Spin Shot

Spin Shot is a more advanced technique for using any dash ranged attack while moving at any angle in Kid Icarus: Uprising. Normally, when using a dash ranged attack, the player will jump in the corresponding angle. The Spin Shot technique allows for circumventing this restriction.



Example video moment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvdSpZYPYv4&t=14m16s 8/11 successful Spin Shots with Forward Rapid. (EZ Cannon's Side Rapid is 3 bullets instead of 2. First apparent Side Rapid is really a Neutral Rapid single bullet followed by a Forward Rapid, as the reticle color changes would show on video slowdown.)

How to Do
To do the Spin Shot, first shift the camera angle to where launching the desired dash range attack will have the player move in the direction. After that, launch the desired dash ranged attack, and during the startup, quickly shift the camera and reticle to the target angles. If done correctly, the player's desired dash range attack will have the player move in the original angle of movement when they started the dash range attack, but the bullets' own angles will be based on the reticle's aim if the player manages the camera movement fast enough, as the bullets' movement will be based on when they are released.

The durations between attack input and projectile spawning, for re-aiming with the Spin Shot technique, are as follows in increments of 1/30 of a second (1 frame, due to the game being 30FPS):

In third person view, success with the Spin Shot can be determined easily enough with the player's movement graphics, as the dash ranged attacks' movement graphics are all distinct. First person view requires the player to understand subtleties between their weapon's different range options to see if they managed the execution.

Usefulness
The obvious purpose of the Spin Shot is to allow for the strafe-attacking of the Side-Dash range attacks within the Forward-Dash and Back-Dash range attacks. The Side-Dash range attacks tend to have the least attack power of the 3 and general reliance on the strafe-attacking ability to be more useful than the Forward-Dash range attacks in particular. The Forward-Dash range attacks also tend to have faster windup and cooldown, allowing for quicker followups.

More unique Back Shots such as from Ball Cannon can also be used while moving forward with the Spin Shot technique, allowing for added close range combat ability, which while not always optimal can at least make faster opponents think twice about closing the distance themselves.

Blind spots
Even with the horizontal reticle speed set to maximum on the control configuration, the Spin Shot technique is not entirely easy to use, requiring the camera to be shifted between the input and the shot's release, which is of particular note with Staffs' Forward Shots due to their minimal windup. Bows and Cannons get the most time to work with aside from Clubs, although what they do get is still not a lot. (Clubs simply don't even get much momentum from dash ranged attacks to begin with.)

Additionally, to even set up a Spin Shot, the player has to surrender vision that could be used to react to sudden developments. It is unlikely a human opponent in multiplayer would obtain conclusive evidence of the player attempting to set up a Spin Shot, but there is nothing to stop them from attempting a sneak attack or even leading their own shots to where the player would likely move with the Spin Shot in mind. The Spin Shot itself can even be telegraphed if it's the followup to Neutral Rapid usage, as sudden improper aiming or lack of fire would indicate that it's about to happen.

The biggest restriction to the usefulness of the Spin Shot technique, of course, is that it would be rarely, if at all, useful for the Neutral ranged attacks, which aren't as committal in general with movement as the dash ranged attacks are. Because of this, the Spin Shot focuses more on bolstering offense than it does defense, since the dash ranged attacks don't provide the invulnerability or Parry Chargeup of a standard roll dodge that could be used after a Neutral Shot or Neutral Rapid.