Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is decided by whether Joker gets to keep shifting the Charge Shot and Missile lanes with Gun, Eiha, retreat movement, and aerial drift until Samus moves first, or whether Samus keeps center and forces each close-range entry to run into long aerials and Up B. The longer Arsene is allowed to move freely in neutral, the more dangerous every standard interaction becomes for Samus.
Samus should not reduce the game to full-charge posturing alone. Small and mid-charge Charge Shot, Missiles, and Bomb are what pin down Joker’s horizontal route and landing height, forcing a shield or high jump before he can convert his speed into a real opening. Joker is fast, but he still has to respect a Samus who is ready to cut off shallow contact and immediately reset space.
The frame table shows Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Forward Air, Up Air, and Side B (1) are all punishable on shield, led by Up B (4f), then OOS Uair (8f), OOS Fair (9f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (11f). By contrast, Neutral Air, Back Air, and Down Air often stop at Up B or become awkward to challenge immediately, while Neutral B and Down B do not consistently hand over a direct punish. The better habit is to stop the first touch, return toward center, and set the next landing or ledge trap.
Kills are more repeatable when Samus keeps Charge Shot threat visible, makes Joker jump or dodge first, and then stacks Fair, Uair, Bair, or Up B at ledge instead of boxing directly through Arsene. If Rebel’s Guard shows up, Samus can keep the threat of charge without committing to the release, then swap to grab or landing pressure and burn the clock.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Samus OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -17 |
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| Jab 3 | 3 | -26 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8/13 | /-15(/-11) |
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| Up Tilt | 8/11/14/17/20 | -27 |
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| Down Tilt | 8 | -22(-19) |
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| Dash Attack | 6/15 | **/-23 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -21 |
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| Up Smash | 10 | -32(-30) |
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| Down Smash | 12/16 | -24/-20(—/-18) |
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| Neutral Air | 12 | -5 |
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| Forward Air | 7/12 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5… | -12 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -7 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 12/37/65 | ** | ||
| Neutral B (2) | 12/18/24 | ** | ||
| Side B (1) | 16 | -27 |
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| Side B (2) | 16 (1/6/11/16) | ** | ||
| Up B (1) | 20 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | ** | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 3 (Start of Block) | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 4 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use small and mid-charge Charge Shot, Missiles, and Bomb to fix Joker’s horizontal route and landing height before he gets to run freely around a static full-charge stance.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, any tilt, dash attack, any smash attack, Forward Air, Up Air, or Side B (1), cash out first with Up B (4f), then add OOS Uair (8f), OOS Fair (9f), Grab (10f), or Up Smash (11f) when spacing allows.
- Do not insist on immediate answers to Neutral Air, Back Air, Down Air, Gun pressure, or Rebel’s Guard situations. Stop the first contact, drift back to center, and build the next landing trap with Fair, Uair, or Bomb.
- During Arsene, do not rush the stock through direct scrambles. Keep ledge pressure and retreat structure intact so Side B and Bair do not get to decide the exchange for free.
- If Joker shows Rebel’s Guard, do not panic away from Charge Shot threat altogether. Hold the threat, then pivot to grab, walking pressure, or landing coverage so he cannot farm gauge and tempo at once.
Actions to Avoid
- Planting in place around a max Charge Shot and letting Gun, Eiha, and retreat movement displace the lane until Joker gets a free run-in.
- Expanding every shallow shield or close-range touch into a messy scramble instead of cutting it off with the clean Up B window Samus already has.
- Forcing shield punishes on Neutral Air, Back Air, Down Air, Gun pressure, and Rebel’s Guard when the punish will not truly reach, then getting tagged by grab or the next burst.
- Chasing early kills through direct Arsene brawls or deep offstage commitments and letting Bair, Side B, or the counter/reflect swing the whole sequence back.