Ice Climbers (SSBU)

Ice Climbers in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Ice Climber
Other playable appearances	in Melee in Brawl
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Iceberg
Tier	B- (56)

The Ice Climbers (アイスクライマー, Ice Climber) are playable fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Like all veterans, the duo were confirmed on June 12th, 2018 during the E3 2018 trailer. Unlike the game's predecessors, the duo are now unlockable characters, instead of being available from the starter. Although they are an archetypical tag-team, the Ice Climbers are collectively classified as Fighter #15.

The Ice Climbers are voiced in all regions once again by Sanae Kobayashi, using a combination of new voice-clips and recycled ones from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and partially Super Smash Bros. Melee.

The Ice Climbers are ranked 56th out of 82 on Ultimate's current tier list, ranking them at the dead end of the B- tier. This is an extreme drop from their previous ranking in Brawl, where the duo were ranked 2nd out of 36, and is by far their worst placement in the series to date. The Ice Climbers' most considerate strength is their oddities as a two-in-one character: when combined, their damage output is among the best across the cast. This is further supplemented by their fantastic frame-data and KOing power, courtesy of their smash attacks, aerials, Squall Hammer and Belay. The duo's relatively small size and low crouch also makes them hard to hit; their crouch especially allows them to avoid most grabs and some attacks. Even then, their hammers give them disjointed hitboxes and good range in their moves for their size. Despite being drastically nerfed, their grab game is still among the best across the cast, which each throw providing pratical usage: their forward throw and back throw can leave the opponent in unfavorable positions for edgeguarding, and down throw is an excellent combo starter at lower precents and a reliable KOing throw at much higher precents. Their special moves also have flexible versatility, as Ice Shot, Squall Hammer and Blizzard can start and/or extend combos, with the former being a decent zoning projectile, and Belay being an excellent recovery for both climbers. Finally, desynching remains a versatile tool for the duo to pull off combos in an unorthodox manner.

However, while having uncontested damage output and KO potential, it becomes heavily diminished if the partner is gone. The fact that the partner sustains more damage/knockback and has flawed AI further compounds this issue as well. In addition, the duo have poor endurance, as their moderately light weight and floatiness make them susceptible to early KOs. Their poor mobility, as well as their situational projectiles, hoists a lot of problems in neutral and off-stage. Despite their disjointed hitboxes, ther range is still lackluster, allowing swordfighters, such as Ike and Cloud, to easily outrange them. Furthermore, the removal of chain grabing and the partner's lack of ability to grab or act while the leader is grabbed makes them much easier to challenge with grabs, and removes a sizable portion of their zero-to-death tactics. Finally, despite covering considerable distance, their recovery is also situational and predictable, as Belay and Squall Hammer cover somewhat linear distances, and their poor air speed and floatiness make them vulnerable to edgeguarding.

Overall, while not as dominating as before, the duo still remain as characters that should not be underestimated regardless of the matchup because of their discovered desyncs and damaging combos that only a few characters can outmatch. As such, the duo's competitive standing in Ultimate still remains respectable, and players such as Harasen, Futari no Kiwami Ah~! and especially Big D have seen consistent success with the Ice Climbers in tournaments.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with the Ice Climbers being the 10th characters to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Link or any character in his unlock tree, being the 2nd character unlocked after King K. Rool.
• Have the Ice Climbers join the player's party in World of Light.

The Ice Climbers must then be defeated on Summit (the Ω form is used in World of Light).

Attributes

The Ice Climbers are known for being a pair of short, light middleweights (weighing the same as Lucario, Wolf, Villager, Mythra and Steve, thus residing at the lower end of the weight class), tying for the third-lightest middleweights of the class and the 17th-lightest characters in the game. Remaining true to their home series, the duo are a slow, yet floaty duo with attributes that differ themselves from the other characters of their weight class. The duo have the 45th slowest walking speeds, the 47th fastest dashing speeds, the 22nd/21st highest air acceleration, and above-average jumping height. The duo also have the 9th slowest air speed, are tied with Isabelle and Wii Fit Trainer for the 8th/10th-slowest falling and fast falling speeds, and the 28th lowest gravity. In addition, the leader has the 35th slowest walking speed, the 18th slowest running speed, the 3rd slowest air speed, and is tied with Banjo & Kazooie for the 8th/10th slowest initial dash. Due to these statistics, the duo's mobility is comparable to Kirby's own: the duo have decent grounded mobility at the expense of sluggish aerial mobility. Although minor, the Ice Climbers nevertheless have a unique fighter ability: their traction is the highest in the game by the conditions of slippery surfaces such as ice, whereas they will slide somewhat on non-slippery surfaces. In the latter case, their traction is the 2nd-lowest after Banjo & Kazooie and Mii Gunner.

Unique to a majority of the roster, they are the archetypical tag-team fighters, though each climber is a unique character in their own right. The partner (Nana, by default) is controlled by a CPU and mimics what the leader (Popo, by default) performs with a seven-frame delay. As such, the player is essentially controlling a pair of characters at the same time with slight tweaks; the partner has slightly increased mobility/attributes (walking, dashing, air and falling speeds, gravity and air acceleration), they will inflict less damage, sustain more damage, and are knocked back farther than the leader. When separated, the partner's AI takes control over their movement, and guides them back to the leader, ignoring most opponents in their path. While a single Ice Climber deals respectable damage on their own, the duo's power combined can make them formidable.

The Ice Climbers' greatest strengths lie in their high damage-racking capabilities, which is supplemented by their quick frame-data and the versatility of their moveset. In addition, their hammers give them disjointed hitboxes, making their range surprisingly good despite their small size and their weight class. To round out their uncontested damage output, the duo have excellent frame-data. None of their moveset has more than 15 frames of start-up (aside from forward aerial, Ice Shot and Blizzard), and none of their moveset has more than 30 frames of ending lag (sans forward smash, up smash, forward aerial and Ice Shot), allowing them to beat out characters who cannot outmatch their attacking speed without getting heavily punished for it, such as Palutena. Most of the Ice Climbers' grounded moveset is fairly quick and disjointed, allowing for versatile usage. Their neutral attack is quick, hits twice (four times with both climbers), and launches at a low angle, making this attack fairly good at guaranteeing follow-ups at lower percentages, giving the duo a reliable stun-lock or a setup for tech chases, and allowing the Ice Climbers a quick option to keep opponents away from them by a distance. Forward tilt can be angled, and has a chance to trip opponents. It has impressive knockback growth, and can KO fellow middleweights at about 135% at the edge of Final Destination. Up tilt is short-ranged, but one of the Ice Climbers' most useful moves in their kit, hitting multiple times with low knockback and dealing excellent damage. It also allows for a direct chain into a series of up aerials until about 115%, making it paramount in initiating combos. Down tilt is one of their quickest grounded moves, functioning as a strong semi-spike at high percentages that can KO under 150% by the edge, and making follow-ups into dash attack or similar unnaturally easy. Dash attack starts off moderately slow, but sends opponents above the leader for quick ground-to-air transitions into up aerials, comparatively to up tilt. While its average knockback growth makes it useful in starting aerial combos, it can actually score KOs on platforms near the top blast zone with high levels of rage at much higher precents.

