Pikachu

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachū) is one of the 493 obtainable creatures in the Pokémon series of games. It is arguably the most popular and well known Pokémon in the world, and is the main representative of the franchise. It appears as a playable fighter in all three Smash Bros. games.

See Pikachu (SSB), Pikachu (SSBM), and Pikachu (SSBB) for fighter info.

Creature description
In February of 1996, Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak unleashed Pokémon Red and Blue for the then-dying original Game Boy system in Japan (Originally, there were a Pokémon Red and Green version, but a Blue version was later released, and that version was the one to be used internationally), and it became a surprise phenomenon, which was spread worldwide a little over a year later. In the game there were a total of 151 creatures that players could catch and train to fight by their side. One of those creatures was Pikachu, a relatively weak Electric Pokémon that could be found incredibly early in the game. Pikachu's appearance was that of a small yellow rodent, with pointy, black-tipped ears, red circles on its cheeks, and a tail in the shape of a lightning bolt. According to its Pokédex entry in Red and Blue, Pikachu's electricity is capable of becoming intense enough to create lighting storm when he is gathered together with other Pikachus, and can be equipped with a repitoire of moves such as Thundershock, Quick Attack, and Thunder. Unlike certain special monsters that had plot elements wrapped around them such as Mewtwo, Pikachu was just another Pokémon that could be caught and had no bearing on the story.

However, Pikachu's popularity in the anime, where it was the first and primary Pokémon of the main character, Ash Ketchum, eventually led to its starring in the Game Boy Color game Pokémon Yellow, as the first Pokémon that the player obtained. Pikachu's role in the game was intensely elaborated on, as several events on the game depended on how Pikachu felt towards the player. Depending on the player's actions towards Pikachu, the electric rat Pokémon would exhibit a variety of emotions when spoken to, varying from frustration, to amusement, to complete adoration. Pikachu's happiness was sometimes a prerequisite for certain rewards in the game, such as attaining the three starter Pokémon from Red and Blue.

Pikachu has not had a starring role in any of the main games in the series since then, but it has been featured in every prominent handheld RPG since the franchise, usually bringing something new with it each time. In Pokémon Gold and Silver, released for the Game Boy Color in the year 2000, Pikachu gained a new evolutionary phase in the form of Pichu. In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire for the Game Boy Advance, the electric rodent gained a hold item called the Light Ball, which doubled its Special Attack. Pokémon Emerald gave Pikachu an Egg Move exclusive to it and its family, called Volt Tackle, which was an exceptionally powerful Electric attack with a large recoil. The recently released DS titles Pokémon Diamond and Pearl introduced cosmetic differences between genders for certain species of Pokémon, and Pikachu was one of them, with the females having a dent at the end of their tail.

Pikachu has also been in virtually every Pokémon related spinoff game ever released, sometimes as the star or a main character, and other times just featured among the hundreds of other Pokémon in the series. Notable Pikachu-centric games include Hey You, Pikachu! for the N64, where the player could talk to Pikachu using the microphone, Pokémon Channel, which is usually regarded as a spiritual sequel to the previous title, and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, where Pikachu is one of 16 Pokémon that the player can start out as. Pikachu has also been made into a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet called the Pocket Pikachu, which was a little LCD device that owners can clip onto their belt. Whenever the user took a step, it would register on the system, which would give Pikachu points in the form of "watts".

Due to Pokémon's intense popularity, Pikachu was included in Super Smash Bros. as a starter character, along with another Pokémon made popular by the anime, Jigglypuff. Pikachu's electric attacks and speed were translated into the game, and it has been featured in every subsequent game in the series.

As a playable character

 * Main article: Pikachu (SSB)

Pikachu's debut to the Smash Bros series is as one of the eight Starter characters. Just like in the games that Pikachu originates from, it's a small, fast character whose play style is prominently dependent on its speed and powerful electric attacks. Pikachu is ranked number one on the tier list for the original SSB due to its edgeguarding capabilities, its fantastic recovery skills, and its high priority aerial attacks. Pikachu's B-move, Thunderbolt, shoots a beam of electricity that bounces along the stage. Its B-up move is a fast recovery move dubbed the Quick Attack, and its B-down involves Pikachu striking itself with Thunder, which blasts anyone else standing in the way.

In Single-player
In the fifth level of the game's single-player mode, the player faces Pikachu on the Saffron City stage.

As a playable character

 * Main article: Pikachu (SSBM)

Pikachu returns to Melee, once again as a starter character. While its play style is still incredibly similar to its first appearance in the Smash series, Pikachu is not quite as deadly as it used to be. However, it's still a powerful, agile character and a force to be reckoned with. Pikachu gains Skull Bash as its new Side-B move.

In Single-player
In the game's single-player Adventure mode, a team of a total of ten Pikachus, Pichus, and Jigglypuffs, face the player on the Pokémon Stadium stage, and the only items on the stage are Poké Balls.

Pikachu is featured in the following Event Matches:
 * Event 7: Pokémon Battle: The player faces Pikachu on the Pokémon Stadium stage. They only method either character can use to damage the other is by using Poké Balls.
 * Event 13: Yoshi's Egg: The player, as Yoshi, must defend the Yoshi's Egg item from Pikachu, Fox, and Donkey Kong on the Mushroom Kingdom: Rainbow Cruise stage.
 * Event 30: All-Star Match 3: As a character of the player's choice, they must defeat Kirby, Pikachu, Ness, and the Ice Climbers, one after the other.
 * Event 48: Pikachu and Pichu: This match takes place on the Past Stages: Dream Land stage, and the player is pitted against two Pichus and a Pikachu with infinite stock. The player must KO the two Pichus to win.

Trophies
By tradition, Pikachu as a playable character is featured on its personal 3 trophies. Its normal trophy is acquired by beating the Classic mode with Pikachu on any difficulty, and its Smash Red and Smash Blue trophies are acquired the same way by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively.

As a playable character

 * Main article: Pikachu (SSBB)

Pikachu is confirmed to be playable in the next installment of the Smash series, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Visually, Pikachu has barely changed at all, only being touched up slightly. It appears to keep most if not all of its moves from the first two games. Like the rest of Brawl's cast, Pikachu also has a Final Smash, a new kind of special attack that was added for Brawl. Pikachu's Final Smash is called Volt Tackle, and involves it turning into a giant ball of light than can be controlled by the player. This move operates absolutely nothing like Volt Tackle in the original Pokémon games, and is speculated to be based on a special ability in the SEGA Genesis game Pulseman, Volteccer, which Volt Tackle was apparently based on and named after (in the Japanese versions of the Pokemon series).

As a trophy
Pikachu is confirmed to appear as a trophy.