21 | -40 |
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| Up B | — | — | ||
| Down B | 7 (Start of Reflect) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Little Mac should not force the anti-arrow jump; keep center stage, walk forward, and read where Dark Pit must land.
- After blocking Dark Pit’s jab string, Forward Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Up Air, or Neutral B, answer with the reliable punish from Up B (3f) and OOS Nair (5f).
- Do not chase far offstage; cover jump getup and normal getup from the ledge with Forward Smash, Up Tilt, and Up B instead.
- When KO Punch is available, do not throw it away early; spend it after a confirmed shield punish on Dark Pit’s aerial approach.
Actions to Avoid
- Giving up grounded control by jumping into the arrow line and getting intercepted by Neutral Air or Forward Air.
- Blocking Forward Tilt or Neutral Air and still letting Dark Pit drift away because Up B (3f) was not used.
- Chasing all the way offstage and losing the return path to Dark Pit’s superior recovery.
- Panicking at the corner and making Up Air juggles or ledge pressure simple for Dark Pit.