Pikachu (Super Smash Bros.)


 * This article is about Pikachu's appearance in Super Smash Bros. For other uses, see Pikachu.

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachū) is a starter character in Super Smash Bros. and is notorious for its high priority aerials, good edgeguarding ability, and superb recovery. A versatile character with very few weaknesses, opponents should never rush straight at Pikachu, as its aerials are deadly and are good for countering.

It is currently ranked 1st on the tier list for its solid attack power, good comboing ability, and arguably the best recovery in Super Smash Bros.

Attributes
Pikachu is a small, very quick character with high-priority moves, great finishers, and a powerful Back Throw. Its Thunder Jolt is almost useless, but can sometimes help with edgeguarding. Quick Attack is arguably the best recovery move in Super Smash Bros., as it can be extended to be incredibly useful in recovery situations, can be used to attack someone off the stage and then recover back, or as a resort to leave battle to evade an attack to start a combo. Although Pikachu doesn't gain as much horizontal and vertical distance as Jigglypuff and Kirby, respectively, it is much harder to edgeguard, due to the handy invincibility frames from Quick Attack.

Its edgeguarding abilities are very impressive, adding to its infinite edge stall. Pikachu is also known for its great combo starters. Its attacks, most notably its Forward Smash, have strange hitboxes, and it also is an excellent finisher as well. Its comboing ability is amazing, most notably repeated Up Aerials and Thunder-Spiking, which involves using an Up Smash, and while the opponent is high enough, hit them with Thunder, the only attack in the game with infinite vertical range. Up Tilt, like most others, is an exceptional combo in Up Smash. Overall, Pikachu has only a few even matchups, with the main ones being Fox on Hyrule Castle and Captain Falcon on Dreamland, and in every other matchup, Pikachu is at least 60-40.

The problems Pikachu faces are small, but still noticeable. It is easily comboed, along with its light weight, despite usually being able to get out of bad situations with its high priority attacks and being able to Up B out of opponent hits. Its Up B, despite its invincibility frames and wonderful range, leaves Pikachu vulnerable. If one can overcome these small issues, Pikachu will be a deadly force to be reckoned with.

Normal

 * Neutral Attack - Pikachu headbutts forward. Can chain into itself. It has somewhat low range; the attack direction is in front of Pikachu. Without proper DI, this can break a shield against a wall. Can also be interrupted with a grab if timed right. 2% damage.
 * Forward Tilt - Pikachu stands on its two hands and kicks its two feet forward. Around the same if not slightly lower range than its Neutral Attack. Can be slightly angled up or down. 10% damage.
 * Up Tilt - Vertical Kick. A move with very high priority. Can combo multiple times without the opponent escaping, simple to combo with Up Smash and Up Aerial. Easily leads into a powerful Neutral Aerial. 8% damage.
 * Down Tilt - Tail swipe. 12% damage.
 * Dash Attack - Sliding Headbutt. Rarely used, can be used for finishing occasionally. Very laggy and predictable. 8% damage.

Smash Attacks

 * Forward Smash - Pikachu releases a short jolt of electricity from its cheeks. Very high priority, one of Pikachu's best killing moves. A bit of start-up lag, but very good range and priority. 16% damage.
 * Down smash - Pikachu does a sweep kick, covering both sides. A less used and slightly less powerful version of the Forward Tilt, randomly used for mindgames. Very powerful knockback. 16% front hit, 14% back hit.
 * Up smash - Pikachu does a tail flip. Very useful, can combo heavy chars also using up tilt, aerials and Thunder, a good killing move, high priority. 14%.

Other attacks

 * Ledge Attack - Very quickly gets back up and flip kicks. 6% damage.
 * 100% Ledge Attack - Slowly gets up and whips its tail. 6% damage.
 * Floor Attack - Swirls around with its foot extended. 6% damage.

Aerial attacks

 * Neutral Aerial - An easily definable Sex Kick. 14% damage.
 * Forward Aerial - A combo starter or finisher. The speed of the move slows as the foe is zapped. 2% per hit, for a total of 12% in 6 hits.
 * Back Aerial - Pikachu kicks back, its small foot getting slightly larger for a short second. Very powerful, a combo ender/starter and one of Pikachu's main spacing moves. 16% damage.
 * Up Aerial - A flipping upwards tail swing. Knockback angle depends on area of tail, a comboer as well. Impressive range. 8% damage.
 * Down Aerial - Uses general KO-ing conditions similar to Link's, only much safer to use. 10-12% damage at sweetspot, 3% on sourspot.

Throws

 * Forward Throw - Pikachu grabs the foe, flips and releases them. Average throw power. 14% damage.
 * Back Throw - Pikachu puts the foe on its back and releases electricity. Very powerful. This throw would later become Pikachu's Forward Throw in future Super Smash Bros. iterations. 18% damage.

Taunt

 * Turns to its left, stands on tiptoes, lowers its tail, waves its arms four times, and looks to its left then to its right, accompanied by it saying "Pika Pika!" (the "a" is much longer in the second "Pika").

Extended Quick Attack
Pikachu's already long recovery can be extended even farther by letting the analog stick snap back to neutral position before the end of the second quick attack. This can also be used on the first quick attack, but runs a high risk of missing the second quick attack.

Thunder-Spiking
Launching the opponent straight up (usually with an Up smash) and using Thunder (Pikachu's Down B) is called "Thunder-Spiking." Thunder-Spiking is usually used as a combo finisher. Unlike Pikachu's Thunder in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Thunder in Super Smash Bros. has infinite vertical range. This technique allows Pikachu to get a vertical kill at around 40% damage sooner than just a normal Up smash.

Description
Pikachu Mouse PKMN Height 1'4" Weight 13 lbs When several of these Pokémon gather, their electricity could cause lightning storms. (Pokédex excerpt) Works:
 * Pokémon (GB)

Trivia

 * Pikachu is the only character in Super Smash Bros., and one of the few in the series' history to not have a spike.
 * Pikachu, along with Jigglypuff Kirby, Link, and Yoshi, is one of the only characters to open its mouth in Super Smash Bros.
 * Pikachu is the only character in Super Smash Bros. who carries an item in its mouth instead of its hands.
 * All of Pikachu's static and electric effects are rendered in 2-D due to limitations.
 * Pikachu is capable of Star KOing itself on Bonus Stages 1 and 2.