Luigi is weird. There is really no other way to put it when you’re looking at the 2001 Nintendo GameCube classic Super Smash Bros. Melee. While Mario is the "all-arounder" designed to teach you the mechanics, his taller, greener brother feels like he was coded during a fever dream. If you’ve ever played a high-level Luigi in Smash Bros Melee, you know exactly what I’m talking about. One second he’s sliding across the stage like he’s on a literal block of ice, and the next, he’s exploding into your face with a stray Up-B that ends your stock at 40%. It’s polarizing. It’s frustrating. Honestly, it’s beautiful.
The Physics of a Slip-and-Slide
The first thing anyone notices about Luigi is the friction—or rather, the total lack of it. In a game defined by movement, Luigi has the lowest traction in the entire roster. When most characters perform a "Wavedash"—a technique where you air dodge diagonally into the ground to slide—they move a short distance. Luigi? He travels nearly half the length of Final Destination. This single mechanic defines his entire meta-game. He doesn't run; he glides. This allows him to close gaps instantly, retreating or attacking with a burst of speed that shouldn't be possible for a character with such a floaty jump.
He’s heavy, yet light. It sounds like a contradiction, but that’s Luigi for you. He’s surprisingly difficult to vertical-kill because of his weight, but his air speed is atrocious. If you get him off-stage, he’s basically a sitting duck unless he can pull off a "Misfit" Green Missile.
That Infamous Green Missile
Let's talk about the side-special. The Green Missile is a gamble. Plain and simple. There is a 1-in-8 chance that the move "misfires," sending Luigi screaming across the screen with massive knockback and damage. It’s the ultimate "X-Factor." You’ll see top players like Abate or Eddy Mexico intentionally fishing for these in desperate situations. It’s not "reliable" in the traditional sense, but in a tournament setting, a well-timed misfire can tilt an opponent so hard they lose the entire set. It’s the kind of RNG that makes Melee purists scream and casual fans cheer.
Why the Tier List Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
For years, the official Melee tier lists have shuffled Luigi around, usually landing him somewhere in the "mid-tier" gatekeeper spot. He isn't Fox. He isn't Marth. He lacks the oppressive frame data of the top tiers. However, Luigi in Smash Bros Melee is a "bracket buster."
👉 See also: Wordle Answers July 29: Why Today’s Word Is Giving Everyone a Headache
The logic is simple: most people spend 90% of their practice time learning the Fox vs. Falco matchup or how to chain-grab with Sheik. They don't spend hours learning the specific, floaty timing required to combo a Luigi. If you don't know the matchup, Luigi will eat you alive. His "nair" (neutral air) is one of the best "get out of jail free" cards in the game. It comes out on Frame 3. If you’re comboing Luigi and you leave even a tiny gap, he’ll pop that nair, break your combo, and suddenly you’re the one being juggled.
The Legendary "Super Jump Punch"
Then there’s the Up-B. In every other Smash game, Luigi’s Up-B is a solid kill move if you sweet-spot it. In Melee, it’s a death sentence. The "Fire Jump Punch" (or the "Shoryuken" as some call it) has a tiny hitbox right at the start of the move. If you hit it, the sound effect is a satisfying ping, and the opponent usually dies instantly. But if you miss? You’re stuck in a helpless falling animation for what feels like an eternity. It is the definition of high-risk, high-reward. It’s bold. It’s stupid. It’s exactly why people love playing this character.
Famous Luigi Specialists and the "Plup" Factor
You can't talk about Luigi without mentioning the players who kept him alive. For a long time, Abate was the gold standard. His legendary set against S2J at The Big House 5 is still talked about today—mostly because of an invisible ceiling glitch that saved his life, but also because of his incredible patience. Then you have Eddy Mexico, who proved that Luigi could compete at the highest levels through sheer fundamentals and insane movement.
Interestingly, even top-tier legends like Plup have occasionally pulled out a pocket Luigi. Why? Because the character forces the opponent to play a different game. You can’t play "normal" Melee against Luigi. You have to respect the slide. You have to respect the nair. If you try to play a fast-paced, aggressive game, you’ll often run straight into a stray hit that leads into a devastating Luigi combo.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Pokemon Gen 1 Weakness Chart Is Still So Confusing
The Down-B: More Than Just a Spin
Luigi’s Cyclone (Down-B) is perhaps his most technical tool. To use it for recovery, you have to "charge" it on the ground first. Then, in the air, you have to mash the B button at superhuman speeds—roughly 14 inputs per second—to gain height. It’s a physical tax on the player. If you can’t mash, your recovery is significantly worse. This creates a literal physical barrier to entry for the character. Experienced Luigi mains have forearms like Popeye just from trying to make it back to the ledge.
But it’s also a killing machine. A grounded down-B can trap opponents and send them flying off the top of the screen. It’s a versatile, albeit exhausting, part of his kit.
Misconceptions About "The Weeg"
People think Luigi is just a "meme" character. That’s a mistake. While he has funny animations and a taunt that can actually damage people (the famous ledge-kick), his punish game is genuinely terrifying. Once Luigi gets a grab, he has some of the most consistent follow-ups in the game. His "wavedash down-smash" is a classic tool that catches people off guard constantly. He’s not a joke; he’s a specialist character that requires a deep understanding of the game's engine.
Dealing With the "Floaty" Problem
The biggest struggle for any Luigi player is the "floaty" nature of the character. Because he stays in the air so long after being hit, he is susceptible to being "sharking"—where an opponent stays below him and keeps hitting him upward. Since Luigi has poor horizontal air speed, he can't easily drift away. This is where the skill gap really shows. A bad Luigi will panic and D-air. A great Luigi will use his movement and wavelands on platforms to navigate back to the ground safely.
🔗 Read more: Why the Connections Hint December 1 Puzzle is Driving Everyone Crazy
It’s a game of inches. You’re always one slip-up away from losing a stock, but you’re also always one lucky opening away from a 0-to-death combo.
How to Actually Improve Your Luigi Game
If you’re looking to pick up Luigi in Smash Bros Melee, don’t start by fishing for misfires. That’s a trap. You need to master the movement first.
- Perfect Your Wavedash: You should be able to wavedash backward, forward, and out of shield without thinking. If you aren't sliding, you aren't playing Luigi.
- Learn the "Ledgedash": Luigi gets incredible invincibility frames from a perfect ledgedash. Use that slide to get back into center stage safely.
- Master the Mash: Get into training mode and practice mashing that Down-B. If you can't get height with it, you're leaving a massive part of your recovery on the table.
- Respect the Nair: Use your neutral air to break combos, but don't become predictable. Better players will bait the nair and punish you for it.
- Platform Movement: Luigi is a king on platforms. Use wavelands to move between levels of the stage faster than your opponent can react.
Luigi isn't for everyone. He’s for the players who like to be a little bit chaotic. He’s for the people who don't mind a little RNG and who love the feeling of sliding across the stage like the floor is covered in butter. He remains one of the most unique experiences in fighting game history, a glitchy, sliding mess of a character that somehow works perfectly in the beautiful disaster that is Melee.
The best way to learn is to watch the greats. Look up VODs of Jah Rambo or Kurv. Watch how they utilize their movement to bait out attacks. Melee is a game of movement, and Luigi is the undisputed king of the slide. Stop running. Start sliding.