Complimenting their tilts, the Ice Climbers' smash attacks are among the strongest across the entire cast, making them very useful and excellent for scoring KOs. Forward smash is the duo's strongest smash attack, dealing impressive damage despite its quick speed, and respectable knockback even at lower percentages, reliably KOing at about 70% at edge of the stage. Up smash is similarly powerful, sending opponents flying quite early, but is particularly slower in its start-up and ending, making it more situational. It hits in a wide area directly above the Ice Climbers, and can KO middleweights at about 115%-120%. Down smash launches opponents at an awkwardly diagonal angle, and is the weakest of the duo's smash attacks, but is still a reliable burst KOing option due to its quickness and strong knockback, KOing middleweights as early as 105% even at the center of the stage. Though at a rare occurence, if both climbers were to connect both hitboxes, the move will deal exceptional damage (as high as fully charged smash attacks). Each Climber swings in one direction, allowing this move to catch rolls and surprise opponents who approaches from behind. However, if only the leader is currently on-stage, they become vulnerable to rolls due to the lack of a hitbox from behind.

The Ice Climbers' aerial game is oppressive, especially since it is the basis of most of their combos. Neutral aerial is short-ranged, but is also quick to start and has a long-lasting hitbox, making it passable as a gimping tool. It is also a fairly strong sex kick as well, as the clean hit KOs middleweights at around 175% by the edge. When an opponent is launched upward, it also can add on some extra damage when using up tilt is unfavorable, or launch opponents directly forward. Forward aerial is a disjointed hammer-swing, which deals heavy damage and has moderate ending lag. The partner's version of the move provides a sweetspot that hides a very strong spike that can net a KO impressively early if used at medium percentages, and functions as one of the Ice Climbers' primary edgeguarding tools in their kit. Even if sourspotted, the move is among the strongest aerials in Ultimate, KOing middleweights reliably at even 90% by the edge. Back aerial can be a useful move for its quickness, large, disjointed hitbox, and respectable knockback. It is deceptively strong off-stage as such, and when used properly, it can allow for a stage spike and particularly useful edgeguard. It is also a viable KOing option, as it KOs middleweights under 100% by the edge of Final Destination. It also is safe on shield, with the following climber's attack actually being positive on shield. Up aerial is the duo's strongest aerial and one of their best KO options when on the stage. The move has excellent juggling capabilities at low percents, and KO's most opponents at around 110-125% when comboed out of a down throw. Down aerial is a stall-then-fall that covers the entirety of the Ice Climbers' underside, and moves slightly diagonally forward, making it excellent at punishing opponents who are attempting to juggle them. Despite the leader's version having little KO potential outside of very high percentages, the partner 's version is a steep semi-spike with more power compared to the leader, being able to KO middleweights at around 170% at the center of the stage, which almost completely offsets that. Additionally, it can be effectively used out of a short hop to attack opponents directly in front of the Ice Climbers (especially out of shield), while also being quick to act out of makes it situational for edgeguards when combined with its slow descent. As a cherry on top, all of their aerials have some of the lowest landing lag across the cast, making them surprisingly safe for their power.

The Ice Climbers' special moveset all have high level of versatility. Neutral special depicts the duo each creating a slab of ice that slides across the stage, shrinking as they melt. Unlike most projectiles, the ice functions more like a container or soccer ball in that the incoming projectile is completely stop, allowing the Ice Climbers to counter most projectile-spamming playstyles more easily. At extremely high percents, it can also freeze opponents, allowing the usage of setups or reads. However, similar to King Dedede's Gordo Throw, the ice can easily be reflected with an attack that deals damage. If done so, the projectile's ownership will change, allowing it to harm the Ice Climbers if collided with. Their side special, Squall Hammer, is a respectable burst option for racking up damage and is relatively safe on shield or cross-ups. With continued presses, the attack causes the duo to rise, which can also be used for recovering purposes, which renders them into helplessness afterwards. It is also one of the easiest methods to begin desyncs available to the player. Squall Hammer also covers an excellent amount of horizontal distance, which makes it a viable option for approaching, while the finishing hitbox is strong enough to KO at higher precents near the top blast zone. Up special, Belay, covers an excellent amount of air, and the following climber is completely intangible during the move's entire start-up, and gains full invincibility during the entire move until pulling up the leader, and auto-grabs any ledges within range, making it an excellent and safe tether recovery for both climbers. The leader also has a very situational, but strong hitbox on the way up, allowing for a guaranteed KO from the top blast zones, or a means to apply extra damage at the end of an aerial combo. Finally, down special, Blizzard, is a slow, read-based punish tool that freezes opponents in their tracks and deals significant amounts of damage at point-blank proximity. Using the attack while an opponent is already frozen increases the freeze-time slightly and can allow the duo to make space between them and their opponent if need be, or tack on extra damage while frozen. Specifically, this move is very useful when near the ledge, as freezing an opponent near the edges of a stage can make it easy to nudge them off without any means to escape. It also has priority over some other projectiles and can cancel them if the two collide. Overall, the duo's special moves are all useful in specific situations and can help to create openings for additional combos or surprise KOs.

The Ice Climbers' unmatched floatiness, excellent jumping prowess, powerful air game and exceptional recovery give the duo a tremendous off-stage presence. Altogether, the duo have a fearsome edgeguarding game while being extremely hard to gimp themselves due to the disproportional distance and invincibility of their tether recovery. All of their aerials are not only powerful, but are long-lasting and disjointed as well to supplement their power while also being quick to boot. When combined with low ending lag of their aerials, edgeguarding or gimping with them is extremely safe should their recovery be used wisely and quickly. By extension, while the partner's sweetspotted forward aerial has a meteor smash that can KO recovering opponents as low as 40% while off-stage, the sourspot out-prioritizes the sweetspot and has much more power to compensate, and will launch the oppoonent in an unfavorable position off-stage where recovering is ineffective. Moreover, Ice Shot and Blizzard are another prime factors of their edgeguards: the former stuns the opponent long enough and slightly drags the opponent down upon hit, to the point they cannot reach the ledge if attempting to recover twice, while the latter freezes the opponent to the point they will fall toward the lower blast zone as a chunk of ice without any means to escape, leading to a guaranteed KO. If the opponent was able to escape via excessive button mashing, they would nevertheless might not be able to recover back to the stage depending on how low they fell, which especially becomes apparent if their double jump is unavailable.

An extremely important factor of playing Ice Climbers is learning how to consistently perform a technique, called desynching. Desynching is an advanced technique that allows a player to manipulate the following climber into acting slower than usual. At its most basic form, anytime the following climber is not within a specific range of the leader, the partner's AI will take manual control of the partner and return it to the leader. During this time, none of the leader's inputs are read by the partner and its AI inputs are prioritized until it has returned to the leader, and might act independently of the leader's current movements being performed. Using desyncs can allow for some remarkable combos and setups that are completely impossible with other fighters.

The removal of chain grabbing (and by extension, wobbling) means that the duo's grab game has become more situational and in-line with the rest of the roster, limiting its effectiveness. However, while it is not as potent as it once was, the Ice Climber's grab game is still respectable and among the best across the entire cast. The Ice Climber's grab itself has been vastly changed. For starters, only the leader grabs opponents, while the partner cheers. This means that the duo can no longer grab more than one opponent at a time. Additionally, the Ice Climber's grab is the shortest-ranged grab in the game, making it risky to attempt to grab in the first place. To compensate, the Ice Climber's grab is among the fastest in Ultimate. In addition, their dash grab gives the leader a substantial speed-boost, and their pummel is among the fastest in the entire game, allowing them to inflict good amounts of damage before throwing the opponent. Their throws are also versatile as well: forward throw is a basic throw that has moderately strong base knockback and causes tumble from 0%, which allows it to open options for a tech-chase or setting up an edgeguard, while it has decent knockback growth and KOs middleweights at around 185% by the ledge with enough rage. Back throw has very strong base knockback at the expense of its knockback scaling being very low, making it difficult for usage in either combos or as a KO option, but useful in desyncs and setting up edgeguards. Up throw shares similar traits to back throw, but notably allows quick access to juggling with up aerial and sets up for combos, especially into Belay for guaranteed KO combos. It can also KO at very high precentages or near the top blast zones as well. Down throw is by far the duo's best factor of their grab game, as its primary usage is to initiate aerial combos, desynced combos, and juggles, all of which can be devastating. All of their aerials, barring down aerial, can all be used for combos out of down throw and the opponent's placement in air can make it difficult for them to escape from a combo once it has been started, especially if desynced. Finally, down throw is their best/strongest KOing throw, as it KOs middleweights at around 180%-190% with rage.

