Ultimate Sonic Smackdown Advanced Tutorial

Block Strings

Most special moves are unsafe on block so use normal attacks, and if you are using a special move, you can cover your self with an assist.

Solo Blockstring= Normal Attacks
Duo/Trio Blockstring= Normal Attacks + Specials + Assists
(Some specials like Sonic Homing or Shadow Teleport work for block strings if solo but aren't as safe as just using normals)

How to Use Assists

Combo Extension

Some assists are OTG which would allow a character like Shadow who gets limited OTG to do more optimal combos. So when after a spike (move that sends a character down), use an OTG assist.
You could also time a spike to continue a combo with a non OTG assist.
Once the assist hits, you can continue your combo.

Extra Super Damage

Use an assist right before your supers for extra damage, assists scale differently to your main combo. Usually multi hit attacks/supers/assists work well. The downside is that the opponent will get burst back quick.

Advanced Assist Usage

Here are the assist techniques I've named.

AS (Assist Switch)

Use an assist and switch character to the character using assist.

AAAS (Assist and Assist Switch)

Triple A

In a trio, use 2 assists and switch to one of the characters using an assist.

Bounce Assist Switch (Bounce Assist Switch)

A character uses a special move that makes the opponent bounce, which gives a lot of time to AS.
Bounce moves are mainly OTGs. (Knuckles Seismic Toss is a bounce move but not an OTG).

SAS (Super Assist Switch)

Bring in an assist before Sonic LVL 2 and once LVL2 is activated, assist switch, you are able to use a super.

Simply put, assist, super, switch. (I could've named it "Assist Super Switch" but it'd be "ASS" and it might even be confusing.)

SCS (Super Chain Skip)

In a trio, if you want to chain supers there is an order.
For example, you choose Knuckles, Shadow and Sonic. When chaining level 1s, the order is Knuckles, Shadow and Sonic.
It is possible to change this order using SAS.
If you are Knuckles and use a Shadow assist, the super chain will skip Shadow as long as he is on the stage.
Meaning the order will be Knuckles, Sonic, Knuckles.

Simply put, assist, super, super. (Once again, naming it that way wouldn't be great.)

You don't have to use all of these. An assist switch is more than enough normally.

Use

You can open the menu for frame data and hitboxes and view damage.
By pressing an assist button while paused. You'll need this if you want to make truly optimal combos (less hits more damage).

Makeshifttrainingdummy

When you select local. Use 2 different controllers. E.g., 2 PS5 controllers or a PS5 controller and a keyboard.
If you add all the characters with one controller, you'll be against a CPU.

Controller and Keyboard

In training, make sure the opponent isn't a cpu, by making P1 Controller and P2 Keyboard. You can use the app JoytoKey to give opponent commmands.
For example, make the opponent burst on training reset.
Setup is 10 seconds into the video

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2 Controllers (no extra software)

When using 2 controllers. Press hold an input and press the windows button.
Let go of your input.

You will see a character repeating that input.
If you press windows again you are in the game and the character is repeating the input.

You can use this to make a block dummy.
Or practice grabbing someone in the air.

I tried this with using DS4windows on windows without steam.
On Linux with Steam, it may be possible if you use the shortcut for steam overlay.
Alternatively just physically do this with a suitable item.