Both Samus' are good at both close and long range. But apart from that they are completely opposite! Power Suit Samus is a lot stronger at a distance, where as Zero Suit Samus is a lot stronger close up! They appeal to completely different players styles!
They're not designed to be completely defensive, so they have small jumps that limit their ability to recover from huge attacks. This is more of Power Suit Samus' problem more than Zero Suit Samus'.
Long range attacks are Power suit Samus' speciality, and they can be used in conjunction to create devastating combos even at a distance. This makes for great ways to initiate the battle, especially considering that they are very good at setting up smash attacks immediately afterwards. In multiplayer battles or when you are facing an opponent that's better than you, try to use long range attacks to avoid taking damage. The charge shot is a nice knockout move, but don't rule out the super missile.
Don't let her long range advantages keep you out of melee combat, she also has attacks designed for close range so she's more of a rounded character. Use Screw Attack if you get attacked from above, and set traps with Bomb. Samus' upward smash is very good for dealing damage, and her side smash isn't too bad at knock-outs. Instead of using her downward smash, use the standard downward attack for more damage and knockback. Use the grapple beam a lot as it's your longest-ranged melee attack. It can keep other fighters from getting close to you and it assists your long-range game.
Standard Attacks
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Standard Attack
Info
Arm Cannon Jab
Damage: 3%, 7%
Urgency: Low-Medium
Punches then jabs her arm cannon. Useful to knock the opponent back to reset spacing and allow range to camp. Can also cause tripping at extremely low percents.
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Samus Roundhouse
Damage: 7-8% Normal, 10% Down-angled or Up-angled
Urgency: Medium
Does a spin kick. Can be angled, and for non-angled, the move does less damage at the end of the foot. The same use as the neutral jab combo, but with more range for the non-angled variant, but with less damage.
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+
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Suit Slice
Damage: 13% on grounded opponents, 12% on aerial opponents.
Urgency: Low-Medium
Samus holds her leg up and brings it down like an ax. This move looks and acts like a meteor smash while the opponent is on the ground, but if used on an aerial opponent it will launch horizontally. Surprising knockback, but slow to start. A good anti-air move if you anticipate a short-hopped aerial or landing aerial. Also good for edgeguarding easy to anticipate recoveries such as Link's.
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Ground Blast
Damage: 14%
Urgency: Medium
Samus points her arm cannon to the ground then blasts it with an explosion. It has a small amount cooldown but has great knockback. Very good for hitting opponents that get too close, but has poor range, so otherwise forward tilt is probably better.
while dashing
while dashing
while dashing
while dashing
Suit Boost
Damage: 10% at the beginning, 6% at the end.
Urgency: Low-Medium
Samus charges forward with a small rocket boost. Has surprising range, going about 1/3 of Final Destination, but has low damage for the most likely hitbox and average knockback. Could be good for pressuring a shielding opponent when used together with homing missiles, as long as you make sure Samus will go behind the opponent to be immune to a shield grab. Then follow up with a down tilt or two and you'll be likely to shield poke.
Smash Attacks
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Smash Attack
Info
Smash +
++
(Smash +) or
(Smash +) or
Cannon Bash
Damage: 12% Down-angled, 13% Non-angled, and 14% Up-angled.
Urgency: Low
She jabs her arm cannon forwrds. While this move has good knockback and can be angled, it has rather small range for a forward smash, making it not very useful. Down tilt or down smash are usually better options to KO.
Smash +
++
(Smash +) or
(Smash +) or
Fire Arch
Damage: 4%, 4%, 4%, 5%, 6%; 23% if all hits connect.
Urgency: Very Low
She shoots fire from her gun in an arch above her. This move has very poor knockback, and it's only use is for damage racking, but it can easily be punished due to it's very low knockback and opponents can easily DI out of it, making this a terrible move except on very large opponents such as Bowser, Donkey Kong, or King Dedede.
Smash +
++
(Smash +) or
(Smash +) or
Power Suit Spin
Damage: 15% in front, 14% in back.
Urgency: Low-Medium
Samus does a sweeping kick. Although its knockback is about the same as down tilt, this is generally a worse option due to the time it requires to finish the move, making punishing easier for the opponent. However, this does have better horizontal range, and hits behind as well, making it useful against roll-dodgers. In addition, it is lower than down tilt, making it easier to shield poke with this. All in all, it's Samus's most effective smash attack, but down tilt is still a more efficient KOing move.
Pummels and Throw
Samus grabs with her grapple beam. Like all tether grabs, this move is laggy if missed.
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Pummel/Throw
Info
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Fist Hit
She hits her opponent with her fist.This move sometimes glitches on Bowser, causing her not being able to hit him.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Forward Fling
Flings her opponent forward.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Backward Fling
Flings her opponent backward.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Grapple Twist
Spins her opponent above her, shooting them upwards.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Grapple Swing
Slings her opponet over her head and slams him back down.
Air Attacks
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Air Attack
Info
Drop Kick
Does a kick that gradually gets weaker.
+
+
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Cannon Blaze
Shoots her cannon in an arch downwards.
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+
+
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Rear Kick
Samus kicks backwards.
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+
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Drill Kick
Samus drills upwards.
+
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Cannon Slam
Samus swings her arm cannon downwards. This attack can meteor smash opponents but it is slow. Don't use this attack much.
or
or
Grapple Beam
Samus uses her grapple beam to zap opponents. This move is infinitely useful as it is long ranged, keeps opponents away from you, prevents them from recovering back to the stage and even KO at high percentages! Use this as much as you can, as it doesn't even suffer from landing lag!
Special Attacks
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Special Attack
Info
Charge Shot
Becomes more powerful the longer the button is pressed. It can be reflected, however.
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+
+
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Missile
Fires a missile that homes in on the opponent.
Smash +
+ simultaneously
Smash +
Smash +
Super Missile
Has no homing capabilities, but has increased damage and speed.
+
+
+
+
Screw Attack
A rotating almost "electric" jump attack that can be used as a recovery move. The Screw Attack is quick if it is used on the ground.
+
+
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+
Bomb
Samus turns into her Morph Ball mode and drops bombs. She can use this move to perform bomb jumps which can be use somewhat as recovery.
Taunts
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Taunt
She raises her hand as if saluting, then thrusts it down to her side.
+
( or )+
or
or
She turns to the camera and holds up her arm cannon, which extends some things that spin.
+
She points her arm cannon behind her, then ducks and points it in front of her.
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, +,
, ,
, ,
Sheds the Power Suit and transforms into Zero Suit Samus.
Final Smash
Zero Laser: Samus fully charges her laser and unleashes a powerful beam with maximum power. This beam, although it can do a lot of damage, is slow and can be jumped over. After this, her suit will fall off and you will transform into Zero Suit Samus. To become Samus again, use Zero Suit Samus' Final Smash.
It has a weak point which can easily cause your death: While you are transforming into Zero Suit Samus, everyone who has a life remaining or having saved from the beam have enough time to charge an Smash against you, as you are not invincible while transforming and you cannot even use your Shield. Be careful with that if you use the Zero Laser!