Although all their strengths are devastating, the Ice Climbers suffer from a series of a few glaring flaws, most of which primarily revolving from the vulnerability of the following climber and the loss of a few important tools between the transition from Brawl to Ultimate. The Ice Climbers are tied for being the seventeenth-lightest characters in the game. Along with their floatiness, this makes them susceptible to early KOs, especially vertically. This is especially a burden considering the unique flaws within the partner. In turn, while having outstanding damage output and KO potential, it becomes heavily diminished if the partner is KO'd, and the fact that the partner sustains more damage and knockback further compounds this problem. Rage further worsens this, since opponents with high levels of rage can send them flying even father and/or earlier and separate the duo with less trouble, whereas the Ice Climbers' poor endurance prevents themselves from reaping full benefit from their own rage. When separated, the AI guides the partner back to the leader and the partner is unable to act and defend themselves from any threats. When the leader is grabbed by an opponent, the partner will act shocked or scared and cannot attack until the leader has escaped or been thrown, which makes previously near-guaranteed escapes from a grab no longer possible. The partner also has their own hidden percentage that racks up separately of the leader's and can make it easy for an opponent to KO them first. Because of this, it is important for the leader to hurry back to the partner in an attempt at defending them, though this can potentially lead the leader into dangerous situations as well.

In fact, the loss of the partner during the stock also brings several amount of considerable handicaps within the leader. Should the CPU-controlled Ice Climber get KO'd during the stock, the remaining Ice Climber will have drastically reduced damage output, KO ability, and recovery, with Belay becoming practically useless and Squall Hammer losing a good deal of distance (whereas with both Ice Climbers, both are excellent recovering moves), also known as "Sopo." Moreover, the remaining climber lacks the ability to fight nearly as effectively. As the Ice Climbers' attacks were designed to be two-in-one, the leader's attacks alone lack damage-racking ability, making it much harder to accumulate percentage on the opponent despite the power of their smash attacks and the damage-racking ability of Blizzard. The leading climber also lacks the access to desyncs, greatly reducing the threatening nature of their normal grabs. In return, the leader is left vulnerable to combos and setups off of throws due to their slow air and falling speeds.

While covering considerable distance, the duo's recovery is also surprisingly situational. If the partner is unable to reach the ledge, it can put the leader at a disadvantage, even if they successfully make it back to the stage. Since the partner flings the leader at a much greater height, it is possible to overshoot the ledge, leaving the leader unable to defend themselves while descending on-stage during helplessness due to their floatiness. In addition, Belay can often inadvertently cost and/or endanger the following climber, as they can either be left vulnerable to edgeguarders or outright miss the ledge, leading into an unintentional self-destruct, while Squall Hammer is predictable and can even be punished by attacks with low hitboxes, such as stall-then-falls. Should the following Ice Climber get KO'd during the stock, the remaining Ice Climber's options to recovery are drastically nerfed and limited to their double jump, directional air dodges, Belay and Squall Hammer. Even then, these remaining options must be used with high precision: Belay must be used while nearing the ledge due to its minuscule distance, Squall Hammer only travels horizontally and stalls the leader's gravity with button mashing, their directional air dodges can only be used once before landing, and the Ice Climbers' air dodges are among the slowest in the game, and their double jump must be used wisely depending on which direction the leading climber is launched off-stage. These drawbacks force the remaining Ice Climber to play extremely cautiously, as ending up off-stage without a partner can prove dangerous in the long run.

Another fatal flaw, however, is the Ice Climbers' awful approach. Because of the duo's poor mobility, speed demons (such as Sonic and Captain Falcon) or characters who can camp with projectiles can wall out the Ice Climbers (such as Samus and Ness). The Ice Climbers' lack of reliable burst options further amplifies these issues in these matchups. While Squall Hammer is considered the duo's best approaching option, the Ice Climbers are otherwise over-reliant on it, thus, and becomes more predictable overtime. In addition, characters with long disjointed hitboxes, such as Ike, can outrange and wall out the Ice Climbers since their range are somewhat short relative to the cast. Ice Shot's projectile provides a long lifetime and has excellent range, but has somewhat slow startup and can easily be reflected by even the weakest hits, and they lack other effective projectiles outside of Ice Shot. This requires conscientious usage to avoid punishment. Despite their great air acceleration, the Ice Climbers' air speeds are also too slow for them to take advantage of it, hindering their aerial approach and recovery despite possessing high jumping heights.

Outside of the issues of the following Ice Climber, the duo's moveset comes with its own problems despite their high versatility. Barring their situational projectile from Ice Shot, the Ice Climbers lack a reliable projectile and can be easily camped out or their projectiles turned against them, causing them to primarily struggle against zoners and/or campers, such as the Belmonts and Pac-Man. Additionally, another notable flaw is their range—despite being disjointed, their hammers are among the shortest of any weapon in Ultimate, meaning that characters with superior disjoints, like Mr. Game & Watch, but more especially swordfighters, specifically against the likes of Marth or Sephiroth, can still easily outrange them, while Blizzard's range has been nerfed significantly and is dangerous to use liberally. Arguably, the changes that impair the Ice Climbers the most are the changes to grab-based mechanics in Ultimate. The extra period of intangibility between grabs and the partner's lack of a grab makes the Ice Climbers' previously most potent tool, chain grabbing, impossible. This significantly impedes their damage output compared to Brawl or Melee and no longer gives the Ice Climbers an almost guaranteed stock off of a single grab. Desyncing, in itself, can also have its own drawbacks. An accidental desync off of up tilt or down throw has a chance make it more difficult to follow-up with the duo's combos, or can even cause the partner's attack to miss entirely, hindering the duo's damage-racking capabilities. Desyncing can also leave the following Cce Climber vulnerable because of the increase in reaction-time between the leader and the partner; in particular, abilities, such as dodging and jumping, are significantly delayed, giving the opponent ample time to counterattack if properly read. Finally, the Ice Climbers suffer from being rather predictable and are forced to endure a severely poor disadvantagouse state. Because of their reliance on mid-air combos and some situational oddities, the general playstyle of the Ice Climbers can be easily picked apart and exploited early on in a match. In cases like this, it can be come difficult, if not impossible to return to neutral or even win trade-offs without having to take serious risks.

