Fortunately, if an analog stick with bad dashback exhibits any of these other problems, it can easily be replaced by a brand new one which will probably perform better. The real challenge in finding a good analog stick is finding a controller that has great dashback without foregoing any other important mechanics such as ledgedashes or empty pivots. In other words, great dashback is usually mechanically tied to other analog stick problems. If a controller does NOT have great dashback, it is not likely to develop any serious objective problems that cannot be fixed through general maintenance and repairs. Unfortunately, controllers with great dashback are often plagued by several problems that usually only occur on controllers with great dashback. I’ll cover it in greater detail a little bit down the page in my section about testing dashback. For simplicity’s sake, I use the terms “great dashback” and “high-tier dashback” to refer to controllers that have a 16/20 or higher success rate on dashing back.
#20XX MELEE GUIDE HOW TO#
Hitting your dashbacks is a crucial element of high level movement, and many players choose to play the same controller for years simply because having high-tier dashback helps their movement so much (we’ll go over how to define “great” or “high-tier” dashback in a little bit). Dashback is controller dependent to a certain extent, but can be influenced by “pre-accelerated inputs”, as we’ll discuss later. It does not occur while dash-dancing or dashing forward.
![20xx melee guide 20xx melee guide](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dz-LNbd6Zto/maxresdefault.jpg)
Specifically, your analog stick is crucial for mechanics such as dashing back and ledgedashing, along with some other minor input issues. Most analog stick problems cannot be fixed directly, so it’s important to “hunt” for a good circuit board and fix any minor negative characteristics such as worn out pads, sticky triggers, bad shield drop notches, or snapback. Unfortunately, replacing and switching analog sticks can get quite complicated and messy, so I would not recommend replacing an analog stick on a controller unless it is relatively new.ĭashback: the defining characteristic of a great controllerĭashback, or back dash (or smash turn), occurs when you try to dash backwards from a standing animation. Alterations can be made to the buttons, triggers, and front shell, but the most important thing to pay attention to when testing a new controller is the analog stick.
![20xx melee guide 20xx melee guide](https://i3.ytimg.com/vi/zxVz19IxxCs/hqdefault.jpg)
This means you have to be able to evaluate a controller accurately before deciding to use it (especially if you’re buying it). I’m also going to consistently use “great dashback” or “high-tier dashback” as my superlatives of choice, to avoid confusion.Įvaluating Analog Sticks for Competitive SSBMĬontrollers can vary significantly, especially when they are old. NOTE: in this article, “dashback” is used interchangeably with “back dash” and “smash turn”. If you are wondering whether your controller is any good, or wondering why your friend’s controller plays better than yours, read on!
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Who is this article for? Anyone who wants to understand why their controller plays the way it does, or anyone who is in the market to buy a new one (particularly if it’s used). Most of the information presented here has been synthesized from both my own experience and the massive amount of information available from Kadano on Smashboards, Melee It On Me, and twitter I’d highly recommend giving Kadano a follow and checking out his informative posts.
![20xx melee guide 20xx melee guide](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ymk2HQZaDmA/sddefault.jpg)
Specifically, this article will serve as “Part 1” of a multiple-part guide that will cover all aspects of modding, fixing and repairing controllers. I’m writing this article to show you how to evaluate your own controller’s analog stick, and to clear the air about several other issues regarding controllers used for competitive Melee.