Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Sora wants magic and air drift to keep Pac Man from charging Fruit or placing Hydrant on a comfortable rhythm, so the matchup does not get played entirely on Pac Man’s setup terms.
In Sora vs Pac Man, it is more stable to pressure the Pac Man player right before or right after Fruit charge and Hydrant placement with Forward Air, Neutral Air, and grab, rather than hovering outside and watching the structure build.
The table shows that Pac Man’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, the smash attacks, Down Air, Neutral B, Side B, and Down B are all reachable for Sora’s OOS Nair (9f), OOS Fair (9f), Up B (9f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (11f), so those close-range commitments can be punished on contact.
Pac Man still controls anti-air timing well with Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Forward Air, Up Air, and layered setup coverage, so Sora should not stay above the traps for too long and should keep varying both his fall path and magic sequence.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Sora OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -12 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -14 |
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| Jab 3 | 4 | -24 |
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| Forward Tilt | 5 | -17 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -10 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -13 |
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| Dash Attack | 10/19/28/37 | -3 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -25 |
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| Up Smash | 11/15 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 15 | -30 |
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| Neutral Air | 3 | -3/-4 |
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| Forward Air | 5 | -6 |
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| Back Air | 9 | -8/-10 |
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| Up Air | 9 | -6 |
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| Down Air | 6/13/20/27 | -10/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 12(+7) | -22/-20/-19/-17/-16/-18/-19/-14 |
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| Side B | 24—42 | 35—53 | -42 to -54 |
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| Up B | 4 | ** | ||
| Down B | 12 | -11 |
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| Grab | 12 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 14 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 15 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Sora should not stop at casting magic; after interrupting Fruit charge or Hydrant setup, move in immediately with Forward Air, Neutral Air, or grab to take the turn against Pac Man’s body.
- After Sora blocks Pac Man’s Jab string, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Down Air, Neutral B, Side B, or Down B, answer with OOS Nair (9f), OOS Fair (9f), Up B (9f), Grab (10f), or Up Smash (11f) as spacing allows.
- Once Pac Man is airborne, keep tracking the landing with Forward Air chains and Up Air so Hydrant and Trampoline do not get reset for free.
- Sora should finish stocks by covering Pac Man’s recovery and ledge routes with Back Air, Up B, and ledge pressure instead of waiting for a random Fruit scramble in center stage.
Actions to Avoid
- Letting Pac Man freely complete Fruit charge and Hydrant setup from long range every cycle.
- Floating too long above Pac Man’s anti-air lanes and feeding Neutral Air, Forward Air, Up Air, or Hydrant coverage.
- Chasing too deep offstage every time Pac Man is knocked away and letting Trampoline plus Fruit reverse the route.
- Blocking Pac Man’s Jab string, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Down Air, Neutral B, Side B, or Down B but failing to cash out with OOS Nair (9f) or Up B (9f).