Overall, the Ice Climbers among the least beginner-friendly characters on the roster, but offer amazing potential with practice. The inherent complexity of controlling two characters at once can be difficult to understand for new players, combined with their low traction, their somewhat situational moveset, and severe handicaps when the partner is lost are also considerable barriers of entry. However, their excellent out of shield options and the high versatility of their moveset, combined with the fact that learning the quirks of the pair, especially desynching, can open an incredibly potent and powerful game-plan almost completely compensates for all of that. This includes long and relatively free-form combos, many being zero-to-death options—some even being true—as well as other unique setups and mix-ups that only very few characters have any proper answers for. Overall, the Ice Climbers tend to run hot and cold. The duo can inflict an exceptional amount of damage onto the opponent once they gain the advantage, but doing so is challenging for them due to their poor approach. As such, the Ice Climbers function well with both a bait-and-punish and grappling playstyle, although being unprepared for an opponent's approach or playing too defensively can be hazardous due to their poor endurance. While the aforementioned strengths and weaknesses have led to a relatively small pool of players that main the Ice Climbers, those that do and put in the effort to learn their intricacies are frequently able to bulldoze their opponents better than almost the entire roster.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Brawl

In previous installments, the Ice Climbers were considered to be among the best characters in the roster near the end of the metagames, considering their infamousness for possessing some of, if not, the most powerful damage-racking capabilities thanks to wobbling in Melee and infinite chain grabs in Brawl, with these even allowing them to achieve a guaranteed-free KO or zero-to-death from them. Most likely owing to this, the Ice Climbers were drastically nerfed in the transition from Brawl to Ultimate. However, their received buffs during the transition have brought a mixed bag. As such, the Ice Climbers received a massive plethora of buffs and nerfs during the transition from Brawl to Ultimate, but were noticeably nerfed.

Despite being substantially nerfed, the Ice Climbers have received plenty of noticeable buffs. The Ice Climbers' damage-racking capabilities and KO power have been improved, two of which were their previous prime strengths in Melee and Brawl, as most of their moveset, including forward smash, down smash, and forward aerial have increased damage outputs while having proportional KO power as well. In addition, the duo's hammers have increased size, meaning their range is slightly better due to their disjointed hitboxes becoming larger to match the size of their hammers. As well, the Ice Climbers' other buffs lie in the increased utility of his moveset as a whole, with overall improved frame-data and KO power on their finishers. The first hits of their neutral attack can now jab lock and connect much better into the second hits (albeit at the cost of reduced damage output), while forward tilt and down tilt remain reasonably strong poking and KOing options. Up tilt has significaantly more combo ability due to the changes to hitstun canceling, and dash attack is slightly faster and stronger to the point it can now KO off of top platforms near the top blast zones. While it can still cross-up shields, it can now also lead into various follow-ups, such as into up aerial. Their smash attacks are also much stronger and versatile punishing options due to their increased knockback scaling, despite the reductions to their damage outputs.

The Ice Climbers' aerial game and edgeguarding ability have been comparatively improved. The universal reduction to landing lag has exponentially benefitted their aerials, which had among the highest landing lag in Brawl to being among the lowest in Ultimate, likely even being lower than their L-canceled aerials in Melee; their aerials are not only safer and more versatile, but now capable of leading into follow-ups or combos, with neutral aerial especially being a prime factor to desynced follow-ups. All of the Ice Climbers' aerial attacks have improved KOing ability, but their aerials have also received their own respective improvements: neutral aerial's stronger knockback makes it a passable gimping tool against recovering opponents and their increased traction makes it an excellent out of shield option. Forward aerial's significantly stronger sourspots now out-prioritize the sweetspot while having much more KO power to compensate, allowing the leader to compensate for their lack of meteor smash more easily, while the removal of meteor canceling and teching for grounded meteor smashes improves the reliability and combo potential on-stage of the partner's sweetspotted forward aerial, respectively, especially considering its reduced landing lag. Back aerial is now effective for walls of pain in conjunction with reverse aerial rush due to the Ice Climbers' improved aerial mobility, while still retaining most of its strong KOing ability despite its reduced damage output. Up aerial is a significantly better juggling and KOing option due to its increased knockback growth and improved coverage, while down aerial has much more reliability to use as a safe landing option due to its drastically reduced landing lag and lengthened auto-canceling window, and its descent is noticeably slower, giving it much more safety for edgeguarding.

Two of the duo's moves (down smash and up aerial) have received changes to bring new strengths. Down smash now depicts each Ice Climber individually performing a hammer-sweep in specific directions, which gives it significantly more versatility in punishing characters who approaches them from behind (if both climbers are present) or more specifically, rolls. Although it maximum damage output has been effectively halved as it no longer possesses a pair of hits within each climber and is much more difficult to connect both hits, it has much stronger KOing potential to compensate. Up aerial provides much more efficient horizontal coverage (at the marginal expense of slightly less vertical coverage), making it much more viable at juggling and, due to its increased knockback growth, KOing. In addition, it can now hit grounded opponents more consistently.

While their grab game has been drastically impaired, it has received a few notable benefits. Although the ranges and frame-data within their grabs have both been nerfed, the Ice Climber's grab still remains as among the fastest across the entire cast in Ultimate, while dash grab now gives them a substaintial speed-boost and more horizontal momentum. The Ice Climber's pummel has became among the fastest in the entire game, allowing them to inflict impressive outputs of damage before throwing the opponent despite the loss of wobbling. As well, their throws have received major improvements. The introduction of rage, combined with their collateral hitboxes now stacking knockback, allow their throws (sans back throw) to KO at very high precentages, forward throw and back throw are now useful for desyncs and initiating edgeguards, up throw has significantly improved combo ability and allows quick access to juggling via up aerials while it can KO more reliably near the top blast zones, while down throw remains a reasonably powerful tool for starting combos both desynced and synced, while its much stronger knockback allows it to KO at much higher precentages, giving the Ice Climbers access to new KOing options that were absent in Melee and Brawl.

However, the Ice Climbers have received several noteworthy nerfs that eclipse most of these aforementioned buffs as well, with their key factor of their neutral game—their grab game—being drastically impacted the most: the following Ice Climber no longer has the ability to grab the opponent or act controllably when the leader is grabbed or throwing an opponent (excluding when in the air), which makes previously near-guaranteed escapes out of grabs from Melee and Brawl drastically more difficult, if not impossible. This dramatically changes the way their combo game works, as it removes the Climbers' extremely powerful chain grabs they were capable of, instead forcing them to be over-reliant on desynching in order to combo the opponent. Moreover, the leader's grabs have noticeably more startup and ending lag, and much less range, now being the shortest set of grabs in the game.

Outside of this, the majority of their moveset's base damage output has received reductions and their moves connect less consistently when the duo are together due to the reduction of hitlag in Ultimate, making it much harder to accumulate the amount of damage the duo formally racked up in Melee and Brawl when combined with the removal of chain grabing and wobbling, two changes that hindered the Ice Climbers the most during the transition to Ultimate. The following Ice Climber has also gained a damage/knockback multiplier of 1.02x, meaning that they are sent flying much easier and earlier than the leader due to sustaining increased damage and/or knockback from attacks, which makes the Ice Climbers' endurance noticeably worse. In addition, the AI's intelligence has been worsened, leading to more likely unintentional self-destructs, making it harder for each of them to stick together and rendering their most prominent flaw from previous installments—the infamous difficulty of maintaining both climbers during the current stock—drastically more prevalent and exploitable in Ultimate. The following climber also no longer performs Blizzard behind the leader when performed on the ground, and the move itself is less effective as a spacing tool due to its lack of knockback at maximum proximity. Finally, due to the alterations in Belay's hitboxes, the move can gain significantly less height if the hitbox is out-prioritized, and its overall size is smaller, making it harder to connect against grounded opponents.

