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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Sora Character Review

Sora, the beloved protagonist from the Kingdom Hearts series, joined the expansive roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as the final DLC character. His inclusion was highly anticipated by fans, and he brings a unique playstyle that reflects his origins. Below is a detailed review of Sora, covering his strengths, weaknesses, effective strategies, and matchups against other characters.

Strengths

1. Aerial Mobility and Combos: Sora excels in the air, boasting excellent aerial mobility and a suite of aerial attacks that can string together into devastating combos. His floaty nature allows him to stay airborne longer, creating openings for follow-up attacks.

2. Versatile Special Moves: Sora's special moves offer a range of options for both offense and defense. His neutral special, Magic, cycles through three spells - Firaga, Thundaga, and Blizzaga - each with unique properties that can control space and apply pressure.

3. Recovery: Sora's recovery is exceptional, making it difficult to edge-guard him. His up special, Sonic Blade, allows for multiple directional inputs, providing both vertical and horizontal recovery options. Coupled with his floaty jump, Sora can return to the stage from almost any point.

4. Combo Game: Sora's attacks, particularly his aerials, can be chained together to rack up damage quickly. His tilts and aerial attacks are designed to flow into each other, making him a combo-heavy character that rewards precise execution.

Weaknesses

1. Lightweight: Sora is one of the lighter characters in the game, making him susceptible to early knockouts. His floaty nature, while beneficial for aerial maneuverability, also makes him an easy target for vertical KOs.

2. Ground Speed: While Sora is agile in the air, his ground speed is lacking. This can make it challenging to approach opponents or retreat quickly, putting him at a disadvantage against faster characters.

3. Lag on Some Moves: Some of Sora's moves, particularly his smash attacks, have noticeable ending lag. This can leave him vulnerable if the attacks are not spaced correctly or if they miss the target.

Effective Playstyle

• Aerial Focus: Emphasize Sora's aerial strengths by staying airborne and using his aerial attacks to apply pressure. Utilize his floatiness to mix up landings and create openings for combos.

• Magic Management: Master the use of Sora's Magic spells. Each spell serves a distinct purpose: use Firaga for zoning, Thundaga for anti-air, and Blizzaga for freezing opponents and setting up follow-ups.

• Edge-Guarding and Recovery: Take advantage of Sora's superior recovery and edge-guarding capabilities. Use his specials to harass opponents off-stage and secure early KOs.

• Spacing and Zoning: Given Sora's lightweight nature, prioritize spacing to avoid getting caught in heavy-hitting attacks. Utilize his Magic and long-range aerials to control the pace of the match.

Matchups

• Favorable Matchups: Sora tends to perform well against characters who struggle with aerial combat or have predictable recoveries. Characters like Little Mac, who have poor aerial options, can be overwhelmed by Sora's air game.

• Even Matchups: Against balanced characters like Mario or Lucina, Sora's matchups can be even. Here, the outcome heavily depends on the player's ability to exploit Sora's strengths while managing his weaknesses.

• Challenging Matchups: Sora may struggle against characters with strong ground game and superior speed, such as Fox or Captain Falcon. These characters can capitalize on Sora's slow ground speed and lightweight nature to apply pressure and secure early KOs.

In conclusion, Sora in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a character that thrives in the air with a versatile set of tools. Players who enjoy combo-centric gameplay and strategic use of special moves will find Sora to be a rewarding character to master. By leveraging his strengths and mitigating his weaknesses, Sora can be a formidable opponent on the battlefield.