Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
The matchup is decided by whether Charizard can stop Captain Falcon’s run speed and aerial burst before Falcon gets to cash in on Charizard’s large body.
Falcon snowballs brutally once he lands the first touch with nair, uair, Side B, or a ledge knee sequence, but his defense is weaker and his recovery plus blocked burst options are very punishable.
As the table shows, jab strings, tilts, dash attack, Forward Smash, Neutral B, Side B, and Down B all give Charizard real answers through Up Smash (6f), Up B (9f), or Grab (10f), while nair and bair stay much safer and the late hits of Up Smash or Down Smash only allow light punishment, so not every shield block should turn into a forced button.
The win condition is to stop the first dash-in, launch Falcon high with Up Smash, Back Air, or Up Throw, then keep him at the ledge with Fair, Dair, and Flare Blitz coverage rather than overcommitting offstage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Charizard OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -11 |
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| Jab 2 | 5 | -10 |
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| Jab 3 | 6 | -20 |
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| Rapid Jab | 5/7/9 | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 6 | -39 |
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| Forward Tilt | 7 | -14/-13 |
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| Up Tilt | 14 | -11 |
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| Down Tilt | 11 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -13 |
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| Forward Smash | 19 | -27 |
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| Up Smash | 22/28 | -17/-7 |
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| Down Smash | 19/29 | -19/-7 |
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| Neutral Air | 7/13 | -4/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -10/-15 |
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| Back Air | 10 | -5/-6 |
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| Up Air | 7 | -6/-6/-6 |
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| Down Air | 16 | -7 |
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| Neutral B | 53/62 | -28/-30 |
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| Side B (1) | 5(+10) | -12 |
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| Side B (2) | 5(+19) | — | ||
| Up B | 14 | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 13 | -41/-40/-37 |
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| Down B (2) | 14 | -25 |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Charizard should avoid standing still at long range and use Flamethrower plus a half-step-back placement game to interrupt Captain Falcon’s grounded burst before it starts.
- After blocking jab strings, tilts, dash attack, Forward Smash, Neutral B, Side B, or Down B, Charizard should take the guaranteed punish with Up Smash (6f), Up B (9f), or Grab (10f) and convert that defensive turn into carry.
- After blocking nair or bair, Charizard should not overcommit to a same-spot punish and should instead cover the drift-out and landing with the next Up Smash, Back Air, or dash grab.
- Once Falcon is cornered, Charizard should prioritize ledge hold over a deep chase and cover Up B recovery plus jump getup together with Fair, Dair, and Flare Blitz.
Actions to Avoid
- Repeatedly throwing large buttons in front of Falcon and letting dash, nair, or Side B win the race into Charizard’s hurtbox.
- Swinging out of shield after every blocked nair or bair and giving Falcon another aerial entry or landing trap for free.
- Chasing too low offstage and getting clipped by knee, bair, or a reversal hitbox while exposing Charizard’s large body to the edgeguard.
- Failing to punish blocked Side B or Down B and letting Falcon recycle his rough burst options at low risk.