Super Smash Bros. 4 Tips: How to Play Bayonetta

When Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS was initially announced, I doubt anybody would have ever imagined that Bayonetta would eventually join the roster, but here we are. As the Umbran witch joins the fray, so does her arsenal of attacks. The thing is, Bayonetta can be pretty tricky to handle, as her moves do require a bit of a different perspective on how to approach opponents. Fortunately, we’re here to give you the rundown on Bayonetta’s moves and show you the necessary tricks required to dominate in Smash Bros. all while looking utterly fabulous.

Neutral B – Bullet Climax

Bayonetta’s standard B special simply allows you to shoot away from either the two guns in her hands or the two attached to her heels (she’s a trendsetter). One thing you’ll notice when performing this move, however, is that the trajectory of her bullets don’t simply go straight forward as they might in the actual Bayonetta games. They slant fairly upward.

As a tip, this move is better for stopping your opponents’ projectiles at a distance, as you might shoot right over the top of their heads if you just simply aim at them. Although, you can do just that if they happen to be recovering from being thrown off the stage. Try even tossing them around with a throw, as the upward slant of her bullets may land exactly where you need them to.

←/→ + B – Heel Slide / After Burner Kick

Side B offers you varying strategies depending on the situation. On the ground, Heel Slide can be a deadly attack that lets you home in on your opponents with ease, allowing you to toss them up into the air as you please. After Burner Kick, however, is what happens when you use this move in the air, offering that same kick but at an upward angle.

After Burner Kick gives you extra opportunity to dish out damage, allowing you some time to remain in the air and juggle as you see fit. You can perform any of these moves twice, so long as they’re not consecutive, so you must perform some other action before you do this special again. For example, you can do an After Burner Kick into an airborne opponent, jump, and then perform a second one.

↑ + B – Witch Twist

Witch Twist is a particularly handy move, as it’s another part of Bayonetta’s repertoire that allows players to keep their enemies airborne and vulnerable. As she propels herself upward, Bayonetta will take whatever unfortunate soul with her, leaving them at her mercy once they’re up in the sky. The hard part is finding a combo that works for you, but your options are there.

After a Witch Twist, you can perform some standard attacks to keep your opponent afloat, only to pull off an After Burner Kick to continue the punishment. It may seem easy to abuse, but you’ll be surprised how hard this can be to execute.

↓ + B – Witch Time

This one’s a beauty. As opposed to the standard counter attack, Bayonetta gets her Witch Time ability, allowing her to slow down the enemy that falls into her trap, and it’s just as useful as it is in her own games. As aforementioned, the opponent is simply slowed down, so players will still have try timing this ability nicely with moves that allow the user to anticipate where the opponent will be. Once you’ve got that down, show no mercy.

Final Smash

Right off the bat, Bayonetta’s Final Smash is a strange one; you’ll have to land some attacks to fill up the meter that can allow you to pull it off. This is possible with anything from close combat attacks to bullets from afar. The game won’t tell you this, but it’s exciting to do once you’ve figured it out.

Remember, though, that everyone else is only slowed down, so they can still escape from you. Find a way to pin people and get that meter up and you’re golden. Well, not completely. You can do significantly more damage and even instant KO an enemy, assuming they have garnered enough damage, if you complete one more meter that will appear when you see Gomorrah chomping away. This one’s easier: just press an attack button quickly and repeatedly. You might even dish out so much damage your opponent will just straight up vanish. Bam.

Tips and Tricks

• Hold down the button after an attack, and she’ll shoot her guns along with her attack. From her Special attacks to her Smash attacks to her regular attacks, holding down that button will let you shave off that extra damage, although your opponent won’t flinch.
• Bayonetta’s Down Smash is one mighty Meteor Smash. You may not be able to execute it in mid-air, but this can be lethal for opponents that are trying to make their way back on over to the stage after being launched. Time it just right, and you’ll send them flying downward quicker than you can say “Yaaaaas kweeeen.”
• Take to the skies. Few characters will be able to keep up with Bayonetta once she’s in the air. With a lot of mobility, it’s quite the responsibility, but you really can keep your opponents afloat with finesse with enough practice.
• Practice proper recovery. Bayonetta can give you a hard time if you’re trying to recover from being launched off the platform. One simple Witch Twist won’t do sometimes, though. Throw in those After Burner Kicks for the added airtime that can mean all the difference in the heat of battle.
• Dance away. Her taunts can be a bit lengthy, especially one that just makes her do what seems like a whole dance routine. You can stop it fairly soon, though, so don’t worry about being vulnerable for too long if you still feel like dancing for a bit, either to insult or just because you’re Bayonetta, and you can dance if you want to.

From hereon out, you’re on your own. It’ll be up to you to use these fundamentals to create your own strategies and figure out your ideal way to dish out punishment. Show ’em not to mess with Bayonetta.