{{nihongo|'''Wolf'''|ウルフ|Urufu}} is an [[unlockable]] character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', who, along with [[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]] and [[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]], originates from the [[Star Fox (universe)|''Star Fox'' universe]]. Wolf's appearance in the game was witnessed several months before its release, via a leak in Japan, and he was confirmed officially on the Smash DOJO! on March 31st, 2008, making him the final officially confirmed character on the roster.
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Wolf is ranked 14th on the current [[Tier list#SSBB tier list|tier list]], thanks to his fast smash attacks, good air speed, good aerials, reliable KO moves, and his projectile. However, Wolf has problems in his recovery due to having one of the smallest ledge sweetspots in the game, resulting in some angling issues, much like Zelda.
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'''Wolf''' ({{ja|ウルフ}}, ''Urufu'') is a hidden character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. Wolf was confirmed in the months leading up to the release via a Japanese leak of the game. He appears to be somewhat similar to [[Fox]] and [[Falco]], although he differs from them in several ways. He's considered the "heavy" of the three, being stronger, taller, and slower (although his attacks are actually fast). His normal attacks are unique whereas his special attacks are similar to Fox's, but very different in function.
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==Unlocking Wolf==
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Wolf was officially confirmed on March 31st, 2008, earning distinction as the last character to be officially confirmed. His Japanese voice actor is Mahito Oba and his English voice actor is Jay Ward. Wolf can be unlocked with one of the three following ways: After beating [[The Subspace Emissary|Adventure Mode]], go back to "The Ruins", skip the first door you pass when riding the second elevator down (with the purple spikes). Instead enter the second door at the bottom and defeat him. You can also face Wolf after playing 450 brawls or defeating Boss Battles with Fox or Falco.
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*Complete [[Boss Battles]] with [[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]] or [[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]], then defeat Wolf in a challenger match.
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*Play 450 brawls, then defeat Wolf in a challenger match.
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Wolf is ranked 22nd on the current tier list due to well rounded attacks and a great reflector, but having very poor accuracy in recovery and having extreme vulnerability to chain grabs (but his reflector helps a bit) bars him from the higher tiers.
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*After completing the [[Subspace Emissary]], enter a secret room in [[The Ruins]], then defeat Wolf in a challenger match. This also results in Wolf joining the party.
==Attributes==
==Attributes==
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Of the three ''Star Fox'' characters present in ''SSBB'', Wolf's characteristics as a fighter are the most individual. Wolf is by far the heaviest of the three, but ranks only three places above [[Mario (SSBB)|Mario]] in terms of weight. [[File:Wolf_and_fox.jpg|thumb|200px|Wolf's standing height in comparison to Fox's]]Despite possessing a larger body frame than [[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]] and [[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]], Wolf leans down while standing and moving along the ground; as such, he has the shortest stance of the three. His dash speed is slow, barely outpacing his walk, but he has the eighteenth fastest fall speed, and fourth fastest horizontal air speed.
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Of the three Star Fox universe characters, Wolf feels the most unique. For one, although his body is larger than either Fox or Falco, he crouches down in a stationary position making him the shortest of the three space animals while he is on the ground. His fighting style is very fluid, mixing his claws and his legs into a rather graceful string of attacks. He is somewhat weighted (mid-heavy and the third-fastest faller), and his orientation is more of a terrestrial fighter. His attacks come out quickly and have high priority, and he can string them together into a long chain of slashes and lunges. His Blaster is slower but stronger than the others, stuns opponents and is a melee attack up close, dealing additional damage. His Wolf Flash moves slightly diagonally which [[Meteor Smash|meteor smashes]] at the end of the attack (the top point of the jump), which is useful for edge guarding and as an anti air attack. Fire Wolf has the least start up lag of the three space animals, carries the opponent with him, and has good knockback at the end. Wolf also has solid K.O. potential with most of his attacks, particularly his down smash, up smash, forward smash (at mid to high percents), f-air, and b-air, all of which come out quickly and have little lag. His d-air is also an excellent [[Meteor Smash]]. Wolf also possesses a reflector (down special), which has many uses. First off, it reflects projectiles (obviously) at double the speed and power. It comes out in 1 frame and can be held for as long as the player wishes. If held, it acts like a normal shield (besides protecting from attacks) in which it may break after constantly reflecting projectiles, although it will not break if simply held that can also be used for gimping. It also grants Wolf invincibility frames that allow him to avoid some attacks quickly or escape from chain grabs. The reflector may also damage anyone for 3% with set knockback.
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While these attributes provide him with good aerial mobility, Also, Wolf gets repeatedly beat up when there is chain throwing, [[Juggle|juggling]], and certain [[lock]]s due to his heavy weight and rapid falling speed. It should also be noted that fast falling does not accelerate Wolf's fall by a considerable amount, which hinders his ability to [[Momentum Canceling#Vertical momentum canceling|vertical momentum cancel]] in comparison to characters with quicker fast falls, such as [[Captain Falcon (SSBB)|Captain Falcon]]. However, his ability to [[Momentum Canceling|Momentum Cancel]] horizontally without DI is aided by his fast Back Aerial and his horizontally based [[midair jump]], making it one of the best in the game when compared to other characters.
