The summary of ‘THE NEW SMASH BROS MELEE TIER LIST’

00:00:00

In this part of the video, the creator introduces the 2023 controversial Melee tier list, categorizing characters into six tiers: top, high, mid, middle, low, bottom, and “La Mau.” The creator describes the rankings based on a character’s performance when mastered by a top 20 player globally. Fox McLeod is highlighted as the best character due to his speed, versatile options, powerful kill moves, and overall excellence in all facets of the game. Marth is ranked second, praised for his range, grab options, recovery mix-ups, and deadly combo potential. Falco holds the third position, recognized for his effective laser play, excellent jumping abilities, strong offensive moves, and superior shield pressure.

00:03:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the rankings and matchup dynamics of characters in Super Smash Brothers Melee. They explain that Sheik is considered the fourth best character in the game, performing well against many characters except for Fox and Falco, and only slightly losing to Puff. Sheik also counters many lower-tier characters but struggles against the Ice Climbers. The speaker highlights Fox as the best and most commonly used character, dominating the meta and explaining that Sheik has a better matchup against Fox than Puff does. Puff is ranked as the fifth best, boasting several strong attributes like the best recovery and aerial drift, but also has a tough matchup against Fox. The speaker concludes by affirming the top five characters’ rankings based on recent results, hinting at a potential sixth top-tier character needing more representation to be confirmed.

00:06:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the prowess of various characters in a game, emphasizing Yoshi’s dominance due to one player mastering his capabilities, leading to significant victories against top players like Mango, Zain, and others. Yoshi is placed above Falcon and Peach, who are also praised for their strengths, such as Captain Falcon’s speed and kill potential, and Peach’s balance shown by players like Armada. Despite Peach’s effectiveness, her challenging matchups, especially against Fox and Puff, are noted. The speaker also highlights Ice Climbers, elevated to high tier largely due to player innovations like those from Slug and others, showcasing the character’s potential even without game-breaking tech.

00:09:00

In this part of the video, the discussion revolves around Ice Climbers, Samus, and Pikachu in competitive play. It highlights Slug’s victories over top players like Zayn and Leffen, showcasing the potential of Ice Climbers’ neutral game and versatility, even with minimal grabs and no wobbling. It mentions the challenges Fox faces against Ice Climbers now and moves on to analyzing Samus’ strengths, such as her solid recovery, defense, and potential, although she hasn’t reached her peak yet. The segment then compares Samus to Pikachu, ultimately placing Pikachu higher due to his ability to compete effectively against a broader range of characters and consistent top-eight placements in tournaments.

00:12:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the potential of certain characters in a competitive setting. Pikachu is highlighted for its speed and powerful up smash, and the belief that Pikachu will improve further over time. Samus is mentioned as being in the same middle tier with untapped potential. The speaker then dives into the potential of Luigi and Dr. Mario, with Luigi showing promise but needing a player to unlock its full potential. Abate is noted as a significant player who demonstrated Luigi’s capabilities, having achieved fifth place at Big House five. The discussion also touches on defining low-tier characters, mentioning Mewtwo, Roy, and Link as clear examples while debating the inclusion of characters like Ganondorf and Donkey Kong, illustrating the complexity of tier classification.

00:15:00

In this part of the video, the speaker introduces a new tier called “Ganondeer,” composed of characters that are difficult to classify as either viable or non-viable in competitive play. The tier includes three characters, starting with Donkey Kong (DK), who fluctuates between making upsets and failing against certain opponents, making him consistently unpredictable. Ganondorf is also in this tier; he is slow but powerful, with matchups that range from extremely unfavorable, like against Jigglypuff, to somewhat interesting ones like against Marth. The speaker humorously addresses the importance of tournament results in evaluating character tiers, emphasizing that they reflect the current meta of a character.

00:18:00

In this part of the video, the speaker evaluates different Super Smash Bros. characters, specifically focusing on characters like Mario, Link, and Roy. They discuss Mario’s capabilities, noting his strong forward smash, aerial mobility, and grab combos, and compare him to characters played perfectly by high-level players like Scorpion (Mango). The speaker debates the tier placement of Link, considering whether he belongs in a higher tier due to player accomplishments such as those by Aklo. They place Mario above Young Link in the tier list, acknowledging top players like Rockets with Young Link and secondary players like Aklo with Link.

Roy is highlighted as the best low-tier character due to impressive showings by players like Don’t Test Me, emphasizing Roy’s strong moves, grab range, and speed. Mewtwo is also placed above Roy in the tier list, attributed to its strong performance in competitions. This segment is essentially about determining and justifying the tier placements of these characters based on competitive results and the specific strengths and weaknesses demonstrated by top players.

00:21:00

In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on the viability and rankings of various low-tier characters in competitive play. Mewtwo is highlighted for having some surprising strengths, despite not being considered a top-tier character. The discourse includes comparisons between characters like Young Link, who has recently broken into the top 100, and others like Game & Watch, who have had notable players but haven’t impressed as much. The segment also mentions that some top players occasionally experiment with these low-tier characters, citing examples such as Zain’s Roy and Leffen’s Mewtwo. There’s also a discussion on Mario’s potential and toolkit, suggesting that he might not be a low-tier character by design. The segment wraps up the low-tier discussion by including Young Link, Luigi, and others before setting the stage to move on to the bottom-tier characters, starting with Zelda.

00:24:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker compares the characters Zelda, Ness, Pichu, and Bowser within a specific tier list for a game. They applaud Zelda’s moves, specifically her back air, forward air, and down smash, noting their effectiveness and kill potential. Ness is criticized for his poor recovery but acknowledged for his strong aerial moves and unique glitches. Pichu is noted for its poor range, abysmal recovery, and the fact it hurts itself, though some potential is seen in skilled hands. Finally, Bowser is placed in his own tier due to his exceptionally poor performance, with criticisms about his slow moves, vulnerability, and ineffective throws.

00:27:00

In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the shortcomings and occasional strengths of a particular character in a game, noting that while the character can occasionally win local games, there are significant issues. They mention that the character does have some strong moves, like the Up-B out of shield and dash attack. They also talk about character rankings, indicating that Yoshi has seen a significant rise in the meta for 2023, while Bowser remains the worst character, placed in his own tier at the bottom. The speaker humorously mentions the symmetry of the tier list and concludes by hinting at future tier lists, despite previously suggesting that no more would be made.