This is a guide to using Ryu in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Ryu's bread and butter combos, how to unlock, frame data, alt costumes and skins, as well as Ryu's matchups, counters, and tier list placement can all be found here.

Ryu Tier and Overview

Stats and General Info

Ryu
Game Series	Street Fighter
Smash Bros. Debut	Super Smash Bros. for WiiU/3DS
Fighter Number	60
Unlock Order	13
Number of Jumps	2
Weight	103 Units (27/87)
Dash Speed	1.6 (59/87)
Air Speed	1.12 (30/87)
Fast Fall Speed	2.24 (66/87)
Special Attributes	None

Tier List Placement

Tier

A close range brawler with explosive kill power

Smash Ultimate Ryu has the unique mechanic (shared with Ken and Terry), which allows him to always face an opponent in 1 vs 1 battles. Ryu has very potent combos and powerful moves like Shoryuken (Command Input) and Down Aerial that are great for KOing. Ryu also has the Shakunetsu Hadoken, a fire-based Hadoken projectile. His deadly combo game and powerful finishers allow him to deal devastating damage to opponents after finding an opening.

Ryu has somewhat underwhelming mobility, as well as a poor recovery. His attacks also lack range, and thus he struggles against swordies and characters with projectiles. This also makes it a bit difficult for Ryu to approach opponents in order to start combos. Ryu players will need to be careful not to get edgeguarded and be creative with their approachーif they can find an opening and take advantage of it, they can be rewarded greatly!

See Our Tier List Here!

Ryu's Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths	・When using the command-input, Shryuken KOs foes very early ・Super Armor on Down Special ・Has a good projectile (neutral special and Shakunetsu Hadoken) ・Will auto-turn to face 1 vs 1 opponents, making it easy to hit his moves ・Extremely deadly combo game
Weaknesses	・Always faces the opponent, and thus cannot use Bair easily ・Poor recovery makes him easy to edgeguard ・Somewhat high execution (getting used to command inputs and auto-turn) ・Focus Attack is easy to counter ・Struggles to land when put in disadvantage

Ryu Matchup Chart

Matchup Chart

-2
-1
0
+1
+2

Notes About Matchup Chart

1. -2 = Disadvantage. -1 = Slight Disadvantage or Even. 0 = Even. +1 = Slight Advantage or Even. +2 = Advantage.
2. The matchup chart was based around both the opinions of professional players of each character, as well as our own experience through playing Ryu.
3. Characters within each tier are unordered
4. Pokemon Trainer's individual Pokemon (Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard) as well as Echo fighters with no significant difference than their regular counterpart are not shown.
5. For other characters who are not shown here, we are still investigating the matchup.

List of Ryu's Command Inputs

Command-Input Moves

Command Name	Description
Hadoken （↓↘→＋AorB）	Deals 1.25 more damage than the regular Hadoken.
Shakunetsu （←↙↓↘→＋AorB）	A stronger Hadoken that deals multiple hit at the enemy.
Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku （↓↙←＋AorB）	Deals 1.16 times more damage than the regular input.
Shoryuken （→↓↘＋AorB）	Grants increased invulnerability (Iframes) and more damage than the standard input.

Easy Commands

These commands can be used to execute these moves without relying on the regular input that was listed on the command list.

Command Name	Description
Shakunetsu （↙↓↘→＋AorB）	A shorter input for Shakunetsu that doesn't force Ryu into performing a back step.
Shoryuken (↘↓↘＋AorB) or (→↘→＋AorB)	An alternate input to Shoryuken. This can be used easily after performing Ftilts or Downtilts.