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Wolf is well-rounded, but a few problems are apparent: his recovery is one of the worst in the game (not one of the shortest in both horizontal and vertical but he has one of the smallest edge sweetspots in the game, and Fire Wolf/Wolf Flash have unusual properties, such as no momentum after the move ends; however, if cancelled between the moving frames, Wolf Flash covers a HUGE area ), and his high falling speed and average jump do not make things any better (but Wolf has a very fast lateral air speed). Also, his dashing speed is surprisingly slow (only a little faster than his walking speed, although this can be made up by just staying in the air, as Wolf has good air speed and on the ground he has both a long smash-boost and a forward smash to move quickly). His K.O. potential is decent, though unusually low for a heavy character as a result of the quick decay on his K.O. attacks. It should also be noted that Wolf is extremely susceptible to [[Chain grab|chain-throwing]] because of his falling speed, being mid-heavy (though his reflector can escape if not perfectly timed, since invincibility starts on frame 1) which combined with his recovery issues makes chain grabs that allows him to be forced to get offstage extremely dangerous, but his weight does make him rather difficult to K.O compared to his two other semi-clones.
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Most of Wolf's standard attacks start quickly and have good reach, and he has a DACUS that propels him a considerable distance along the ground. Many of his attacks have the potential to [[KO]], such as Back Aerial, Up Tilt, and his Smashes. The speed and reach of his attacks allows him to punish effectively on the ground, as well as in the air, and their solid damage dealing properties can build opponents' damage quickly. However, since many of his standard attacks are effective for racking up damage, they may suffer from [[Stale Move Negation]] if not used carefully, and cause problems when Wolf tries to KO. Many of Wolf's attacks also have poor shield stun effects, which allow opponents to shield grab him easily if they block his hits. His Down Aerial is a relatively weak [[Meteor Smash]], but it starts quickly in comparison to other meteors, and has a large hitbox with no [[sourspot]].
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What hurts is King Dedede chain grabbing Wolf until in the edge easily gimp Wolf's recovery. Having a such hard counter with a such common character in tournaments is a real problem.
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Wolf's Special Moves are variants of Fox and Falco's, but they have different animations and properties. His [[Neutral Special Move]], [[Blaster#Wolf O'Donell|Blaster]], is a gun that fires [[projectile]] lasers, and its firing rate is slower than that of its counterparts. However, its lasers deal significant [[hitstun]], the most damage, and have the most vertical reach - no character is capable of ducking under these lasers on level ground. It also serves as a melee weapon, delivering extra damage to foes if the Blaster itself contacts them. Wolf's [[Down Special Move]], [[Reflector#Wolf O'Donell|Reflector]], is a versatile move that deflects [[projectiles]] and grants him invincibility frames, which may be used to avoid attacks, and escape chain throws if his opponent makes an error. These initial "counter" frames come out quickly and the hitbox extends out from Wolf slightly in all directions, dealing weak set knockback but high hitstun, potentially allowing him to follow up with a jab or Down Smash. However, projectiles cannot be reflected until the hitbox subsides and its negligible shieldstun makes it risky on them.
While Wolf's air speed and recovery moves allow him to travel a considerable distance in order to recover, these moves are easily predicted, and his [[Sweet spot (ledge)|ledge sweetspot]] is one of the smallest in the game. As such, he is easily [[Gimp kill|gimped]], and his recovery is susceptible to edge-hogging. This, in combination with his vulnerability to chain throwing, poses a problem, since some chain throws (particularly Dedede's Down Throw chain) can force him offstage. His [[Side Special Move]], [[Wolf Flash]], sends Wolf diagonally across and upward in a fast "flash", and is used to recover horizontally. It has the potential to [[Meteor Smash]] if sweetspotted. Wolf Flash also has [[Wolf Flash#Wolf Flash and ledges|unusual characteristics]] that may be utilised to help Wolf recover. His [[Up Special Move]], [[Fire Wolf]], is a move that propels Wolf in a direction of the player's choosing. It has the least start up lag in comparison to Fox and Falco's counterpart moves, drags opponents along with it, and delivers knockback at the end, but has a very small ledge sweetspot.
*Neutral Attack- Slashes with his claws the first two hits, then bites on the third hit, which has knockback. 9% damage if all 3 hits connect.
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*Dash attack- Does a gainer(Running back flip). Can [[DACUS]] Causes 9% damage (Note: This is one of the few dash attacks that negates players' inertia).
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*Forward Tilt- Double claw swipe. If connected properly, beginning has a stall animation and then pulls the claws apart. Can be aimed up or down. Causes 11% damage dispersed in two hits.
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*Down Tilt- Low right kick. Causes 6% damage.