Changes to Ultimate's gameplay mechanics both strengthen and impair the Ice Climbers. The universal growth to mobility has considerably improved the Ice Climbers' ability to approach and chase down opponents (especially on the ground), and the partner boasts superior mobility compared to the leader, making it more difficult to separate them. However, because their mobility still remains poor relative to the cast, their problems with camping and troublesome matchups against rushdowners from the previous incarnation remain. This is especially prominent exhibiting the increased prevalence of zoners and rushdowners. The Ice Climbers also have drastically superior combo potential on their own due to the changes to hitstun canceling, the weakening of SDI, and desynching remaining mostly intact. Thanks to improved freezing properties, the Ice Climbers can also freeze opponents easier and longer with Blizzard, which can lead to high damage, KOs while edgeguarding, shield pressure, and follow-ups if performed correctly. The increased shieldstun and increased startup on shield grabbing notably benefits the Ice Climbers' safety on hit, due to their moveset's natural high damage and low ending lag, making them harder to shrug off and punish accordingly, while the duo themselves can still punish other characters' hits as easily due to their quick grabs and new access to excellent out of shield options, a weakness the duo suffered from in Brawl and Melee. The reintroduction of directional air dodging has extended the effectiveness of the Ice Climbers' recovery should one be performed to reach the ledge, while the revamped air dodging mechanics have significantly improved their edgeguarding game effectively. On the other hand, the aforementioned changes have made their air dodges among the slowest in Ultimate, rendering them more vulnerable to edgeguarding and juggling, as well as punishes should a single air dodge be performed carelessly. The extra period of intangibility between grabs and the partner's lack of a grab makes the Ice Climbers' previously most potent tool, chain grabbing, impossible. This significantly impedes their damage output compared to Brawl or Melee and no longer gives the Ice Climbers an almost guaranteed stock off of a single grab, thus, making the loss of chain grabbing the change that hindered the Ice Climbers the most. Moreover, the universal worsening of grabs' frame-data makes the Ice Climbers more open to punishment should the leader throw out one and miss, as their ending lag can prove more risk to land a grab. The removal of momentum canceling from Brawl has also notably affected the duo, as the Ice Climbers can take advantage of it to compensate their otherwise poor endurance. Finally, despite their numerous improvements, most of the Ice Climbers' former glaring flaws that impaired them in Melee and Brawl still reprise in Ultimate, namely the difficulty of maintaining both climbers during the current stock, severe handicaps when the partner is gone, poor endurance, slow mobility, sub-par reach and a high susceptibility to being camped, with some of them being further pronounced as well. To make matters worse, Ultimate also features several more viable swordfighters and zoners compared to previous games, both archetypes that the Ice Climbers still struggle against and amplifying the two lattermost issues.

Overall, the Ice Climbers are drastically less effective than in Brawl. Their learning curve has become more steep, as the removal of chain grabbing and weakening of miscellaneous moves forces them to rely on desynching to perform at full capacity. While the Ice Climbers are by far the most nerfed characters in the transition to Ultimate, their current standing on the tier list is still to be determinted due to retaining some of their key strengths, such as their disproportionate KO power and damage output, and their excellent combo and grab games in conjunction with desyncs. In addition, the changes to the game's mechanics and Ultimate's subsequent updates have handed the Ice Climbers a combination of favourable buffs and mitigated the nerfs' impacts, leading them to fare substantially better than they did during initial release. Overall, the Ice Climbers still remain as characters that should not be underestimated, especially when mastered, but fare substaintally worse than in Melee and Brawl.

Aesthetics

• Due to Ultimate's graphical improvements, the Ice Climbers gain a sleeker design with more subtle detailing in their hair and parkas, and their overall color scheme is significantly more vibrant and subdued. The duo wear coats with detailed furry lining, similar to Melee. The duo have slightly smaller more proportionate heads, more faint blushes on their cheeks, and slightly thinner eyes on top of losing the purple hue in their eyes. Their boots and hammers also appear to be covered in light powdered snow.
• Both Ice Climbers face the foreground at an angle, instead of facing directly forward. In addition, they always face the screen regardless of which direction either of them turn, making all of their animations mirrored while altering some.
• The Ice Climbers have a new idle pose of them turning to look behind themselves. It replaces the animation of them dropping their hammers and then lifting them back up.
• Like other fighters, the Ice Climbers are more expressive than before: they appear excited when using their specials and forward smash, scowl when shielding and charging their up and down smash, and the partner climber will also panic when the leader is grabbed.
  • In addition, the partner climber will have a worried expression and wince periodically when the main climber gets frozen, dizzy, or gets attacked.
• Nana has received new voice-clips for a few of her moveset, such as her smash attacks.
• The Ice Climbers' spot dodging, air dodging and ledge-hanging animations have changed.
  • When air dodging, the Ice Climbers look towards the camera for longer.
  • When hanging onto a ledge, the Ice Climbers grab the ledge with their free hand instead of with both hands.
• The Ice Climbers' on-screen appearance has them give each other an enthusiastic high-five, which was waist-height in Brawl. The animation also no longer differs depending on the starting position based on the player's controller port.
• The Ice Climbers only jump once when using up taunt, as opposed to three times.
• At the end of a solo-match, only the leading Ice Climber will be shown inside the losing pane on the results screen. Both Ice Climbers are still shown if the match ends in a No Contest.
• The Ice Climbers' victory pose where they alternate left and right now has them circling their heads around .
  • Their victory theme has been shortened to only contain the second half.
• The Ice Climbers' crowd cheer is "I scream, you scream, Ice Climbers!"
• Nana's crowd cheer is no longer the back-sound of the menu if she is currently the leader.
• The Ice Climbers' knockback-based voice-clips will no longer play if Nana is the leader.
• The Ice Climbers has been updated with universal features introduced in Smash 4.
  • The Ice Climbers has a Boxing Ring title, a Palutena's Guidance conversation, and two additional alternate costumes.
    • Their black costume has slightly been modified: Nana's parka is now brown instead of black. Additionally, their costumes have been re-ordered; the Nana-leading costumes now occupy the second half of their costumes instead of the even-numbered costumes, which is how their costumes were ordered in Melee
  • The Ice Climbers' voice-clip numbers in Sound Test are numbered individually (i.e. "Popo: Voice [number]"/"Nana: Voice [number]"), similar to other team-based fighters as well as the Mii Fighters, Assist Trophies, Poké Ball Pokémon and bosses.
• The sound effects of the partner are quieter. This is best heard when they are either Star or Screen KO'd.