Ryu Combos

Bread And Butter Combo Guides
Jab → Jab → Shoryuken (→↓↘＋AorB)
Up Tilt → Shoryuken(→↘→＋AorB)
DTilt→Shoryuken(↘↓↘＋AorB)
Advanced Combo Guides
Short Hop → Dair → Short Hop → Dair
Focus Attack → Backstep (Cancel Focus Attack's Animation)→Short Hop→Nair→DTilt→DTilt→Shoryuken（↘↓↘＋AorB）

Bread And Butter Combo Guides

Advanced Combo Guides

Ryu Frame Data and Moveset

Best Out of Shield Options

Move	Frames
Up B	6 Frames
Neutral Air	7 Frames
Up Smash	9 Frames
Up Air	9 Frames
Shield Grab	10 Frames
Foward Air	11 Frames
Back Air	11 Frames

Ryu has quick startup on his aerials, as well as a very fast up special and decently quick grab. Up special (Shoryuken) is the go-to out of shield option, since it comes out so quickly, and can KO opponents reliably. Any of his aerials, such as neutral air, can be used as well, and are less committal. His shield grab has decent startup, but short range and limited follow-ups, so it is usually not the best option.

Jab (Neutral Attack)

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Jab 1 - Light (A)	1.8	2
Jab 1 - Heavy, Close	14.4/9.6	7/8
Jab 1 - Heavy, Far	12.0	9
Jab 2	1.8	3
Jab 3	6.0	8

Jab

Ryu's jab can be comboed into a Shoryuken. Jabs can be used as a counter to approaching opponents. Depending on how close Ryu is to an opponent when using the move, the startup and damage will differ.

Dash Attack / Tilts

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Dash Attack (Dash ＋ A)	14.4	7
Dash Attack (Weak Hit)	9.6	10
Forward Tilt - Heavy (← or → + A)	3.6/7.2	16/18
Forward Tilt - Light	7.2/8.16	3/8
Up Tilt - Heavy (↑ + A)	14.4/9.6	7/8
Up Tilt - Light	2.4	3
Down Tilt - Heavy (↓ + A)	8.4	6
Down Tilt - Light	1.92	2

Dash Attack

Ryu's Dash Attack has a quick startup and long-lasting hitbox. It can be used to whiff punish, and to catch an opponent in landing lag.

Forward Tilt

Ryu's heavy Forward Tilt is a downward punch that can break shields when the A button is held. This is move is great to use after conditioning your opponent to shield a lot. Additionally, the light far forward tilt has good range, and is a good poking tool.

Up Tilt

Ryu's Forward Tilt releases a quick elbow attack by pressing the Attack button briefly. This can be used as a starting point for a combo that links into a Shoryuken, so use it to KO opponents with high percents. It's very potent when used to punish an opponent's ledge jump.

Down Tilt

Ryu's Down Tilt can activate a short kick by pressing attack briefly. This move can also start a combo that leads into Shoryuken.

If you hold attack for a long time, you can perform a long-reaching sweep. SInce your opponent gets launched lightly, you can combo this into Hadouken.

Smash Attacks

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Forward Smash (Smash ← or → + A）	19.2/21.0	15
Up Smash 1 (Smash ↑ + A)	20.4	9
Up Smash (Weak Hit)	16.2	10
Down Smash (Smash ↓ + A)	19.2/14.4	5

Forward Smash

Ryu's Forward Smash is a kick that has him advance slightly when he performs it, so its hitbox has good range. It's mostly used to hit opponents recovering at the ledge.

Up Smash

Ryu's Up Smash comes out quickly and can be used out of shield, so use it to counter your opponent's big moves with long end lag.

Down Smash

Ryu's Down Smash comes out quickly and has good range. You can hit opponents on the ledge, so use this move out of a dash for a quick punish.

Aerials

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Neutral Air (A + no direction while airborne)	9.6	4
Neutral Air (Weak Hit)	5.4	7
Forward Air (Hold ← or → in the direction you are facing + A while airborne)	16.8/10.8	8
Forward Air (Weak Hit)	14.4/9.6	10
Back Air (← or → Opposite of the direction you are facing + A while airborne)	19.2/15.6	8
Up Air Hit 1 (↑ + A While Airborne)	6.0	6
Up Air Hit 2	7.2	10
Down Air (↓ + A While Airborne)	14.4	8

Neutral Air

Ryu's Neutral Air has a long lasting hitbox, so it's easy to hit approaching opponents with it. It's a good landing option for opponents that try and catch your landing.

Forward Air

Ryu's Forward Air has a long lasting hitbox and deals excellent damage. Additionally, you can connect it to Shoryuken depending on how you hit it.