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*Up Tilt- Quick right kick. Can KO. Deals 10% damage.
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Overall, Wolf is a balanced character, who may face problems when matched against opponents that can exploit his weaknesses, but has strengths that earn him the position of a viable [[tournament]] contender.
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===Smash===
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*Forward Smash- Thrusts his arm forward, then quickly rotates his claws 180°. It has superb range, speed and strikes the opponent two times. Below average knockback. Gives a great distance with fast start-up Does 15% damage uncharged 21% damage fully charged.
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*Up Smash- Upward scissor kick. Looks like [[Sonic (SSBB)|Sonic]]'s Up Aerial. Hits the opponent twice and causes 18% damage uncharged and 25% damage fully charged. It can also be used as a [[DACUS]].
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*Down Smash- Swipes claws on both sides. This move is one of Wolf's good finishers. Does 14% damage if the opponent is in front of Wolf and 13% if the opponent is behind Wolf. Fully charged it deals 19% damage in front 18% damage behind. It's the strongest down smash out of all 3 Star Fox characters, similar to how [[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]] has the strongest [[up smash]] of the three and [[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]] has the strongest [[forward smash]] of the three.
*[[Neutral Attack]] - A natural combo of three hits. Wolf slashes with one arm, then the other, and bites on the third hit, delivering [[knockback]]. The three hits deal 3%, 2% and 4% consecutively for a total of 9%.
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*[[Dash Attack]] - Performs a back flip out of a run. The back flip halts the forward momentum of the dash, but can be used to execute a DACUS. Knockback is relatively weak, and the trajectory of the opponent depends upon the part of Wolf's body that contacts them. Does 9%.
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*[[File:Ftilt.gif|right|thumb|The distinct hitboxes and freezing properties of Wolf's Forward Tilt (click to zoom)]][[Forward Tilt]] - Leans forward with both arms together and swipes, separating his claws on impact. Can be angled up or downward, and a clean hit deals 11% damage. The attack consists of two hits: an early, inner hitbox that does 4%, and a later, outer hitbox that does 7%. The first hitbox produces a large number of [[freeze frame]]s if it connects with an opponent, and will freeze both Wolf and the opponent for a short time before the second hitbox appears and knocks them away.
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*[[Down Tilt]] - Performs a fast low kick from a crouching position. At low percents, it trips opponents, and at higher percents, it knocks opponents into the air, with a horizontal trajectory. Does 6%.
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*[[Up Tilt]] - Kicks upwards in front of his body, dealing 10% and knocking opponents vertically. There is a [[sweetspot]] at the tip of Wolf's boot, which delivers the most knockback. The Up Tilt a strong vertical finisher, capable of reliably KOing under 150%.
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===Aerial Attacks===
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=====Smash Attacks=====
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*[[Forward Smash]] - Wolf stretches his arms in front of his body and thrusts forward, then twists his claws, dealing 15% uncharged and 21% fully charged. This Forward Smash is one of the longest reaching in the game and moves Wolf forward a considerable distance, but it is one of the weakest in the game, being the third weakest. It has two hitboxes that often both strike opponents - the first delivers weak knockback and usually hits opponents into the second, which has stronger knockback. While it is the third weakest Forward Smash in the game, it still produces above average horizontal knockback.
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*Neutral Aerial- Spinning tail whip. If it hits right after the attack starts, it will deal 8% damage and knock them back. Otherwise it will constantly deal 1% damage.
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*[[Up Smash]] - Performs an upwards scissor kick. Its animation is very similar to [[Sonic (SSBB)|Sonic]]'s Up Aerial, but is performed on the ground. This move hits twice: the first hit usually pushes the opponent into the second. The second hitbox deals above average vertical knockback. It has a small sweetspot on his body that deals the same damage as the main hitbox on his legs, but is much more powerful and sends opponents on a horizontal trajectory instead. The first and second hits deal 6% and 12% respectively, a total of 18% uncharged, and 8% and 17%, a total of 25% fully charged.
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*Forward Aerial- Left claw swipe. Deals 11% damage and has good vertical knockback.
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*[[Down Smash]] - Swipes his claws on both sides of his body, first in front and then behind. This attack has powerful horizontal knockback, reliably KOing at around 125%. It is often considered Wolf's best finisher. Uncharged, the first hit, at Wolf's front, deals 14%, and the second hit, at Wolf's back, deals 13%. Fully charged, the first hitbox does 19% and the second hit does 18%. Wolf has the strongest Down Smash of the three ''Star Fox'' characters in ''Brawl'', while [[Fox (SSBB)|Fox]] possesses the strongest [[Up Smash]], and [[Falco (SSBB)|Falco]] the strongest [[Forward Smash]].
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*Back Aerial- Back kick. Extremely fast and good knockback, works well with RAR. Does 13% damage.
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*Up Aerial- Claw swipe from top to sides. Deals 12% damage. great for juggling.
