I wrote 10 different things you have to know to win at smash from most to least important(although they are all pretty important). At home and at college, I have been crushing everyone at smash, and I'd like some competition, so I wrote this to let you know how I play the game. I hope to add pictures to this soon too!
1. Learn how to Dodge Roll
This is the most important skill of all. Performing a dodge roll requires you to hold the 'R' button and push left or right depending on which way you want to roll. The reason this skill is so important is because you can't be hurt during a roll. Also you can dodge and opponants attacks, appear on the other side of them, and get a free smash attack in. You can even dodge some opponants Final Smash attacks(Link/Toon Link, Meta Knight, Marth, and Ike to name a few)! You can almost never dodge roll to much, you can even use it as an escape, making it much more likely for you to not take damage as you run. Rookies to the Dodge roll do tend to over do it though, and dodge roll when they should have taken that opportunity to attack. Just keep practicing with it though and you should be fine.
2. Be active but not involved
This is(to me) the 2nd most important skill you must learn for a non one-on-one match. People tend to attack whoever is closest to them no matter what. So your job, is to stay out. However, if they notice you're not doing anything, then they all tend to chase you. So you have to stay active. Charge something, or jump in and hit someone then jump out. Make yourself in the battle, but not annoying to make them attack you instead. You have to let them know your there, but they have to forget about you the second after you hit them. The good part is, if you are good and they do decide to chase you, you can get a good combo or 2 and they will usually decide not to mess with you now, making this strategy almost never fail.
3. Be Unpredictable
This is also imporant. Never do the same combos a lot, or people see them coming. Try all sorts of things, like dodge rolling away when they are prepared for you to dodge roll around them, or attack when they expect you to shield. This way, no one will be able to read you or pick up on your strategy and favorite combos; leaving the opponant surprized when you use them.
4. Know your opponant
Obviously. Know all there moves, and how they work to start. Then, pick up on what your opponant does with them a lot. For example, my friend Dave is always Meta Knight. And he always uses this combo where he does his little quick up sword('A' Up) attack to get me in the air, then jumps up to me and sends me flying with his 'B' Up attack. Since he does it so much, I'm ready for it everytime. His sword thing is fast, so I usually get hit by that, but then I hit 'R' in the air, making his attack miss, leaving him wide open for me to go get him.
5. Always think a move ahead
This is crucial, but pretty self-explanitory. Think about where your going next and where your opponant is going next. This is crucial for Snake; being able to determine where you think your opponant will go is excellent for mine placement. It also helps you determine when you need to dodge roll. Always try and pay attention to everyone, and your predictions can help you avoid damage or to know exactly when and how to attack.
6. Stay on the ground; Use 'R' in the air if nessicary.
My strong advice: stay on the ground as much as possible. You have so many better and destructive options while you are in the ground(your opponant will too, but if your better it wont matter). Pretty much only bad things happen in the air: your an easy target, you can get juggled, you can't dodge roll, sometimes its hard to find a good place to land, etc. So stay down. For these reasons, its probably also better to keep your opponant on the ground, unless your character has better attacks suited to that then the ones I use. Some characters have to be in the air though, like Snake. Hes always flying to drop mines on other people. So while your in the air, and an opponant is comeing after you, you MUST hit the 'R' button the split second there about to hit you. It will make you invincible for that split second, so your opponant will completely miss, and you will return safely to the ground. Since I wouldn't suggest attacking in the air, you can never use the 'R' button to much, infact I almost always use it when I'm in the air(and sometimes you can use it more then once) -- it's really important.
7. Use Smash Attacks!
This is self explanitory. Stop doing for favorite moves that just rack up really small amounts of damage and don't send anyone flying. A lot of my friends have the tendancy to do that. Trust me, if your getting annoyed that someone has high damage and isn't dying, use 'A' Up/Down/Left/Right or the C-Stick. Then they will die. Use them a lot!
8. Never chase anyone
This is just a bad idea. Chaseing someone is just like chaseing a smash ball. When you chase someone, you usually just end up killing yourself or have them hurt you while your trying to chase them. Just wait for them to calm down(basically, be patient). You will find the right moment to strike again.
9. Use "trash talking" or "character manipulation" to keep the pressure off
This is important. You might find it wack, but it's just human nature.
-Trash Talking: Make comments like "omg look how low Andy's damage is!" or "look, Andy still has 3 lives!" This wont always work, but more often then not it does. Because if they want to win, and someone is way out ahead, they are more likely to slow the leader down, giveing you a second to get back your game together.
-Character Manipulation: I've noticed that people tend to just attack the people closest to them, even when someone else is way ahead. So if you need a moment or want to be left alone, kick or grab and throw someone into someone elses attack. If successful, that person will now be tangled up with another fighter and not you.
10. Taunt after every kill.
Not nessicary or that important, but to me, its a must. There in the game for a reason, and it displays your power and skill when you can taunt and no one can do anything about it.
