Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Isabelle is strong when she gets time to line up Lloid Trap, Fishing Rod, and forward or back air across the side of the stage, but her point-blank scramble speed and out-of-shield punishment are not especially threatening. If Young Link throws arrow, boomerang, and bomb on autopilot, Pocket turns that whole sequence against him and gives Isabelle extra time to control ledge and recovery routes.
Young Link does better by using the projectiles as cues rather than commitments, then walking and short hopping in behind them so Isabelle has to choose shield or setup first. Once she hesitates, nair, fair, and grab let Young Link start the close-range pressure that keeps Lloid and Fishing Rod from being rebuilt comfortably.
The table shows Jab, every tilt, Dash Attack, and every smash attack are all cleanly punishable by OOS Nair, OOS Uair, Up B, or OOS Bair, so Isabelle should not be allowed to swing repeatedly at close range for free. By contrast, fair, bair, uair, and dair are not stable immediate shield-punish spots, so forcing a button after every block only gives her back the side-control game she wants.
Stocks come more reliably when Young Link keeps center, pushes one opening all the way to ledge, and then uses bomb plus boomerang to narrow jump, normal getup, and roll until uair, up smash, or nair can finish the stock.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Young Link OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab | 3 | -13 |
|
|
| Forward Tilt | 8 | -19 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 6 | -15 |
|
|
| Down Tilt | 9 | -10/-14 |
| |
| Dash Attack | 7 | -21 |
| |
| Forward Smash | 14 | -20 |
| |
| Up Smash | 9/14 | -12 |
| |
| Down Smash | 8/12 | -28/-25 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 5/8 | -2/-3 |
| |
| Forward Air | 10 | -6 — +4 |
|
|
| Back Air | 13 | -4 — +5 |
|
|
| Up Air | 6 | -5/-6 |
|
|
| Down Air | 11 | -5/-6 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 8 (Start of projectile pocket) | — | ||
| Side B | 21 | ** | ||
| Up B | ** | ** | ||
| Down B | 9/17/25/34/43/51 | ** | ||
| Grab | 14 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 15 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 17 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not repeat the same arrow, boomerang, and bomb rhythm into Pocket. Show the projectile, then advance behind it so Isabelle has to react before she can cash in on the catch.
- Once you are in the range where Lloid Trap would be planted, prioritize nair, fair, and grab pressure so Isabelle never gets a calm reset into trap placement.
- After blocking Jab, any tilt, Dash Attack, or any smash attack, take the listed OOS punish with OOS Nair, OOS Uair, Up B, or OOS Bair and deny her close-range reset.
- After winning center, carry the advantage to ledge and use bomb plus boomerang to cover jump, roll, and Fishing Rod-based recovery landings instead of ending the sequence early.
- Treat kill confirms as a ledgetrap reward first, not as random center-stage swings.
Actions to Avoid
- Feeding Pocket by sending obvious projectiles from straight ahead without checking whether Isabelle is waiting for the catch.
- Standing outside Lloid Trap and letting Fishing Rod plus aerials control the whole side lane for free.
- Trying to force shield punishes on fair, bair, uair, and dair when those blocks do not really give Young Link a guaranteed answer.
- Overchasing offstage against Isabelle’s flexible recovery and giving up the safer ledgetrap that should have ended the stock.