Part 35

Unlock Ness in Super Smash Bros. Brawl by playing 5 brawls, having him join your party, and reflecting 10 projectiles. Learn Ness's moves and tips.

Ness is a character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl with a dedicated fanbase. While some believe Lucas to be superior, Ness and Lucas have distinct playstyles. Lucas focuses on power, whereas Ness excels at racking up damage and controlling aerial combat, though he is also very strong.

Ness's ground game primarily sets up his aerial attacks. His up tilt is fast and effective for launching opponents into the air, and his sweeping up smash can achieve a similar result. His down smash is a weak clearing move around Ness's feet, largely outclassed by his up smash. However, both Ness's up smash and down smash have a unique property: the yoyos can hit opponents while Ness is charging the smash. The up smash starts in front of Ness, and the down smash starts behind him, allowing Ness to create a barrier by cleverly charging either move. Ness also has a strong running attack that easily racks up damage and launches opponents upward; use it often, but be wary of shield grabs. Ness's forward smash is a powerful baseball bat with a surprisingly large range and a sweet spot at the tip; it also reflects projectiles. Use this move to secure KOs, but be cautious as it is slow and punishable. Ness's down tilt is weak but incredibly fast, allowing for rapid execution to deal easy damage. Ness must stop before being punished, which is a matter of player timing due to the move's speed. Ness's forward tilt is powerful and quick, suitable for KOing high-percentage foes or as a safe option to push enemies away. Ness's jab is standard, but he has a trick: if an opponent misses a tech, Ness can repeatedly jab, step forward, and repeat. With perfect timing, this becomes an inescapable combo that continues until Ness pushes the opponent off the stage.

Ness's true strength lies in the air, making him one of the most dangerous characters in aerial combat. His primary finisher, both in the air and overall, is his incredibly powerful back aerial. This move hits Ness's entire body but deals weak damage if the opponent is not level with Ness's feet. Ness also has a strong damage-dealing forward aerial that creates sparkles in front of him, often trapping opponents, racking up damage, and pushing them back just enough to prevent retaliation. Ness uses this to effectively control the space in front of him and can approach grounded opponents due to its multiple hits, which can penetrate shields. Be careful, as hitting with the edge of this move's range will only result in a weak hit.