This guide is meant to be a generalized breakdown on the standard attacks and their usage in Mega Knockdown. Any character specific information is ignored for the purposes of this guide.

• Movement is numpad notation; 4/5/6/8 = backward/neutral/forward/jump
  
• Buttons mentioned are A/B/C/G/T = A/B/C/Guard/Throw
  
• Ranges when mentioned refer to the distance to the opponent. (ie Range 3 is round start)

• High damage
  
• High speed
  
• Hits both air and ground
  
• Minor Advantage on block

• Low range
  
• Always loses to 5T

A attacks provide a good option for staying in control, on offense the high speed allows ample use of 6A to stay in range and 5A provides a good answer when at disadvantage.
Landing an A attack is a very good reward on hit or block, granting either a strong combo or advantage.

Opponents looking to stop A attacks need to either commit to 5T or out-range them.

4A - The most niche usage of A. Would beat someone chasing from Range 1 with a throw or a jump as an alternative to 4G or 4B
5A - Useful for attacking from disadvantage, such as when getting up
6A - Give up a little startup speed to try to ensure you are in range for A

• Medium damage
  
• Medium speed
  
• Medium Range
  
• Hits both air and ground

• Punishable at close range
  
• Loses to walk and block (6G)

B attacks are the supreme space control tool, if used at a range they will stop most any attack. While not the fastest attack class, they are the fastest at their range.
On hit, the opponent takes a good amount of damage and stays pushed back. On block or whiff however, B attacks leave the attacker at major disadvantage or even punishable if used at Range 1.

Opponents looking to stop B attacks should walk and block with 6G, gaining advantage and screen space or even a punish.

4B - Give up screen space for less risk of being unsafe
5B - Fastest B attack and doesn't give up screen space
6B - Riskiest version of B, use it as an option to chase down retreating attacks

• Medium Range
  
• Can only be blocked by 5G
  
• Knocks down on hit

• Low speed
  
• Low damage
  
• Unsafe
  
• Only hits on the ground

C attacks look weak on paper but they are a tool that complements the rest of the moveset well. C can be used to stop A attacks, throws, and walk and block. But, unlike the other 2 attacks, C is completely vulnerable to jumping attacks and C is always unsafe if blocked by 5G.
The main purpose for using a C attack is to beat walking and blocking with 6G. Because it can only be blocked standing it is a direct counter to the weakness of B. The benefit of the knockdown should not be overlooked either. Be aware that an opponent walking and blocking will still gain screen space if hit by C as they are knocked down in place.

Opponents looking to stop C attacks should 5G for a punish or use a jumping attack.

4C - Give up screen space to catch lower range attacks or force a weaker punish
5C - Fastest C attack and doesn't give up screen space
6C - Riskiest version of C, use it as an option to chase down retreating attacks

• Instant speed on 5T
  
• Medium damage
  
• Unblockable
  
• Knocks down on hit

• Low range
  
• 4T and 6T lose to attacks
  
• Only hits on the ground

Throws are the main way of opening up an opponent who is blocking. Put simply if you think the opponent will block you should throw them. Be certain to use the right throw version because unlike other attacks, the throws have very different properties.

Opponents looking to stop throws have some options. If not currently at Range 1, any attack will beat a throw. If at Range 1 you either need to use retreating or jumping attacks. Alternatively, if both players use any version of throw they will both clash and avoid the throw.

4T - High risk, high reward. This throw will side switch but requires an opponent to be blocking at Range 1 as it loses to any attack. Most commonly seen as a punish option.
5T - Beats any attack in range as well as guarding opponents. Extremely strong tool, stopping any grounded attack in range and teching other throws, this makes 5T useful for both defense and as a mixup option.
6T - Walk up and throw your opponent, loses to any attack but can still tech a neutral throw. This is the offensive version of throw, used to beat passive opponents.

• Prevents attacks from hitting
  
• 6G is a low risk way to advance
  
• Can gain advantage from a whiff or blocked attack

• Doesn't directly threaten damage
  
• Loses to throws
  
• 4G and 6G lose to lows

Guarding is a relatively safe move to use, walking and blocking is the lowest risk to move around the stage. The main things to watch out for are being thrown, blocking an A attack, and walking into a C attack.
The downside is that outside of blocking a punishable attack, you cannot damage the opponent. Regardless, screen position and information can both be their own reward. Note that if you guard and they whiff an attack, you will always gain advantage.

Opponents looking to stop walking and blocking with Guard can use C attacks or a throw. If the opponent is doing neutral Guard, a throw is the only direct counter. Though they do not break the guard, A attacks are good options against Guarding opponents as they leave you in advantage.

4G - Give up space but very safe option
5G - Only way to block a low attack
6G - Walk and block to take space

• Long range
  
• High damage
  
• Beats Jump B and C

• Only hits against Air
  
• Loses to anti-airs
  
• Loses to Jump Throw at Range 1 and 2

Jump A is a very niche long range jumping attack that will beat Jump B and Jump C.
Generally speaking, it is better to lean on Air Throw or a grounded anti-air but there are times when you can consider using this. For instance, Jump A avoids grounded throws and does higher damage than Air Throw and works at more ranges.

Note that 8A beats 8G at Range 1 only and beats 8T at Range 3 only.

Opponents looking to stop Jump A can use A and B attacks. If close, Air Throw is an option.

• Long range
  
• High damage
  
• Hits both air and grounded
  
• Minor Advantage on block

• Low speed
  
• Loses to anti-airs

Jump B is a your all-purpose jumping attack. Will hit both grounded and air. Grants a good combo on hit and advantage on block if done further than Range 1.
As the move is quite slow, even with major advantage it will trade at best with anti-airs. Thanks to winning against Throw, Guard, and C attacks this is a strong option to represent.

