Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Mario can scramble mid-range with neutral air, back air, up air, and Fireball, then convert Luigi’s slow air drift into long juggle sequences and up smash traps, so careless jumps hand him exactly the pace he wants.
At the same time, Mario’s jab string, tilts, dash attack, Side B, Neutral B, forward air, and down air are often punishable on shield, so Luigi’s reward is huge if he stays grounded and stops one grounded or landing commitment.
The win condition is to avoid extending the fireball exchange, turn a landing stop or shielded poke into grab, neutral air, or down tilt pressure, and carry Mario to the ledge where his shorter recovery is easier to tax.
For kills, it is more stable to finish through shield punishes on forward air and down air, ledge grab pressure, and preemptive recovery coverage than to bet everything on a single center-stage up B read.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Luigi OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -14 |
| |
| Jab 2 | 2 | -16 |
| |
| Jab 3 | 3 | -25 |
| |
| Forward Tilt | 5 | -13 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 5 | -18 |
| |
| Down Tilt | 5 | -15/-16 |
| |
| Dash Attack | 6 | -17 |
| |
| Forward Smash | 15 | -22/-20 |
| |
| Up Smash | 9 | -20 |
| |
| Down Smash | 5/14 | -30/-20 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 3 | -2/-3/-3/-3 |
| |
| Forward Air | 16 | -12/-12/-13 |
|
|
| Back Air | 6 | -2/-3/-2/-3 |
| |
| Up Air | 4 | -3 |
|
|
| Down Air | 5/7/9/11/13/23 | -11 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 17 | -23 |
| |
| Side B | 12 | -16 |
| |
| Up B | 3… | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 2 (+19) | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 21 | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not jump at Mario’s Fireball on sight; walk forward behind shield and your own Fireball until you reach the range where his jab string or down tilt has to commit.
- After blocking jab string, tilts, dash attack, Side B, Neutral B, forward air, or down air, answer immediately with up B or grab and turn that punish into a juggle or ledge sequence.
- Once Mario launches you, value drift mixups and escaping to the ledge over panic buttons, and do not fall straight down into his up air chains or up smash callouts.
Actions to Avoid
- Giving up the ground war too early, jumping over Fireball preemptively, and creating the exact height Mario wants for up air and back air chases.
- Swinging into shield against neutral air or back air pressure and letting Mario keep his close-range turn after your punish window fails.
- Overchasing deep edgeguards and letting Cape or F.L.U.D.D. flip your positioning so that your own recovery becomes the real liability.