Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ryu’s close-range reward is so high that Toon Link can lose control of the game off a single bad shield touch or scramble. If Toon Link throws projectiles carelessly and stays planted, Ryu can use Hadoken pressure and Focus Attack to force his way into the range where down tilt, nair, and Shoryuken become lethal.
Still, Ryu is not especially fast on the ground or in the air, so Toon Link can control the pace if boomerang, bomb, and arrow are layered well enough to force the first reaction. Once that happens, dash attack, uair, and up smash give Toon Link a reliable way to turn zoning hits into juggling and ledge pressure instead of resetting to neutral.
The win condition is to avoid using projectiles as isolated pokes and instead move forward behind them into landing traps and corner pressure. Ryu is not helpless at the ledge, but his aerial drift is direct enough that bomb coverage, up smash threat, and uair pursuit can squeeze his jump and reversal timings. Repeatedly landing on Ryu’s shield with the same aerials, on the other hand, invites up-B and Shoryuken punishes.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Toon Link OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -10 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 8 | -21 |
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| Jab (1) | 7 | -19 |
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| Jab (2) | 9 | -13 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 3 | -20 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -8 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 15/17 | -13 |
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| Up Tilt (1) | 3 | -8 |
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| Up Tilt (2) | 7 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 2 | -9 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 6 | -15 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -22 |
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| Forward Smash | 15 | -19/-18 |
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| Up Smash | 9 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 5 | -25 |
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| Neutral Air | 4 | -1/-2 |
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| Forward Air | 8 | -7/-6, -7/-6 |
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| Back Air | 8 | -4/-5 |
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| Up Air | 6/9 | -8/-8 |
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| Down Air | 8 | -10 |
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| Neutral B | 12 | -27/-28/-28, -26/-25/-25 |
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| Side B (1) | 8 | -40—-72/-35/-67/-65, -38—-70/-33/-64/-63 |
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| Side B (2) | 8 | -62 to -61, -61 to -60 |
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| Up B | 6 | ** | ||
| Down B | 11 (+21), 11(+31), 11(+59) | -33, -34, unblockable |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Layer boomerang, bomb, and arrow to stop Ryu’s walking and jumping, then move forward behind the projectile coverage
- When a projectile connects, convert into dash attack, uair, or up-smash juggling instead of letting the game reset into close-range scrambles
- At ledge, use bomb placement and up-smash threat to narrow jump and neutral getup, then chase vertical escapes with uair
- Use up-B as the main shield punish at close range, but vary landing positions so Ryu cannot farm the same anti-air answer every time
Actions to Avoid
- Throwing a projectile and freezing in place, which gives Ryu a clean path in with Focus Attack or Hadoken cover
- Repeatedly landing fair or nair onto shield and feeding up-B or Shoryuken punishes
- Chasing too deep offstage and getting reversed by Ryu’s up-B recovery or back-air timing