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*Down Aerial- Double axe handle. A good meteor smashing move that causes 15% damage.
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===Grabsand Throws===
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=====Other attacks=====
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Wolf shares all his floor and ledge recovery animations with Fox and Falco.
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Unlike Fox or Falco, none of his throws involve him using his [[Blaster]].
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*Ledge attack - Wolf quickly slides his body onstage, kicking forth with both legs, then retreating. Does 8%.
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*Pummel- Right knee. Deals 1%, but is extremely quick. However only the first pummel refreshes other moves.
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*100% Ledge attack - Slowly lifts himself using his arms, then flips onto the stage and kicks with one foot. Does 10%.
*Back Throw- Throws the opponent up and claws them backward.Knockbackslightly vertical. 7%
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*Trip attack - Rises and sweeps a foot around his body. Does 6%.
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*Up Throw- Throws the opponent up and slashes them with both claws. 7%
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*Down Throw- Throws the opponent on the ground and claws them. Has [[Semi-spike]] properties. Good to set up a [[DACUS]] 12%
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===SpecialMoves===
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====Aerial Attacks====
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*[[Neutral Aerial]] - Wolf curls up and flips several times. If the attack connects on the first hit, it will hit once, deal 8% and deliver weak horizontal knockback. Otherwise, it will hit several times, dealing 1% per hit, and deliver small amounts of hitstun but no knockback.
*[[Forward Aerial]] - Slashes with his left arm in a similar animation to [[Mewtwo (SSBM)|Mewtwo's]] Forward Aerial in ''[[Melee]]''. It delivers a moderately high amount of vertical knockback. Does 11%.
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*[[Back Aerial]] - Kicks outward behind his body. The Back Aerial has almost no start-up or ending lag, large horizontal reach, and strong horizontal knockback. It is commonly used for edgeguarding. Does 13% when sweetspotted, 11% when the middle hitbox connects, and 9% when sourspotted.
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*[[Up Aerial]] - Swipes in an arc above his head. It has little start-up lag and a moderate amount of ending lag, and has a wide hitbox with low vertical reach. It has low vertical knockback. Does 12%.
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*[[Down Aerial]] - Strikes both arms downward as if wielding an axe, meteor smashing the opponent. It has a somewhat large amount of startup and ending lag. Its knockback is weak for a Meteor Smash. Does 15%.
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===[[Taunt]]s===
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====Grabs & Throws====
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*[[Pummel]] - Hits his opponent with his right knee. It is the second fastest pummel in the game.
*[[Up Throw]] - Throws the opponent upward and slashes them with both claws. Does 7%.
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*[[Down Throw]] - Throws the opponent on the ground, does a small jump and claws them. Considered Wolf's best throw, it sends the opponent diagonally downward, causing them to slide along the ground and off any nearby edges. Does 12%.
'''[[Smash Taunt]]:''' On the ''[[Lylat Cruise]]'' stage, Wolf can summon various [[Star Fox's Conversations|Star Fox Conversations]] if the player presses the Down Taunt button for one [[frame]].
'''[[Smash Taunt]]:''' In Lylat Cruise, Wolf can do various [[Star Fox's Conversations|Star Fox Conversations]] bypressingdownon the ControlPadin one frame.
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{{SSBBMatchupTable|wolf=yes}}
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Wolf has slightly favorable matchups. He is hard countered by one character, King Dedede. Wolf is countered by two characters and soft countered by five. He has eleven even matchups, soft counters six characters, counters ten, and hard counters one, Zelda. Notably, Wolf has a surprisingly manageable matchup against Meta Knight, which a lot of other mid tiers are significantly hindered by (most notably R.O.B. and Pit). He also has an even matchup with Ice Climbers, Olimar, and Marth. However, he lacks options against characters with strong chaingrabs and characters who are good at gimping. Wolf's matchup against Pikachu is particularly bad because Pikachu has a 0-to-death chain grab against Wolf: 2 forward throws, followed by a few down throws to a thunderspike. King Dedede hard counters Wolf because of his deadly set knockback down throw chaingrab on him. Wario counters him because he also possesses a deadly near zero-death chain throw, being able to chain throw him from 20% to over 200%. Wolf has fair matchups that excel for his tier.
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Wolf was ranked 16th on the first tier list (September 2008), in the high tier. He then saw a large drop, falling to 20th place on the second tier list (January 2009), and again dropping to 22nd on the third (June 2009). He hovered around the 22nd spot for a few more revisions of the list. Wolf's drop was largely due to his extreme vulnerability to chaingrabs (some of which are infinites and 0-deaths), as well as having a poor recovery. Around late 2010, several Wolf players started doing very well in tournaments (Kain was noted for being of the most dominant forces in the American Midwest). Wolf's strong mobility, aerial game, and general all-around fighting abilities were recognized in the sixth tier list (July 2011), when Wolf jumped up six places to the 16th position. Wolf was also recognized to have one of the best matchups against the overly dominant Meta Knight, as well as many even or close to even matchups against the other top tier characters; Wolf generally had strong matchups outside of the characters who are able to chaingrab him effectively. Wolf is currently ranked at 14th place in the upper-mid tier, in the eighth tier list, as of April 2013.
