The Best Way to L-Cancel in SSBM

In SSBM, there are many nuances that surround L-canceling. Once you know all of them, the best way to L-cancel in the game emerges.

[drakoz]

These videos are melee's modern version of those ancient smashboards guides

[guren_mk_II]

Damn here I thought I should hit the L button

[TheHairyKnee]

Finally, some asmr so I can sleep peacefully

[NobodySSBM]

Immediately went to remap my smashbox layout after this video, thanks.

[Rintse]

This content is dope, but I still don't get how this is an argument against button remapping...

[sonriku]

Ok I actually did not know that hitlag actually helps you for L-cancels. Good video

[Acryte]

Regularly L-cancelling with Z is bad if you aren't on a B0XX. If you mess up an perform an aerial too early while you are still in lag or not in IASA frames yet then your aerial doesn't come out but then your FF L-cancel turns into a late landing aerial. A soft press on L/R does not have this drawback!

If you are on GCC you should still perform L-cancel with L/R. B0XX uses Z because that's just the best layout they came up with. For example, my layout has light press R, hard L, jump and c-down on homerow, while thumb has A, Z, and the other cstick buttons. Essentially I can perform hard or soft L-cancel on homerow without accidental Z aerials while still having WD on homerow.

However that's because most characters don't need B on homerow. For Fox this isn't really an option. B0XX layout was specifically made for Fox since what works for him in general will work decently well for others, however that doesn't mean other layout choices aren't more optimal for other characters.

An additional button is freed up if your controller uses WASD or left thumb for analog Up instead of wasting precious homerow real estate. Unfortunately, right now B0XX and F1 only use 2 buttons for left thumb but 5 for right thumb. A third button to left thumb group would easily accommodate said arrangements allowing for Up to not waste space on homerow and freeing up non-Z light L-cancels and WD on homerow depending on if you're not a Spacie. Just thoughts to throw around in future design decisions.

[CrunchyMaggots]

Excellent video once again! Superb stuff. I'll definitely be using this recommended layout as well.

With that said however, I'm very disappointed to see the doubling down on the lack of remapping support.. (continued below)

It completely disregards those who wish to play other titles, including fighting games such as CVS2, or Tastunoko vs Capcom (the latter of which is system locked to the Wii to this day), as well as those with physical disabilities. There are plenty of valid use-cases for a customer to want to remap their controller, and locking out the ability behind the pretense of doing it for their own good, completely disregards and diminishes entire subsections of your userbase.

To expand upon the fighting game example, the inclusion of LS to the top row conflicts heavily with traditional fighting game input layout, and cannot be remapped through in-game means, and being unable to assign a jump input to the Mod/C-Stick zones also greatly inhibit the user from taking advantage of tiger-knee canceled motions.

It's completely understandable and okay that a design laser focused around Melee wouldn't take these into consideration, but input remapping allows unexpected, and frankly unpredictable use-cases to flourish. By actively pushing against this, you're alienating entire groups of players, including those who play more than just Melee with their $200 controller, as well as those who may not have the same physical dexterity as your or I.

If your concerns are as singular as wanting the best for your players, a default ship layout, and a video like this is more than enough. The vast majority of users adopt the default controls regardless. The decision to lock-down the platform only serves to hurt your image, as well as your chances of appealing to wider audiences, myself included.


The decision to disregard this entire subset of players does greatly upset me, and with the Frame1 recently showcasing a competitive pricepoint, AND support for other platforms plus remapping, I'd all but decided before any of this came to light that I'd be grabbing one.

I know I'm just one customer, and won't pretend that I'll impact your bottom line, but please do reconsider your stance. This kind of attitude is exactly what pushed me away from the hitbox company in 2014, and is putting a nail in the coffin for consideration of one now. The Frame1 has been ineligible for pre-order for months, and will likely continue to be for some time. You have an opportunity to address those with similar concerns rather than drive them away. Even if it's too little too late for the existing design, a commitment to changing that for the future would do wonders. And you can hold me to my word, I'll get one.

Thank you for your time & consideration.

[jshortohlongrp]

Cool, now that you've educated everyone, no need to worry people will shoot themselvs in the foot and you can make the remap software.

[MarkRod]

Button remapping should be allowed because not all your customers play fox. Not every character benefits from this configuration. Good argument for fox but this fails to account for every other viable character. The company that is more flexible and gives their customers options will always win because they realize that they might not be the smartest in the room other people can come up with their own remapping that is just as good if not better.

[StellarNinjas]

Button remapping should be allowed. Let people make their own mistakes. It's also possible you've made a suboptimal layout and we don't know it yet.

[ToThePowerOfX]

Neat, now show us why you think every single layout decision is objectively correct and no other remapping could in any way be more comfortable or optimal or ergonomic for characters other than Fox and for people who don't have issues with their left thumb. There is no good argument for why you should limit your customers from swapping a Mod button with L.

[yannilibbes]

except I want home row to be R X Z up because I play peach and not fox. I get that you're worried about boxx getting banned or people doing what they want with a product that they paid money for, but it's super myopic to not allow a button remapper considering the F1 has it. you're just being Sakurai

[blackpyjamas]

People who have built a bad habit of full pressing the trigger can practice breaking the habit when they SHFFL by going to the 20xx hack pack and going to debug menu > training codes > l cancel options > and turning on "no l cancel on full L/R press". I've built up this habit myself but thanks to this video, I can start on breaking it. I hope this reaches people like me who built this full press habit

[as]

This is so cool. shffl is the first thing I learned in like 2014. The depth of this video reminds me of the old Kadano videos.

[rpotts]

I like the detailed analysis but would appreciate actual tips on how to execute said things. Are you meant to light press L then release then digital press afterwards in only a few frames to both analog L cancel and then early tech, or can you light press L then without releasing full digital press?

[lazyyfox]

These videos feel like computer security exploit walkthroughs but for melee.

[farleydbear]

synopsis; use light press or z to l-cancel so you dont waste ur teching input. early tech is good if ur going to get hit right away, late tech if you want to hold onto your teching frames for as long as possible.

[kyaaanon]

the "L" in l-cancel refers to lag, not the button being pressed. its not exclusively a melee term.

[skrill]

To be honest I don’t even know what the fuck you are saying but I still payed more attention than I ever have in school.