Attributes

• Like all characters, both of the Ice Climbers' jumpsquat animations take 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
• The partner climber is generally faster than the leader. This helps them keep up if the two are separated.
• If either Ice Climber lands a hit, the other one takes a small amount of hitlag, regardless of whether their attack connects or not.
  • This makes desynching slightly more difficult to perform.
• The partner Ice Climber sustains 1.02× times the damage and knockback from attacks, making them slightly easier to separate and KO.
• The partner now stands slightly behind the leader, in addition to being slightly in the z-axis. This reduces their grounded moveset's range, minus down smash due to hitting behind the partner.
• The partner has a longer delay (4 frames → 6), causing some of the partner's attacks not connecting.
• The Ice Climbers walk faster (0.96 → 1.008 (leader), 1.1088 (partner)).
• The Ice Climbers run faster (1.388 → 1.53 (leader), 1.683 (partner)).
  • Their initial dash is noticeably faster (1.4 → 1.68).
• The Ice Climbers' air speed is faster (0.7708 → 0.83 (leader), 0.8715 (partner)).
• The Ice Climbers' falling speed is faster (1.2 → 1.3).
• The Ice Climbers' gravity is slightly higher (0.077 → 0.082), although it is lower relative to the cast.
• As with all returning veterans, the Ice Climbers have much more traction (0.035 → 0.077), although it is still the second lowest in the game.
• The following Ice Climber's air acceleration is slightly higher (0.09 → 0.0945).
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-19 → 5-16) and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
• Spot dodge has more startup with less intangibility (frames 2-20 → 3-17).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 48 → 58)
• Air dodge has less startup (4 → 3).
• The reintroduction of directional air dodging benefits the Ice Climbers more than most of the other returning veterans, as the duo have access to using a secondary recovering option with them or can extend or mix-up their recovery by using one, especially when combined with Belay's long distance as a tether recovery.
  • The following Ice Climber now performs a directional air dodge if off-stage when separated from the leader, instead of typically using Belay to recover.
  • The introduction of air dodge landing lag glitch benefits the Ice Climbers more than any other returning veteran, as if the duo perform an uninterrupted air dodge and land on the floor in their helpless states after using Squall Hammer, their normal landing lag will get approximately reduced.
• The removal of chain grabbing hinders the Ice Climbers more than any other character, as it drastically reduces their cheesing ability, and zero-to-deaths, while still possible, are now much harder. They also greatly suffer from the ability to tech footstools as it removes their guaranteed lock setups from grabs.
• The following Ice Climber's AI is worse as they have more difficulty recovering and making it back to the leader, which can lead to them self-destructing.
• The duration opponents are frozen from the Ice Climbers' ice attacks are much longer, allowing for easier unavoidable follow-ups at high percentages. At very high percentages, Blizzard and Ice Shot can even freeze them long enough to be unable to recover from near the ledge.
• Ice Climbers arguably benefit the most from the reintroduction of wavedashing because of their very low traction, significantly increasing their approach and mobility, as well as giving them more mixups with grabbing and attacking opponents.
• The partner Ice Climber's attacks affect the duo's staleness queue; in previous games, they would use the queue but could not alter it. This generally means that the duo's attacks will both stale and refresh twice as quickly.
• When the leader is KO'd by reaching 0 HP during their last stock in Stamina Mode, the partner climber instantly enters the defeat animation regardless of being hit or not, similar to Rosalina's Lumas.
  • This consequently removes the partner Ice Climber's ability to intervene the results of opponents, hindering their impact on Stamina battles.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack can lock opponents and connect both hits together more consistently due to its altered angle (60° → 361°/180°).
  • The partner's second hit deals more damage (2% → 2.6%) without full compensation on knockback (45 (base)/100 (scaling) → 60/95), improving its KO potential when combined with the second hit's lowered angle.
  • The first hit transitions into the second hit earlier (frame 11 → 10).
  • The first hit can be transitioned into the second hit by holding/tapping onto the attack input for 10-30 frames, or by holding onto the button until frame 13, as opposed to tapping the button until frame 11.
  • The move deals less damage (3% → 2% (leader hit 1), 4% → 3.5% (leader hit 2), 2% → 1.5% (partner hit 1), 11% → 9.6% (total)).
  • Second hit of neutral attack has more ending lag (FAF 20 → 30).
  • Both hits have a shorter duration (frames 4-7 (hit 1), 4-6 (hit 2) → 4-5 (both)).
  • The first hit has an increased hitlag multiplier (1.0× → 1.3×), giving the opponent more time to SDI it.
  • The first hit has gained 2 additional hitstun frames. This allows it to stun opponents longer to connect into the second hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also gives them more time to SDI it.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has less ending lag (FAF 33 → 30).
  • The partner's forward tilt deals less damage (7% (non angled) → 6.75%).
  • The move has a shorter duration (frames 9-12 → 9-10).
  • The partner's forward tilt has an increased hitlag multiplier (0.5× → 1×), matching the leader's.
• Up tilt:
  • The final hit of up tilt has more combo potential due to the removal of hitstun canceling.
  • The partner's final hit deals less base knockback and more knockback scaling (40 (base), 100 (scaling) → 38, 118), allowing it to combo better from low/medium percents, while also improving its KO potential at very high percents.
  • The move deals less damage (1% (loop hits) → 0.8% (leader loop hits), 0.6% (partner loop hits), 17% → 15.4% (total)).
  • The final hit has more startup lag (frame 26 → 27).
  • The looping hits deal more knockback (15 (base), 20 (scaling) → 65/60/20, 10), with the higher knockback hitboxes being used to raise the opponent towards the higher, low knockback hitboxes.
• Down tilt:
  • The partner's down tilt deals consistent damage (4%/5% → 4.5%), making it deal more damage at point-blank range but dealing less damage elsewhere.
  • Due to the increased traction across the cast, opponents do not slide back as much upon tripping from down tilt, improving its reliability for starting combos.
  • The move connects less consistently at higher percents when both climbers are present due to the partner being more delayed.
• Dash attack:
  • The partner's dash attack deals more damage (4% → 4.5%) and has increased knockback scaling (40 → 60).
  • The move has a longer duration (frames 11-12 → 11-14).
  • The outermost-hitbox has been extended forward (Y offset: 5u → 5u—7.5u), increasing its range.
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 12-13 → 11-13).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 49 → 47).
  • It has more base knockback (30 → 50) and the partner's forward smash has more knockback scaling (118 → 126).
  • It has an altered animation where the Ice Climbers don't slam their hammers as far as horizontally, hindering its range.
  • It no longer provides a sweetspot that deals more damage, reducing its overall maximum damage output (13% → 12% (leader), 10% → 9% (partner), 23% → 21% (both)).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less startup lag (frame 13 → 12).
  • The partner's up smash has more knockback scaling (113 → 126).