[[Image:Wolf_Subspace_Emissary.jpg|thumb|300px|Wolf in the ''[[SSE]]'']]
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In the Subspace Emissary, Wolf doesn't play a major role and does not interact with other video game characters, but can join the player's party after beating Tabuu. The player must enter a special Red Door in The Ruins stage, which will take them to Lylat Cruise. The player sees Wolf flying his Wolfen. He then jumps off the Wolfen, and lands on the cruise. Wolf strikes a pose and then rushes at the player attacking him or her. The player must then defeat Wolf in a one-life stock battle. After defeat, he joins the party. (Although Wolf is never in a cutscene that shows both him and another character, he does seem to stare at the person who challenges him.)
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==Other features==
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*'''[[Wii Remote]] selection sound:''' Wolf says "Playtime's over." in a mocking voice.
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*'''On-Screen Appearance:''' Wolf ejects from a passing [[Wolfen]].
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*'''Cheer''': Crowd yells "Wo-olf! *howl*, Wo-olf! *howl*"; the second howl of a different pitch to the first.
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== Unlocking ==
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===Victory poses===
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*Faces away from the screen, raises an arm, then turns to look forward again while saying "Weaklings, the bunch of you!"
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*Claws the air twice, pauses and kicks while saying "I will be the one to - take you down."
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*Leans forward and snarls, then stands up straight, crosses his arms, and laughs.
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**If Fox and/or Falco are present in a match and this victory pose is during this victory pose, he says "Play time's over, Star Fox!"
[[File:Wolf_Subspace_Emissary.jpg|thumb|300px|Wolf in the ''[[Subspace Emissary]]''.]]
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*Play 450 Brawls.
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Wolf does not play a major role, or influence the story of the [[Subspace Emissary]], and is not even seen interacting with any other characters, but may join the player's party after [[Tabuu]] has been defeated. To encounter Wolf, the player must enter a particular Red Door in [[The Ruins]] stage, which will take them to [[Lylat Cruise]] after a brief cut-scene. In the cut-scene, Wolf is seen flying his Wolfen, jumping out, and landing on the cruise ship. Wolf strikes a pose, then rushes forward to attack. Although he is the only character present in the cut-scene, he appears to stare at his challenger. The player must then defeat him in a one-life stock battle, and if they win the match, Wolf joins the party. This will also [[unlock]] him if he has not yet been so.
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*Clear [[Boss Battles]] as Fox or Falco.
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*Find a secret door in "The Ruins" in The Subspace Emissary
==[[Palette swap (SSBB)#Wolf|Costume Gallery]]==
==[[Palette swap (SSBB)#Wolf|Costume Gallery]]==
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[[Image:Alt-wolf.jpg|frame|center|Wolf's changeable clothing in SSBB]]
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[[File:Alt-wolf.jpg|frame|center|Wolf's changeable clothing in SSBB]]
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*Wolf's eyepatch and armor are different colors for each costume.
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==Trophy Description==
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==Cheer==
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[[File:RSBE01-216.png|thumb|The Wolf Trophy]]
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*"Wolf! (wolf imitation) Wolf!"
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''A pilot whose real name is Wolf O'Donnell. He leads a group of mercenaries called Star Wolf. He's crossed paths with Fox many times, and each acknowledges the other as a competent rival. Wolf's constant interference with Fox is a result of Wolf's history with Fox's dad, James. Wolf's long history of criminal enterprise has resulted in a large bounty on his head.''
*Wolf appears to run and walk with a slight limp. It may just be a sort of stumble to accentuate his feral attitude.
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*Wolf's attributes in ''Star Fox Assault'' multiplayer differ from Brawl. For example, he is actually the fastest character in the game, but does have a poor use in the Landmaster.
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*Whenever Wolf is in tumbling animation, there is an animation error in which his left arm would detach from his elbow. This is best noticeable when pausing while he's tumbling or whenever he gets Screen KOed.
*Wolf appears to run and walk with a slight limp,although it may merely be a self-styledfightingapproach.
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*According to [[Sakurai]], Wolf was almost cut from the roster because of time constraints. His popularity and similarities to Fox and Falco were key to his inclusion in Brawl.<ref>[http://www.sourcegaming.info/2015/08/17/sakuraibrawlquestions/]</ref>
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*Out of all three ''[[Star Fox (series)|Star Fox]]'' characters, Wolf is considered the heaviest, however, he ranks last in the heavyweight weight class. This is similar to the ''[[Pokemon]]'' characters in Melee, in which [[Mewtwo (SSBM)|Mewtwo]] was the heaviest of the four characters but was still a lightweight character.
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*Due of time constraints, Wolf is the only playable villain to not have a role in the Subspace Emissary.
