A taunt, known as appeal in game files, is a move designed to annoy, or mock opponents, or to just celebrate a good move or combo. Up until Brawl, there was a limit of one taunt per character. In Brawl, SSB4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, however, each character has three different taunts. To use a taunt, in Super Smash Bros., one must press the L button, or in Super Smash Bros. Melee, up on the Directional pad (or "D-pad"). In Brawl and SSB4, the direction one pressed on the D-pad (or the buttons on the Wii Remote) influences which taunt is used. Luigi, Snake, Greninja, and Kazuya are the only characters whose taunts can inflict damage.
Pichu and Captain Falcon had taunts in Melee that had two different animations depending on what direction they were facing. Also, Wario has an extra taunt when he is riding his bike, which is used by pressing any of the taunt buttons. Some characters, such as Captain Falcon (Down Taunt: Show me your moves!), Peach (Side Taunt: *singing*), Luigi (Up Taunt: *doing 5 poses*), Ness (Up Taunt: OK!), Shulk (Side Taunt: I'm really feeling it!), Kirby (Down Taunt: Haiiii!), Ike (Side Taunt: Prepare yourself!), Sonic (Side Taunt: You're too slow!), or Falco (Down Taunt: Hands off my prey! Many people mistakingly believe that he says "Hands off my bread") have taunts so annoying, odd, or funny that they have become internet memes through potential mishearing.
Each taunt is different between every character. However, there is one thing certain with taunts. Taunts will always have the character doing a motion (such as dancing), and the character may also speak or yell out a battle cry. Some people take advantage of taunts where characters talk within Taunt Matches.
As of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Cloud and Sephiroth are the only characters in non-Japanese versions of the series that still speak Japanese. However, some "speaking" taunts change between languages. A notable example is Jigglypuff, whose dialogue changes to reflect its name in other languages, such as its Japanese name, "Purin" or Fox, when he says "Kakatte Koi" ("Come On!"), although in Melee, he still occasionally says it in English.
List of Taunts[]
- List of taunts (SSB)
- List of taunts (SSBM)
- List of taunts (SSBB)
- List of taunts (SSBWU/3DS)
- List of taunts (SSBU)
Custom taunts[]
A custom taunt (sometimes called a "teabag") is an action that irritates the opponent in a manner similar to a taunt but that is not actually a taunt. For example, each time Kirby or Samus ducks, they make a noise that can annoy the opponent just as easily as one of their normal taunts can. Similarly, Ganondorf creates a loud metal clanking noise when he crouches, which can be used to irritate Captain Falcon players, as Falcon makes a high needle-like noise. King Dedede's crouching position when facing the screen is also considered a Taunt, as he lies on his side, supporting his head with his hand. Attacks may serve as custom taunts as well. Examples include R.O.B. and Mr. Game & Watch's Up Tilt (rising arms and a #1 flag, respectively), Bowser Jr.'s down tilt (the clown car sticks out its tongue), Ness's Down and Up Smashes (yo-yo tricks) and repeatedly using loud attacks, such as PK Flash. An uncharged Wario Waft is also a famous custom taunt (due to the annoying fart and a slight "Heh heh!")
Online with friends[]
When playing online with friends, players have the option of adding phrases to their taunts. The phrases are kept short and profanity is filtered out. In Ultimate, players can send short messages before or after a battle in Battle Arenas by pressing the taunt buttons. However, they are limited to preset messages.
Trivia[]
- Luigi, Snake, Greninja, and Kazuya 's Taunts can damage opponents. Luigi's spikes aerial opponents or characters grabbing the ledge with a strength that no other spike has at 0% (because it has fixed damage). Also, in his Negative Zone, he can KO lighter characters with it if they're inside. Snake's Taunt doesn't have fixed knockback, and can KO in Sudden Death.
- Kirby can get rid of copy abilities by taunting.
- In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, if Samus' Down and Up Taunts are performed in rapid repetition during her up taunt, she'll transform into Zero Suit Samus. The timing is difficult, but it's the only way to transform mid-play without a Smash Ball.
- Any character can remove Snake's cardboard box and throw it in whichever direction desired.
- Even though the audio sample is of the same length, Captain Falcon's Down Taunt is faster when performed facing left.
- If Snake taunts and someone grabs the box, and if Snake also grabs that box, the character who picked up Snake's box will be possibly holding their hands in mid-air. This works mostly for Snake and Donkey Kong.
- On Shadow Moses Island, if Snake uses his taunt while the search light is on him, the light will move away from Snake and search for another player.
- Bayonetta is the only character before Ultimate who can cancel her taunts while performing them.