Pikachu (Super Smash Bros. Melee)


 * ''This page is about Pikachu's Melee appearance. For information about his SSB appearance, see here. For information about his Brawl appearance, see here.

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachū) is a Pokémon and starter character for Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Pros

 * Small
 * A fast, immensely powerful up smash (even more powerful than Fox's)
 * Up aerial can semi-spike and KO characters at low percents
 * Extremely long, versatile recovery (albeit with some landing lag on Pikachu's up B)
 * Decent projectile
 * Very quick overall

Cons

 * Pikachu's light weight and medium falling speed allow it to be juggled fairly easily
 * Low range on most of its attacks, including grabs.

Attacks

 * Forward smash - Pikachu rears back, then ejects an attached jolt of electricity in front from it's cheeks. A powerful attack that can evade some attacks with the initial animation. Has decent range. The hitbox is disjointed, which makes it a wise choice for edge guarding.
 * Up smash - Pikachu does a backflip. This is the most powerful up smash in the game in terms of knockback, and is extremely quick with decent range. Pikachu's Usmash is extremely versatile, whether it be setting up juggles or going for a quick low percent KO.
 * Down smash - Pikachu spins around in place repeatedly. This is a multi-hit attack that comes out very quickly. As with it's other smash attacks, the Dsmash is a useful move for Pikachu. Easily used from a successful crouch cancel, and sets up for an aerial at lower percents.
 * Neutral B (Thunder Jolt) - Pikachu shoots a jolt of electricity that travels along any hard surface at a medium pace. When used in the air, it will fire a small ball of lightning at a 45 degree angle downwards in the direction Pikachu is facing. This move is useful for Pikachu's runaway game, and can disrupt many characters recoveries.
 * Side B (Skull Bash) - Pikachu charges up briefly (can be held longer by holding B), then launches it's body to the side, damaging any opponent it runs into. Distance and power is dependant on how long you charge this attack. This attack is generally considered too laggy and predictable to be used effectively as an offensive technique. Very rarely will an opportunity arise to use this. However, this attack can be used to aid Pikachu with horizontal recovery. Keep in mind that lag is reduced if Pikachu hits a wall after launching himself.
 * Up B (Quick Attack) - Pikachu pauses briefly, then zips in any one of the 16 directions held by the user after the initial up+B. After it moves in one direction, another of the remaining 15 directional inputs can be used to zip it in another direction, after which it will fall until he hits the ground, gets hit, or grabs a ledge. A solid, unpredictable (in most cases) recovery move. This also hits opponents for minimal damage if you happen to zip through them.
 * Down B (Thunder) - Pikachu summons a lightning bolt from directly above. The bolt comes from a set height relative to Pikachu's body, and not necessarily from the top of the screen. This is extremely useful in KOing characters at lower percents when used with the up smash. The lightning bolt can also hit Pikachu's body, producing a rather large hitbox around it that deals great damage and knockback. Timing this method of attack is rather unpredictable, and lags Pikachu even more than if the lightning bolt doesnt hit it.


 * Nair - Pikachu curls up in a ball and does somersaults in the air. This is a versatile aerial, as it does decent damage, decent knockback, and comes out very quickly. A generic use-anywhere aerial.


 * Uair - Pikachu swiftly swings his tail above him in an arc. This attack is pure gold! Extremely quick with low knockback, this can be used to juggle opponents repeatedly. Also, if hit with the tip of the tail at certain points during the arc, this will send opponents far at a nasty side angle similar to Sheik's f-air. This trajectory can be achieved even at low percents. This attack makes edgeguarding a breeze with predictable recoveries. An essential attack for controlling a match.


 * Fair - Pikachu does a barrel roll for lack of a better term. This has multiple hits with minimal damage. This has more horizontal range than any of Pikachu's aerials, and even still that is not saying much. This is good when used as an interruption attack and for setups. Next to no knockback on this attack.


 * Dair - Pikachu does a barrel roll, except he is facing the ground. Unlike the fair, this does one hit in the air, and one hit upon landing if the animation is still going. The aerial hit does decent damage, has good priority and good knockback, moreso than the nair. This attack lags significantly more than the nair however, and has a noticeable startup.


 * Bair - Pikachu spins in a manner similar to his down smash. Decent range, damage and knockback, however it lags noticeably if missed. To summarize it is a worse version of Pikachu's nair.


 * Neutral A - An extremely quick headbutt. Does very minimal damage (1-2%), and has a short range. This attack can be cancelled into itself with two frames between possible inputs, so it can be mashed for a quick series of headbutts. If you need an extremely quick attack, this is basically your only use for this attack. This has low priority, and lags noticeably before you can do anything else aside from chaining this attack into itself.


 * Ftilt - Pikachu plants himself on his hands and kicks his feet in front of his body. This attack can be a UFtilt or DFtilt as well, depending on the direction held. This move has surprising range, and hits for nearly the whole duration of it's animation. Can be used as a defensive attack, or as an edgeguard. It is best used as a counter to shuffling characters, as it will almost always interrupt their approach. Low damage, low knockback.


 * Utilt - Pikachu swings his tail above his body in an arc. This attack is hard to set up, as it has low range and low priority. The knockback works well for juggles however, as it sends opponents upward. Low damage, low knockback.


 * Dtilt - Pikachu sweeps his tail in front of him. This move has decent range, low knockback, low damage, and low priority. However, it doesn't have a lot of lag and hits rather low. This can be used as an edgeguard against a sloppy recovery, though there are better options.


 * Forward throw - Pikachu places the opponent on his back and shocks them, sending them forward. This throw is multi-hit, and has low knockback. The only use for this throw is to build damage if you have no other throw setups, which is a rare situation.


 * Back throw - Pikachu does backwards somersaults with the opponent, then flings them behind him. Has decent knockback, and is best used near an edge so as to get maximum range from your throw.


 * Up throw - Pikachu places the opponent on his head, then headbutts the opponent upward. This is a useful throw for high percent fastfallers, as it will lead to a usmash or uair most times.


 * Down throw - Pikachu places the opponent on the ground, then jumps on them. This is good for lower percent lightweights, as it will sometimes lead to a usmash. This throw is more easily DIed than the up throw.

Trivia

 * Pikachu can cancel his taunt into any action after the 60th frame (immediately after he starts his second wave). This can be used to trick opponents.
 * Pikachu can do the most knockback with his up smash out of all upsmashes in the game.
 * Pikachu is easily chain thrown by Sheik and Ganondorf. It is not unusual to see a Sheik combo Pikachu from 0% to KO with chain throws.