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*Wolf is the only one of the last 3 unlockable characters in Brawl not to appear in the Event Match: Visitors to Flat Zone. Instead, [[Peach]] takes his place.
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*Although considered by most people to be the last unlockable character (due to his fairly high difficulty in all three situations which lead toward unlocking him), he is not required to be unlocked last, because after completing [[Adventure Mode]] one can complete Boss Battles with Fox or Falco, or find the hidden door in [[The Ruins]] before finding the hidden doors in [[The Swamp]] or [[The Lake]], which lead to [[Toon Link]] and [[Jigglypuff]], or completing Classic and/or and event. This is also similar is unlocking Jigglypuff in Melee, as Jigglypuff wasn't required to be unlocked first.
==External links==
==External links==
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*[http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/characters/hidden12.html Wolf's page at Smash Bros. DOJO!!.]
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*[http://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_us/characters/hidden12.html Wolf's page at ''Smash Bros. DOJO!!''.]
Wolf (ウルフ,Urufu?) is an unlockable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, who, along with Fox and Falco, originates from the Star Fox universe. Wolf's appearance in the game was witnessed several months before its release, via a leak in Japan, and he was confirmed officially on the Smash DOJO! on March 31st, 2008, making him the final officially confirmed character on the roster.
Wolf is ranked 14th on the current tier list, thanks to his fast smash attacks, good air speed, good aerials, reliable KO moves, and his projectile. However, Wolf has problems in his recovery due to having one of the smallest ledge sweetspots in the game, resulting in some angling issues, much like Zelda.
Complete Boss Battles with Fox or Falco, then defeat Wolf in a challenger match.
Play 450 brawls, then defeat Wolf in a challenger match.
After completing the Subspace Emissary, enter a secret room in The Ruins, then defeat Wolf in a challenger match. This also results in Wolf joining the party.
Attributes
Of the three Star Fox characters present in SSBB, Wolf's characteristics as a fighter are the most individual. Wolf is by far the heaviest of the three, but ranks only three places above Mario in terms of weight.
Wolf's standing height in comparison to Fox's
Despite possessing a larger body frame than Fox and Falco, Wolf leans down while standing and moving along the ground; as such, he has the shortest stance of the three. His dash speed is slow, barely outpacing his walk, but he has the eighteenth fastest fall speed, and fourth fastest horizontal air speed.
While these attributes provide him with good aerial mobility, Also, Wolf gets repeatedly beat up when there is chain throwing, juggling, and certain locks due to his heavy weight and rapid falling speed. It should also be noted that fast falling does not accelerate Wolf's fall by a considerable amount, which hinders his ability to vertical momentum cancel in comparison to characters with quicker fast falls, such as Captain Falcon. However, his ability to Momentum Cancel horizontally without DI is aided by his fast Back Aerial and his horizontally based midair jump, making it one of the best in the game when compared to other characters.
Most of Wolf's standard attacks start quickly and have good reach, and he has a DACUS that propels him a considerable distance along the ground. Many of his attacks have the potential to KO, such as Back Aerial, Up Tilt, and his Smashes. The speed and reach of his attacks allows him to punish effectively on the ground, as well as in the air, and their solid damage dealing properties can build opponents' damage quickly. However, since many of his standard attacks are effective for racking up damage, they may suffer from Stale Move Negation if not used carefully, and cause problems when Wolf tries to KO. Many of Wolf's attacks also have poor shield stun effects, which allow opponents to shield grab him easily if they block his hits. His Down Aerial is a relatively weak Meteor Smash, but it starts quickly in comparison to other meteors, and has a large hitbox with no sourspot.
Wolf's Special Moves are variants of Fox and Falco's, but they have different animations and properties. His Neutral Special Move, Blaster, is a gun that fires projectile lasers, and its firing rate is slower than that of its counterparts. However, its lasers deal significant hitstun, the most damage, and have the most vertical reach - no character is capable of ducking under these lasers on level ground. It also serves as a melee weapon, delivering extra damage to foes if the Blaster itself contacts them. Wolf's Down Special Move, Reflector, is a versatile move that deflects projectiles and grants him invincibility frames, which may be used to avoid attacks, and escape chain throws if his opponent makes an error. These initial "counter" frames come out quickly and the hitbox extends out from Wolf slightly in all directions, dealing weak set knockback but high hitstun, potentially allowing him to follow up with a jab or Down Smash. However, projectiles cannot be reflected until the hitbox subsides and its negligible shieldstun makes it risky on them.
