ChatGPT Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Dark Samus is strongest at speedy movement, whiff punishing, and landing pressure, while Ryu is strongest at midrange disjoints backed by projectile support.
The more this stays only about projectile trades, the more both sides get to set their preferred pace. The side that steps forward first after forcing hesitation usually takes control.
The table shows reliable shield punishes on Side B (1), Side B (2), Down B, Neutral B, and Down Smash, with Up B, OOS Uair, OOS Fair, and Grab showing up most often as the clean ways to take the turn back.
Do not force shield punishes on the relatively safer choices like Neutral Air. It is usually better to read the landing or ledge route and punish the next action.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Dark Samus 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
- Do not settle for projectile trades alone; step forward and touch the body as soon as you make the opponent pause.
- After blocking Side B (1), Side B (2), Down B, Neutral B, and Down Smash, answer immediately with Up B, OOS Uair, OOS Fair, and Grab so the opponent cannot keep the turn.
- Do not force immediate retaliation on Neutral Air; take the landing route, escape route, or ledge direction first.
- Prioritize kills through landing traps and ledge pressure while keeping your positional advantage intact.
Actions to Avoid
- Drifting back forever around projectile trades, then giving up the time needed to pressure the body.
- Swinging after every blocked Neutral Air and feeding the whiff punish or reset the opponent wants.
- Chasing too deep for the kill and exposing Dark Samus’s own recovery or defensive weakness.
- Panic-jumping or panic-rolling from the ledge and making the opponent’s ledge trap too simple.