Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Zero Suit Samus wants to stop Richter before Axe, Cross, and Holy Water can fully set the pace, using run speed, Zair, Paralyzer, and Flip Jump to get inside and turn the match into landing pressure.
In Zero Suit Samus vs Richter, it is more stable to create whiffs from Forward Tilt, Forward Air, and Cross with dash shield and pullback movement, then break in with Forward Air, Up Air, and grab, than to stay at long range against the projectile wall.
The table shows that Richter’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Down Smash, Neutral Air, Down Air, and Side B are all punishable by Zero Suit Samus’s Up B (6f), OOS Uair (9f), OOS Fair (9f), Grab (10f), and Up Smash (10f), so close-range openings should be converted immediately.
Richter still has one of the fastest Up B out-of-shield reversals in the matchup and can rebuild ledge pressure with Holy Water and whip spacing, so Zero Suit Samus should not land lazily on shield and should value route coverage over reckless offstage dives.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Zero Suit Samus OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -21 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -23 |
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| Rapid Jab | 9/12/15… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 3 | -37 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -8/-7 |
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| Up Tilt | 10 | -17 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 7 | -31 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 8 | -42/-28 |
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| Dash Attack | 10/13/16/19/22/24 | -26 |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -28/-26 |
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| Up Smash | 16 | -27/-26 |
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| Down Smash | 14/20 | -33/-30/-27/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 8… | -12/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Back Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Up Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -21/-23 |
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| Neutral B | 30 | -6 |
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| Side B | 19 | -15 |
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| Up B | 6/9/… | ** | ||
| Down B | 18 | ** | ||
| Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 14 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Zero Suit Samus should use Zair, Paralyzer, and dash stops to interrupt Richter’s Axe, Cross, and Forward Tilt setup and refuse to stay in the outer projectile lane.
- After Zero Suit Samus blocks Richter’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Down Air, or Side B, answer immediately with Up B (6f), OOS Uair (9f), OOS Fair (9f), Grab (10f), or Up Smash (10f).
- Once Richter is airborne, Zero Suit Samus should keep the chase going with Up Air and movement, then show Flip Jump and Back Air at ledge while covering the actual escape route.
- Zero Suit Samus should finish stocks by pre-covering Richter’s recovery and ledge routes with Back Air, Up B, and ledge traps instead of forcing a center-stage kick read.
Actions to Avoid
- Staying outside and watching Axe, Cross, and Holy Water for too long while Richter freely rebuilds whip spacing.
- Landing sloppy aerial pressure directly on Richter’s shield and feeding the fast Up B reversal.
- Chasing too deep offstage every time Richter is knocked away and losing the ledge situation on the way back.
- Blocking Richter’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Rapid Jab Finisher, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Neutral Air, Down Air, or Side B but never cashing out with Up B (6f) or OOS Uair (9f).