While Wolf's air speed and recovery moves allow him to travel a considerable distance in order to recover, these moves are easily predicted, and his ledge sweetspot is one of the smallest in the game. As such, he is easily gimped, and his recovery is susceptible to edge-hogging. This, in combination with his vulnerability to chain throwing, poses a problem, since some chain throws (particularly Dedede's Down Throw chain) can force him offstage. His Side Special Move, Wolf Flash, sends Wolf diagonally across and upward in a fast "flash", and is used to recover horizontally. It has the potential to Meteor Smash if sweetspotted. Wolf Flash also has unusual characteristics that may be utilised to help Wolf recover. His Up Special Move, Fire Wolf, is a move that propels Wolf in a direction of the player's choosing. It has the least start up lag in comparison to Fox and Falco's counterpart moves, drags opponents along with it, and delivers knockback at the end, but has a very small ledge sweetspot.
Overall, Wolf is a balanced character, who may face problems when matched against opponents that can exploit his weaknesses, but has strengths that earn him the position of a viable tournament contender.
Moveset
Ground Moves
Normal
Neutral Attack - A natural combo of three hits. Wolf slashes with one arm, then the other, and bites on the third hit, delivering knockback. The three hits deal 3%, 2% and 4% consecutively for a total of 9%.
Dash Attack - Performs a back flip out of a run. The back flip halts the forward momentum of the dash, but can be used to execute a DACUS. Knockback is relatively weak, and the trajectory of the opponent depends upon the part of Wolf's body that contacts them. Does 9%.
The distinct hitboxes and freezing properties of Wolf's Forward Tilt (click to zoom)
Forward Tilt - Leans forward with both arms together and swipes, separating his claws on impact. Can be angled up or downward, and a clean hit deals 11% damage. The attack consists of two hits: an early, inner hitbox that does 4%, and a later, outer hitbox that does 7%. The first hitbox produces a large number of freeze frames if it connects with an opponent, and will freeze both Wolf and the opponent for a short time before the second hitbox appears and knocks them away.
Down Tilt - Performs a fast low kick from a crouching position. At low percents, it trips opponents, and at higher percents, it knocks opponents into the air, with a horizontal trajectory. Does 6%.
Up Tilt - Kicks upwards in front of his body, dealing 10% and knocking opponents vertically. There is a sweetspot at the tip of Wolf's boot, which delivers the most knockback. The Up Tilt a strong vertical finisher, capable of reliably KOing under 150%.
Smash Attacks
Forward Smash - Wolf stretches his arms in front of his body and thrusts forward, then twists his claws, dealing 15% uncharged and 21% fully charged. This Forward Smash is one of the longest reaching in the game and moves Wolf forward a considerable distance, but it is one of the weakest in the game, being the third weakest. It has two hitboxes that often both strike opponents - the first delivers weak knockback and usually hits opponents into the second, which has stronger knockback. While it is the third weakest Forward Smash in the game, it still produces above average horizontal knockback.
Up Smash - Performs an upwards scissor kick. Its animation is very similar to Sonic's Up Aerial, but is performed on the ground. This move hits twice: the first hit usually pushes the opponent into the second. The second hitbox deals above average vertical knockback. It has a small sweetspot on his body that deals the same damage as the main hitbox on his legs, but is much more powerful and sends opponents on a horizontal trajectory instead. The first and second hits deal 6% and 12% respectively, a total of 18% uncharged, and 8% and 17%, a total of 25% fully charged.
Down Smash - Swipes his claws on both sides of his body, first in front and then behind. This attack has powerful horizontal knockback, reliably KOing at around 125%. It is often considered Wolf's best finisher. Uncharged, the first hit, at Wolf's front, deals 14%, and the second hit, at Wolf's back, deals 13%. Fully charged, the first hitbox does 19% and the second hit does 18%. Wolf has the strongest Down Smash of the three Star Fox characters in Brawl, while Fox possesses the strongest Up Smash, and Falco the strongest Forward Smash.
Other attacks
Wolf shares all his floor and ledge recovery animations with Fox and Falco.
Ledge attack - Wolf quickly slides his body onstage, kicking forth with both legs, then retreating. Does 8%.
100% Ledge attack - Slowly lifts himself using his arms, then flips onto the stage and kicks with one foot. Does 10%.
Floor attack - Rises and kicks on one side of his body, then the other. Does 6%.
Trip attack - Rises and sweeps a foot around his body. Does 6%.
Aerial Attacks
Neutral Aerial - Wolf curls up and flips several times. If the attack connects on the first hit, it will hit once, deal 8% and deliver weak horizontal knockback. Otherwise, it will hit several times, dealing 1% per hit, and deliver small amounts of hitstun but no knockback.
Forward Aerial - Slashes with his left arm in a similar animation to Mewtwo's Forward Aerial in Melee. It delivers a moderately high amount of vertical knockback. Does 11%.
Back Aerial - Kicks outward behind his body. The Back Aerial has almost no start-up or ending lag, large horizontal reach, and strong horizontal knockback. It is commonly used for edgeguarding. Does 13% when sweetspotted, 11% when the middle hitbox connects, and 9% when sourspotted.
Up Aerial - Swipes in an arc above his head. It has little start-up lag and a moderate amount of ending lag, and has a wide hitbox with low vertical reach. It has low vertical knockback. Does 12%.