Back Air

Ryu's Back Air is a technique that comes out quickly and has high damage. However, it is difficult to pull off because Ryu automatically faces his opponent in 1v1 battles. In order to be able to pull this off, you'll need to become very good at using a RAR back air (reverse aerial rush).

Up Air

Ryu's Up Air is a two-hit uppercut in the air. If it connects, you can Shoryuken straight out of it for a combo.

Down Air

Ryu's Down Air can meteor smash diagonally. Do this by the ledge to try and land an edgeguard, but beware that Ryu has a poor recovery.

Specials

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Neutral Special - Hadouken (B)	7.2	12
Neutral Special - Hadouken, Long Press 1	7.8	12
Neutral Special - Hadouken, Long Press 2	8.4	12
Neutral Special - Shakunetsu Hadouken	1.32	12
Neutral Special - Shakunetsu Hadouken (Finisher)	6.0	4
Side Special - Common, Start (← or → + B)	10.8	8
Side Special - Ground, Late Hit, Normal	10.8/9.6	8
Side Special - Ground, Late Hit, Long Press 1	?	8
Side Special - Ground, Late Hit, Long Press 2	13.2	8
Side Special - Air, Late Hit, Normal	9.6/8.4	8
Side Special - Air, Late Hit, Long Press 1	10.8/10.2	8
Side Special - Air, Late Hit, Long Press 2	12.0	8
Up Special - Ground, Start, Normal (↑ + B)	15.6	6
Up Special - Ground, Long Press 1	16.8	6
Up Special - Ground, Long Press 2	18.0	6
Up Special - Ground, Late Hit 1	14.4	7
Up Special - Ground, Late Hit 2	8.4	9
Up Special - Aerial, Start, Normal (↑ + B)	14.4	6
Up Special - Aerial, Long Press 1	15.6	6
Up Special - Aerial, Long Press 2	16.8	6
Up Special - Aerial, Late Hit 1	12.0	7
Up Special - Aerial, Late Hit 2	8.4	9
Down Special - Charge 1, Fastest (↓ + B)	14.4	32
Down Special - Charge 2, Fastest	12.0	42
Down Special - Charge 3	20.4	70

Neutral Special (Hadouken)

The Hadouken is a ranged projectile that can control the opponent's movements and limit their options, so it is a very important tool to Ryu, since it is one of his best poking tools, and can deal great damage (especially when the ← ↙ ↓ ↘ → +A/B command input is used).

Side Special (Tatsumaki Senpukyaku)

Ryu's Side Special is the Tatsumaki, which can travel farther the longer you press the button. Use this for horizontal recovery, or for reading an opponent's roll. Be careful as you can only use this once in the air.

Thanks to the move's intangibility, it is a great approach tool, especially for closing the gap on zoners, and at high percents, it can KO.

Up Special (Shoryuken)

Ryu's Up Special is the Shoryuken, which is used both as a recovery move and a combo finisher. To use it more effectively as a KO move, make sure to use its command input, as it will deal more damage and knockback.

Down Special (Focus Attack)

Ryu's Down Special is Focus Attack, which grants a super armor effect that can take one attack and follow up with a counter. If charged fully, the opponent will get stunned on hit, opening them up for further attacks.

How to Cancel a Special Attack

You can cancel special attack by flicking the stick twice either left and right either during Ryu's charge up pose or immediately after the attack hits.

Grab / Throws

	1v1 Damage (%)	Startup Frames
Pummel	1.56	1
Grab (Normal)	-	6
Dash Grab	-	9
Pivot Grab	-	10
Forward Throw (Throw) (← or → While Grabbing)	10.8	16
Back Throw (Throw) (← or → While Grabbing)	14.4	23
Up Throw (Hitbox) (↑ While Grabbing)	18.0	25
Up Throw (Throw)	9.6	18
Down Throw (Hitbox) (↓ While Grabbing)	3.6	18
Down Throw (Throw)	7.2	19

Forward Throw

Forward Throw has a strong knockback angle so try to use it to put opponents over the ledge then prevent them from recovering.

Back Throw

Back Throw has a strong knockback angle so try to use it to put opponents off the stage, and prevent them from recovering.