  • The loss of hitstun canceling improves the move's ability to lead into combos.
  • The partner's up smash deals less damage (9%/8% → 8.25%/6.75%).
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 48 → 50).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has been reworked: each Ice Climber individually sweep their hammers at specific directions (with the leader sweeping in front, while the partner sweeps behind the leader).
  • The move provides more horizontal coverage when together, making it more versatile for punishing rolls and approaches.
  • The hitboxes come out sooner (frame 9 → 7), improving its utility as a burst punishing option.
  • It deals more damage (12%/10% → 13% (leader), 9%/8% → 9.75% (partner)) and more knockback than the previous sweetspots (30/50 (base), 105/102 (leader scaling), 113 (partner scaling) → 50, 105, 126)
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 44 → 41).
  • The move only hits on a single side with a solo-climber, making the remaining climber more vulnerable to rolls.
  • Due to its altered animation, it is drastically harder to connect with both climbers.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (15 frames → 7 (neutral/back), 20 → 10 (forward), 30 → 14 (up), 42 → 20 (down).
• The Ice Climbers can no longer perform a two back or up aerials in a short hop due to their increased falling speed, as well as the latter having increased ending lag.
• Neutral aerial:
  • The partner's neutral aerial deals more damage (5% → 5.25%).
  • The partner's neutral aerial also has less knockback scaling (128 → 120) hindering its KO potential despite its higher damage.
  • The move's lowered landing lag improves its utility in combos both desynced and synced.
  • The move connects less consistently when both climbers are present, especially at higher percents.
• Forward aerial:
  • The partner's sourspot deals more damage (7% → 9%) and has more knockback scaling (100 → 114).
  • The removal of meteor canceling improves the partner's sweetspot's reliability.
  • The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves the combo potential of the partner's sweetspotted forward aerial onstage, compounded further by its reduced landing lag.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial deals less damage (11% → 10% (leader), 8% → 7.5% (partner), 19% → 17.5% (both)) although its knockback was mostly compensated (scaling: 107 (leader), 128 (partner) → 115/138) and connects less reliably when both climbers are present especially at higher percents.
    • The partner's attack now has more knockback overall, and is more in-line with the leader's, although it is still a bit weaker.
• Up aerial:
  • The Ice Climbers' up aerial has been reworked: an overhead hammer-swing in a horizontal arc. Compared to their previous up aerial, it provides much more horizontal range and hits in front of them, providing more efficient coverage than before.
  • It has more knockback scaling (120 (leader), 142 (partner) → 129, 154.8), improving its KO potential despite its lowered damage.
  • It deals less damage (10%/9% → 9% (leader), 7%/6% → 6.75% (partner)).
  • It has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 6-23 → 7-11) and more ending lag (FAF 30 → 36).
  • It provides less vertical range compared to the previous one, making it much harder to connect against grounded opponents.
• Down aerial:
  • The partner's down aerial deals more damage (5% → 6%).
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 58 → 54).
  • The removal of the stall-then-fall glitch allows the Ice Climbers to land with the move more reliably out of hitstun.
  • The Ice Climbers bounce up before performing down aerial, similar to Sheik's down aerial.
    • As a result, it has more startup with a shorter duration (frames 9-51 → 12-51).
  • Its initial auto-cancel window has been removed.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • If missing a grab, the leading Ice Climber will receive a surprised expression.
  • Their dash grabs grant more horizontal momentum and substantial speed-boost, improving their approaching potential despite their increased ending lag.
  • All grabs have more startup (frame 6 → 8 (standing), frame 8 → 10 (dash/pivot)) and ending lag (FAF 30 → 40 (standing), frame 40 → 48 (dash), frame 40 → 41 (pivot)).
  • All grabs have smaller hitboxes (4.5/3.5u → 3.6/1.8u (standing), 5.5/3.8u → 2.9/1.45u (dash), 5.5/3.8/3.8u → 3.6/1.8u (pivot)).
• The partner cannot act while the leader is held by an opponent's grab while on the ground, and enters a panicking animation instead (although this can be avoided with desyncs).
• The partner can no longer grab, and will taunt with a cheerful jump during the leader's throw while on the ground. This removes their chain grabs and locks the Ice Climbers were infamous for in previous titles.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (1 frame → 10 frames), but has drastically less startup (frame 11 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 19 → 7), overall resulting in a 1 frame shorter loop.
  • The hitbox has a shorter duration (frames 11-12 → 1).
• Throw:
  • All throws no longer have SDI multipliers.
  • Back throw and down throw are now weight-independent. This improves their combo ability against heavyweights, but worsens it against lightweights.
• Forward throw:
  • The removal of hitstun canceling improves its utility in tech-chasing and setting up an edgeguard.
  • The collateral hitbox no longer has fixed knockback (90 → 50 (base)/60 (scaling)).
  • The collateral hitbox has a significantly increased hitlag multiplier (0.3x → 1.2×), making it much easier to DI.
  • The collateral hitbox is smaller (7.2u → 5.0u), but with an altered positioning (Y offset: 5.6/0u → 6.5/10.0u).
• Back throw:
  • The removal of hitstun canceling allows back throw to lead into follow-ups both desynced and synced, as well as improving its ability to set up an edgeguard.
  • The removal of chain grabing drastically hinders the move's utility.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw deals more damage (2% (hit), 4% (throw), 6% (total) → 3%, 5%, 8%) without full compensation on the throw portion's knockback scaling (28 → 26), making it more reliable for combos at lower precents when combined with the loss of histun canceling, while allowing it to KO slightly earlier.
  • The collateral hitbox no longer has fixed knockback (90 → 75 (base)/60 (scaling)), making the throw portion slightly stronger and allowing it to KO at very high precents.
  • The collateral hitbox lasts longer (frame 25 → 25-26).
  • The collateral hitbox has a significantly increased hitlag multiplier (0.2x → 1.2×), giving the opponent much more time to DI.
  • The collateral hitboxes are smaller (7.2/5.76u → 5.0/4.0u), but with altered positionings (Y offset: 5.6u → 6.0u).
• Down throw:
  • The leading Ice Climber clinches the opponent with both hands, lift them up in the air before slamming them on the ground.
  • The changes to hitstun canceling improve down throw's combo potential beyond lower percents with a solo-climber.
  • It deals has higher knockback scaling (100 → 116).
  • The removal of chain grabbing hinders down throw's damage-racking potential at lower percents, even with a solo-climber.
• Floor attack:
  • The leader's floor attacks deals more damage (6% → 7%).
  • The partner's floor attacks deals less damage (6% → 5.25% (front & back), 5% → 3.75% (trip)).
• Edge attack:
  • The Ice Climbers ram their hammers horizontally in a straight line, similar to their slow ledge attack in Brawl.
  • It deals consistent damage compared to their previous ledge attacks, even though the partner's is weaker (8% (hammer)/6% (body) → 8% (leader), 6% (partner)).
  • It deals less damage compared to their old slow ledge attack (10% (hammer), 8% (body) → 8% (leader), 6% (body)).
  • The Ice Climbers do not hunch over when performing it, making them easier to punish.