Down Aerial - Strikes both arms downward as if wielding an axe, meteor smashing the opponent. It has a somewhat large amount of startup and ending lag. Its knockback is weak for a Meteor Smash. Does 15%.
Grabs & Throws
Pummel - Hits his opponent with his right knee. It is the second fastest pummel in the game.
Forward Throw - Uppercuts his opponent forward. Does 7%.
Back Throw - Throws the opponent upward and claws them behind himself. The opponent's trajectory is diagonal and upward. Does 7%.
Up Throw - Throws the opponent upward and slashes them with both claws. Does 7%.
Down Throw - Throws the opponent on the ground, does a small jump and claws them. Considered Wolf's best throw, it sends the opponent diagonally downward, causing them to slide along the ground and off any nearby edges. Does 12%.
Wolf has slightly favorable matchups. He is hard countered by one character, King Dedede. Wolf is countered by two characters and soft countered by five. He has eleven even matchups, soft counters six characters, counters ten, and hard counters one, Zelda. Notably, Wolf has a surprisingly manageable matchup against Meta Knight, which a lot of other mid tiers are significantly hindered by (most notably R.O.B. and Pit). He also has an even matchup with Ice Climbers, Olimar, and Marth. However, he lacks options against characters with strong chaingrabs and characters who are good at gimping. Wolf's matchup against Pikachu is particularly bad because Pikachu has a 0-to-death chain grab against Wolf: 2 forward throws, followed by a few down throws to a thunderspike. King Dedede hard counters Wolf because of his deadly set knockback down throw chaingrab on him. Wario counters him because he also possesses a deadly near zero-death chain throw, being able to chain throw him from 20% to over 200%. Wolf has fair matchups that excel for his tier.
Wolf was ranked 16th on the first tier list (September 2008), in the high tier. He then saw a large drop, falling to 20th place on the second tier list (January 2009), and again dropping to 22nd on the third (June 2009). He hovered around the 22nd spot for a few more revisions of the list. Wolf's drop was largely due to his extreme vulnerability to chaingrabs (some of which are infinites and 0-deaths), as well as having a poor recovery. Around late 2010, several Wolf players started doing very well in tournaments (Kain was noted for being of the most dominant forces in the American Midwest). Wolf's strong mobility, aerial game, and general all-around fighting abilities were recognized in the sixth tier list (July 2011), when Wolf jumped up six places to the 16th position. Wolf was also recognized to have one of the best matchups against the overly dominant Meta Knight, as well as many even or close to even matchups against the other top tier characters; Wolf generally had strong matchups outside of the characters who are able to chaingrab him effectively. Wolf is currently ranked at 14th place in the upper-mid tier, in the eighth tier list, as of April 2013.
Other features
Wii Remote selection sound: Wolf says "Playtime's over." in a mocking voice.
On-Screen Appearance: Wolf ejects from a passing Wolfen.
Cheer: Crowd yells "Wo-olf! *howl*, Wo-olf! *howl*"; the second howl of a different pitch to the first.
Victory poses
Faces away from the screen, raises an arm, then turns to look forward again while saying "Weaklings, the bunch of you!"
Claws the air twice, pauses and kicks while saying "I will be the one to - take you down."
Leans forward and snarls, then stands up straight, crosses his arms, and laughs.
If Fox and/or Falco are present in a match and this victory pose is during this victory pose, he says "Play time's over, Star Fox!"
Wolf does not play a major role, or influence the story of the Subspace Emissary, and is not even seen interacting with any other characters, but may join the player's party after Tabuu has been defeated. To encounter Wolf, the player must enter a particular Red Door in The Ruins stage, which will take them to Lylat Cruise after a brief cut-scene. In the cut-scene, Wolf is seen flying his Wolfen, jumping out, and landing on the cruise ship. Wolf strikes a pose, then rushes forward to attack. Although he is the only character present in the cut-scene, he appears to stare at his challenger. The player must then defeat him in a one-life stock battle, and if they win the match, Wolf joins the party. This will also unlock him if he has not yet been so.
A pilot whose real name is Wolf O'Donnell. He leads a group of mercenaries called Star Wolf. He's crossed paths with Fox many times, and each acknowledges the other as a competent rival. Wolf's constant interference with Fox is a result of Wolf's history with Fox's dad, James. Wolf's long history of criminal enterprise has resulted in a large bounty on his head.
Trivia
Wolf appears to run and walk with a slight limp. It may just be a sort of stumble to accentuate his feral attitude.
Whenever Wolf is in tumbling animation, there is an animation error in which his left arm would detach from his elbow. This is best noticeable when pausing while he's tumbling or whenever he gets Screen KOed.
According to Sakurai, Wolf was almost cut from the roster because of time constraints. His popularity and similarities to Fox and Falco were key to his inclusion in Brawl.[1]
Due of time constraints, Wolf is the only playable villain to not have a role in the Subspace Emissary.
Star Fox universe