A character who already dominates the competitive scene gains more advantages over his rivals by canceling the hitstun animation.
The appearance of the Minecraft Steve hitstun cancel technique has caused a stir in the Smash Bros. competitive scene and may lead to the character’s outright ban. Some competitive players are afraid that the already well-liked character will completely dominate the scene as a result of this technique.
Both Minecraft and Super Smash Bros. fans eagerly anticipated Steve’s inclusion in the game when it launched in October 2020. He became the first character to represent a Microsoft-owned property in a Nintendo game, which made his inclusion in the game a significant turning point in the history of video games. He is a very intriguing addition to the roster thanks to his unique play style and powerful abilities, but his dominance on the competitive scene has stirred up debate. Players still regard Steve as a dependable character, and the Super Smash Bros. community still heavily relies on him.
Steve was already a contentious character when he first appeared in the series because of his awkward moveset, incredible recovery options, and impressive movement. However, after the PLMG technique was discovered, some players found Steve to be overpowered in Smash Bros., which prompted some fans to demand the character’s ban. The Phantom MLG technique makes Steve even more formidable than before by enabling him to cancel the hitstun of any move that does not knock him down.The character has already been banned by tournament organizers in Florida, Kansas, and Missouri. On the other hand, the New Jersey-based Collision tournament series has only outlawed the PLMG tactic. There is disagreement over whether to outright forbid the PMLG or the Steve character as a whole, but there does not yet appear to be an agreement.
Have you seen the Steve hitstun canceling clips floating around?
Did you hope they were fake?Well sorry to burst your bubble!Introducing Phantom MLG: pic.twitter.com/OJ2GIM5Env
— XCido (@XCidoClipDump) February 25, 2023
When performing an aerial attack, Steve benefits from the technique. Steve is able to execute his subsequent attack much faster than his opponent after using a phantom block to deflect the enemy’s blow. As a result, he is able to punish aggressive characters and respond with a powerful combo of his own. Steve already possesses one of the best recoveries and one of the strongest defenses in Smash Bros. He is now practically unstoppable thanks to this additional strategy.
Some players felt it would be fair to prohibit the use of the cancel technique. It would be difficult for the tournament directors to find out if anyone is utilizing it, though. Others, however, contend that, given his already powerful position, it would be best to outright ban the character.
A few very well-known competitive players have weighed in on the conversation and made their voices heard. MKLeo, one of these players, muses, “What if we ban Steve?” More details on the efficacy of this strategy will become clearer as the discussion develops. It is currently unknown whether the hitstun cancel or the entire character will be banned from professional tournaments. It wouldn’t be unusual for a character to be dropped from the Smash competitive roster, but it would be shocking.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now for Nintendo Switch.
Source: DualShockers