Note that 8B beats 8G at Range 1 only and beats 8T at Range 3 only

Opponents looking to stop Jump B can Air Throw or use A and B attacks, depending on range.

• Medium damage
  
• Deals chip damage on block
  
• Side switches on hit or block
  
• Knocks down on hit

• Low speed
  
• Disadvantage on block

Jump C is another niche option but is one of only two ways to side switch. As such, it is a very powerful move even before considering that it knocks down and takes screen space.
The side switch doesn't occur unless at Range 1 or 2.

Opponents looking to stop Jump C can use jump attacks or use A and B attacks.

• Instant speed
  
• Medium damage
  
• Knocks down on hit

• Only hits air attacks
  
• Loses to anti-airs
  
• Shorter range

Jump Throw is another anti-air attack. This one does less damage than Jump A but will knock down and beats any other jumping attack (if within range).
Just like with grounded throws, two air throws meeting will clash and avoid damage.

Beats 8G at Range 1 only.

Opponents looking to stop Jump Throw can use A and B attacks.

• Very safe option to reset advantage and position

• Gives up a lot of screen space

Jump Guard is another movement option. Your character moves back two spaces. This is decent option if you find yourself at major disadvantage or at a closer range than you'd prefer. It is hard to stop because the movement occurs first and requires a call out.

Opponents looking to stop 8G can use long range attacks to chase it down at Range 1 only. This move requires a very specific situation to even be able to call it out, it is better to think of this as spending stage position as a resource in exchange for resetting a situation.

Decide who has to be the attacker. This is a matchup specific question but even within a matchup it can change back and forth based on screen position, time, and health remaining. Defenders are going to want to deny space, block more, and generally be more passive. Attackers want to take space and force mixup options.

All else equal, whoever has the least health needs to be the aggressor at some point because eventually time will run out.

Note that this can be a player preference, sometimes both players want to take the same role. Even if you want to take the role of the attacker, it is okay to play passively or back off at times to make your offense less predictable or to gather information or to draw the defender out. This will often result in a natural ebb and flow with players switching off attack and defensive mindsets to adjust to the expectations of the opponents.


Health remaining is the ultimate determination of the winner but you don't get extra points for having more life, you simply need to have more than your opponent.

Trading health is naturally going to happen against equally skilled opponents. Use that health to get information about habits and what they are looking for. Trading health from walking into specials or getting swept by a C in order to advance to a preferred range or push your opponent to the corner can be worth it. It is very difficult to side switch, only 4T and 8C will sideswitch and they require very high commitment.

Conversely, if you have the health lead and a lot of screen positional advantage don't be afraid to give up some space with 8G or perhaps a retreating attack like 4B.

Finally, if you have a good health lead you can run down the timer and force your opponent to approach. Let them take the risk.


After every turn, advantage is assigned to the players. Advantage can be even (0), minor (+10), major (+20), or a punish opportunity.

This can greatly change the strategy for the next turn because it changes available options. For instance, if a player is at minor advantage and both players do the same attack the player with advantage will win. It can get heavy on the math side to keep track of all of the speeds of every move but if you can remember to double check speeds it can prevent misplays.

Without getting too heavy into specifics, here are some general pointers:

• If you out-range an attack, then advantage doesn't matter
  
• Neutral Throw doesn't care about advantage state
  
• When at advantage, movement becomes more free
  
• When at disadvantage, your attacks are much more likely to lose. This makes Guard more valuable.
  
• Sometimes you gotta swing. Using Guard at disadvantage is the "correct" decision, doing attacks out of disadvantage will catch players being greedy and using slower attacks or 6T.

Punishable state is the only time the game is not played double-blind. When an opponent gets put in the Punish state they skip their turn. Make your punishment the most optimal you can. Don't just consider damage either. Some punishes allow for side switches, knockdowns, or better followups. Use the game state and matchup as a guide.

Note that walking, jumping, and blocking are disabled during the punish state.

These are generic punishes and may vary between characters, specific characters may need to change the movement option depending on their special attack inputs.

Range 1:
Damage - 5A
Knockdown - 5T
Sideswitch - 4T

Range 2:
Damage - 5B
Knockdown - 5C
Sideswitch - n/a



The knockdown state is a special kind of disadvantage. You are always at a minor disadvantage and movement forward or backward is disabled. You can still jump, but instead of the usual movement you land in the same spot you jumped from. This gives your jumping attacks much less range than normal.

As a general rule you want to only use jump or neutral movement because moving forward or backward will only further delay your attacks and especially with throws you really only want to ever use 5T. To use character specific specials it will require a specific direction to get the specific attack you want, this also means if a special move uses a neutral direction that it changes your options from knockdown.

For guard in particular, it is important to use only 5G because there is no advantage to be gained from using 4G or 6G from knockdown.

This goes outside of the context of this guide, but if you are having trouble figuring out who to play maybe this will help:

When learning a new character, think about what tools they are losing and how the new special changes their dynamic.

Paul - You can use your Firepaul to play at any range on the screen and your Paulcano will beat any attack up close, at a price.

Billy - Your opponents will be afraid on every knockdown. Strongest throws in the game. A little slow but gets to combo on trades.

Lewis - Frame advantage is just a state of mind. Only block when you feel like it, especially because it does chip damage to you.

Marv - You can keep your opponents at a distant with long limbs. Vulnerable up close, but his Gravity Spike keeps him slippery and away from the opponent.

Noel - Strong mid-range game with lots of chip damage potential. You can use plants to create unique scenarios to cover extra angles or keep her safe, or just do more chip damage.

Nick - Straight forward beatdown. He has all of the basic move types but his attacks chip on block. His combos do extra damage in the corner.