Up Throw

The opponent is launched slightly upwards. This will connect with up air at low percentages.

Down Throw

The opponent is pummeled downwards then launched slightly upwards. This will connect with up air at low percentages, and is Ryu's go to throw at early percents.

Final Smash

Attack	How to Use	Effect
Shin Shoryuken / Shinku Hadoken	Press B after obtaining the Smash Ball	Ryu's Final Smash changes based on how close he is to the opponent. At long range, he uses a powerful Hadoken, which can hit multiple enemies. At close range, he will perform a super powerful uppercut attack.

Ryu Balance Changes

Version 13.0.1 Balance Patch

	Change
Tilt Attack (Strong)	Increased attack speed.v
Neutral Special	Increased attack power while maintaining launch distance for light, medium, heavy, and command-input attacks.
Side Special	Reduced vulnerability for light, medium, heavy, and command-input attacks when used on the ground.

Version 12.0.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Neutral Special	Made it easier to hit multiple times when hitting an opponent on the ground with Shakunetsu Hadoken.

Version 7.0.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Down Tilt Attack (Heavy)	Adjusted launch angle.
Down Smash Attack	Now possible on hit to cancel the attack animation into a special move. Reduced the power against shields.
Neutral Special	Increased the opponent’s downtime when shielding against Hadoken. Made it easier for Shakunetsu Hadoken to hit multiple times.
Side Special	Made the pivoting leg invincible while rotating when used on the ground. Increased power. Extended launch distance when hit in the high-damage range.
Other	Increased shield size.

Version 4.0.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Basic Movements	The attack after a perfect shield will be unleashed after facing the opponent.

Version 3.1.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Neutral Attack 1	Increased the amount of time you can cancel with a special move.
Neutral Attack 2	Increased the amount of time you can cancel with a special move.
Neutral Attack (Strong, Close Range)	Adjusted launch angle and distance.
Side Tilt Attack (Weak, Close Range)	Increased the amount of time you can cancel with a special move.
Side Tilt Attack (Weak, Long Range)	Increased attack range for the tip.
Up Tilt Attack (Strong)	Adjusted launch angle when hitting an airborne opponent.
Down Tilt Attack (Weak)	Increased the amount of time opponents will be in the damage animation when the move hits.
Down Tilt Attack (Strong)	Shortened launch distance.
Up Air Attack	Increased the amount of time hit detection lasts. Increased attack range.
Neutral Special	Decreased the speed for light Hadoken and light Shakunetsu Hadoken, and increased speed for heavy Hadoken and heavy Shakunetsu Hadoken. Increased attack speed and power of Hadoken and Shakunetsu Hadoken. Increased the range Hadoken will hit opponents on the ground.
Side Special	Increased the first attack’s range when the move is performed on the ground.

Version 3.0.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Edge Attack	Shortened hitstun time.

Version 2.0.0 Balance Patch

	Change
Neutral Attack	Opponents hit in the air will be launched, making it easier to hit them with the next hit.
Forward Air Attack	Shortened the landing time after using the move.
Down Tilt Attack	Can no longer jump immediately after using the move.

Major Changes From Smash 4

	Change
General	During 1 Vs 1 battles, Ryu now has an auto-turn feature so that he will always face his opponent.

How to Unlock Ryu

Unlocking Via Smash Mode
13th Fighter Unlocked After unlocking Peach, let 10 minutes pass OR play another battle in smash after soft-resetting OR return to the menu from World of Light
Unlocking via Classic Mode
Clear Classing Mode 3 times using Yoshi.
Unlocking via World of Light
World Tour

There are three ways to unlock Ryu. Completing any of these, then defeating Ryu when they appear in the “a New Challenger Appears” screen will allow you to use them afterward.

How to Unlock Characters Fast

Ryu Alt Costumes and Skins

Ryu Reveal Trailer

Smash Ultimate Character Guides

List of Fighters
Tier List	Unlocking Fighters

Character Stat Lists

Character Stats
Weights of All Characters	Run Speeds of All Characters
Air Speeds of All Characters	Fast Fall Speeds of All Characters