Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Young Link wants to punish Dark Samus’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, smashes, Forward Air, Back Air, Up Air, and Neutral B with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), and Up B (9f), then turn those shield stops into ledge carry and landing traps.
In Young Link vs Dark Samus, trading projectiles head-on is weaker than placing arrow, boomerang, and bomb on the jump and air drift route first so Charge Shot becomes harder to fire comfortably.
The table shows that Dark Samus’s Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, smashes, Forward Air, Back Air, and Up Air all have clear punish windows, making shield discipline a reliable way to steal back momentum.
Neutral Air and Z Air are still harder to challenge when they land shallow, and panicking there sends the game back into Charge Shot and Up B guesses, so Young Link should use projectiles to shift position first and only swing on the real openings.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Young Link OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -10 |
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| Jab 2 | 6 | -15 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -17/-16/-15 |
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| Up Tilt | 15 | -12 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -26 |
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| Dash Attack | 8 | -23 |
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| Forward Smash | 10 | -29/-28 |
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| Up Smash | 11/15/19/23/27 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 9/17 | -27/-18 |
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| Neutral Air | 8/14 | -5/-5/-6 |
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| Forward Air | 6/12/18/24/30 | -12/-12/-11 |
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| Back Air | 9 | -9/-9/-10 |
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| Up Air | 5… | -16/-16/-15 |
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| Down Air | 17 | -8/-7 |
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| Z Air | 8/16 | -4/-3 |
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| Neutral B | 3(+13) | -17 to +4 |
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| Side B (1) | 18 | -26 |
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| Side B (2) | 21 | -24 |
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| Up B (1) | 4… | — | ||
| Up B (2) | 5… | — | ||
| Down B | 33 | — | ||
| Grab | 15 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 17 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 18 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Young Link should layer arrow, boomerang, and bomb onto Dark Samus’s movement, not just the projectile path, so Charge Shot never feels automatic.
- After blocking Dark Samus’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Up Air, or Neutral B, punish immediately with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), or Up B (9f).
- When Neutral Air or Z Air lands shallow, do not mash; place another projectile on the landing or defensive route and keep pushing toward the ledge.
- Take kills from ledge Back Air, Up Smash, and Up B punishes so Dark Samus cannot drag the match back into long midrange turns.
Actions to Avoid
- Only trying to trade projectiles in front and giving Dark Samus full freedom over jump and air drift.
- Blocking Forward Tilt or Dash Attack and still giving Dark Samus time to charge again because the punish was missed.
- Swinging too hard into shallow Neutral Air or Z Air and resetting the close-range guess in Dark Samus’s favor.
- Panicking upward at the ledge and running directly into Forward Air or Up B coverage.