Special moves

• Ice Shot:
  • Ice Shot deals more damage (3%-1% → 3.5%-~2.25%).
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 60 → 56).
  • It can function as a projectile blocker since the sliding ice pieces won't get destroyed by any projectiles, and will cancel them out no matter how powerful they are.
  • It has more startup lag (frame 17 → 18).
  • Reflected ice chunks can damage the Ice Climbers.
  • Ice Shot makes a different sound effect.
• Squall Hammer:
  • Solo Squall Hammer ends with a stronger hit that much more knockback (5 (base), 30 (scaling) → 50, 100) and launches at an altered angle (30° → 361°).
  • Solo Squall Hammer has less startup (frame 12 → 10).
  • Desynced Squall Hammer has more consistent utility to trap opponents between both Ice Climbers.
  • Squall Hammer's multihits launch at altered angles (30° → 25/32) and have altered knockback (5 (base), 80 (scaling) → 25/13, 95).
  • Duo Squall Hammer deals more damage (2% (hits 1-7), 3% (final hit), 17% (max) → 2.2%, 4%, 19.4%). When combined with the introduction of the 1v1 multiplier, this improves the move's damage-racking ability and the final hit's KO potential.
  • All of Duo Squall Hammer's hits come out earlier with slightly less gaps in between (frames 9, 13, 18, 22, 27, 32, 40, 53-54 → 10, 14, 18, 23, 28, 34, 40, 51-52).
  • All of Solo Squall Hammer's hits come out earlier (frames 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 36, 42, 49, 56 (solo) → 10, 15, 21, 28, 37, 49-50). Although it has slightly more gaps in between (combined with the fact that Solo Squall Hammer now has 6 hits instead of 11), it now includes back hitboxes during the move which come out later than the frontal hits (frames 10, 15, 21, 28, 37 → 13, 18, 24, 32, 42) to offset that.
  • Squall Hammer grants much less vertical distance with button mashing, worsening its usage for recovery.
  • Duo Squall Hammer has more startup (frame 9 → 10) and ending lag (FAF 70 → 78).
  • Solo Squall Hammer deals less damage (2%/3% → 1.3%/2% (leader), 0.975%/1.5% (partner)).
  • Squall Hammer emits a twinkling sound effect when performed, especially with both Ice Climbers.
• Belay:
  • If the partner is separated from the leader off-stage, the partner will perform a directional air dodge to reach the ledge instead of typically using a Belay.
  • Belay has increased tether recovering distance.
  • The leader is no longer prevented from using the move if it is automatically performed by the partner.
  • Belay covers slightly more distance with a solo-climber, and the solo-climber possesses more control while using it.
  • Belay has less startup (frame 16 → 13).
  • When both Ice Climbers are present, the solo-climber covers more vertical distance, but less horizontal distance, making their recovery slightly more linear.
    • The duo's faster air speed and improved aerial mobility nevertheless makes Belay less linear, improving their recovery.
  • Belay has a smaller hitbox (7.0u → 6.0u), making it harder to land against grounded opponents.
  • Belay uses a unique sound effect rather than regular jump sound from Ice Climber.
• Blizzard:
  • Both Ice Climbers aim Blizzard forward while on the ground instead of aiming it in both respective directions, similar to their aerial version in previous installments. This increases its damage output when performed on the ground, but this means that Blizzard can no longer hit the opponents behind them, hindering its spacing potential and overall coverage.
  • The universal changes to freezing duration result in Blizzard freezing opponents for a much longer period overall, no longer allowing the opponent to thaw out almost immediately.
  • It has more ending lag (FAF 80 → 85).
  • It deals less damage at point-blank proximity (2% → 1.8%).
  • It also no longer causes hitstun or freezes opponents when further from point-blank proximity, both removing its ability to lock and hindering its spacing potential simultaneously.
• Iceberg:
  • Iceberg spins and features a teetering Polar Bear that launches opponents with greater knockback. During the move, a Condor will circle the Iceberg around the top of the screen, which the Ice Climbers can grab onto, and it will also deal damage to opponents that touch it.
  • Opponents can no longer damage the iceberg and make it recede.
  • Iceberg lasts a shorter duration. While this does make it less obstructive to the following Ice Climber, this makes it overall much easier for opponents to stall out and avoid entirely, while other changes made to the move make it less likely to cause problems for the partner Ice Climber anyway.
  • When paired, the Ice Climbers no longer emit a whooshing sound upon activating Iceberg.
  • The iceberg no longer has solid terrain, and instead utilizes stronger windboxes to push both opponents and the Ice Climbers out. This overall weakens the move's ability to interrupt recoveries, especially combined with the new vertical knockback, and prevents the Ice Climbers from standing on the peak. However, it also does not obstruct the Climbers as much, nor will it block ledges, making it less likely to cause the following climber to SD. In addition, it can no longer be performed to make the Ice Climbers clip through stage-objects, as this was caused by a pair of merging walls.
  • The iceberg can be moved across the stage, although doing so can be risky if the Ice Climbers are not holding on to the Condor.
  • Iceberg no longer freezes opponents.
  • Iceberg no longer causes platforms to damage the opponents.

Update history

The Ice Climbers were initially perceived to be low-tier in the initial release of Ultimate. As a result, the duo have been noticeably buffed overall, aside from various glitch fixes and a few minor nerfs. Update 2.0.0 improved the following Ice Climber's artificial intelligence in order to make them follow the leading climber more consistently and make it less likely for them to fall out of the leader's lineup, though at the cost of making desyncing harder to perform. Aside from this, Belay's recovery potential was improved via its enlarged edge-grabbox.

Following this, the Ice Climbers would not receive noteworthy changes until update 9.0.0. This update received reductions to the partner's damage/knockback multipliers, which made them less susceptible to being separated from the leader and leading into early KOs, improving their endurance. Belay was also improved noticeably, thanks to its tether recovery distance being lengthened and the leader no longer being inadvertently prevented from using it if the partner performed it. Aside from these improvements, a few of their moveset received quality-of-life buffs: dash attack has slightly more range and improved consistency, down smash's knockback was increased, and Squall Hammer will sweetspot edges earlier.

Lastly, update 13.0.1 granted the Ice Climbers a few decent buffs. Belay's start-up lag was decreased, which improved both its recovery potential and utility as a follow-up from up tilt. On a similar note, dash attack's overall lag was decreased, which made it safer and improved its utility for setting up aerial pressure. Lastly, down smash's knockback was increased yet again like in update 9.0.0, improving its usage as a burst KOing option even further.

Overall, the Ice Climbers fare significantly better than they did at the launch of Ultimate. The severe handicaps within the partner have been addressed, and their KO potential and combo ability have been improved, as well as their combos dealing more damage. When combined with desynching remaining as a prominent and staple tool for their combos, this makes their neutral game more dominating and makes their learning curve much less daunting and steep.

1.2.0

• The Ice Climbers have been affected, although the changes are currently unknown.

2.0.0

• The partner Ice Climber's AI has been improved: the partner will now follow the main climber better.
  • This makes desyncs even harder to perform.
• The ledgegrab-box for Belay has been increased (X offset: 0u → -1u).
• Fixed a bug that allowed the partner climber to survive after the leader runs out of stocks.

3.0.0

• Partner climber's AI was adjusted.
  • The partner climber returns to the leader when grabbing an opponent.
  • Scenarios where desyncs would occur have changed.
• The hitlag multiplier of the final hit of the partner climber's up tilt has been increased.
• Iceberg via the FS Meter deals more knockback.

3.1.0

• Ice Climbers recover midair jumps in the same way as other fighters.
• Partner climber will no longer jump when pressing the jump button right after a grab. This removes its combo and 0-to death potential.
• An unknown glitch that launches the partner climber at significant high knockback has been fixed.

4.0.0

• Partner climber is no longer able to ledge trump opponents.

5.0.0

• The partner can now ledge-trump opponents, fixing an issue introduced in 4.0.0.

6.1.0

• Fixed the Buster Wolf freeze glitch that cause Terry and the partner climber to become unable to move while intangible.

7.0.0

• Overall shield size has been increased.

8.0.0

• Pummel has a larger hitbox (4.8u → 5.8u) that is placed further horizontally (Z offset: 6.4u → 7.4u), allowing it to connect more consistently.
• Iceberg:
  • Iceberg slows opponents more during startup.
  • The Iceberg appears much faster, and the peak's hitbox size was increased.
  • The Condor has a larger search radius (8u → 9.5u), making it easier to grab onto.

9.0.0

• The partner climber takes less damage and knockback (1.05× → 1.02×), making them harder to separate.
• The partner climber's AI behavior has been adjusted.
• Dash attack:
  • The outer hitbox has been extended forward (Y offset: 5u → 5u—7.5u), increasing its range.
  • It has increased hitlag (1× → 1.2×), allowing both climbers' dash attacks to connect more reliably.
• Down smash has more base knockback (45 → 50).
• Squall Hammer sweetspots edges earlier (frame 61/63 → 55/57).
• Belay:
  • Belay has increased tether recovery distance.
  • The player is no longer prevented from using the move if it is automatically used by the partner climber.

13.0.1

• Down smash has higher knockback scaling (100 → 105 (Popo), 120 → 126 (Nana)).
• Dash attack has less startup (frame 11 → 9, FAF 42 → 40).
• Belay has less startup (frame 16 → 14).

Moveset

• Although the Ice Climbers have among the lowest traction in the game, their traction is completely unaffected by slippery terrain, such as ice. On slippery conditions, their traction becomes among the highest in the game.
• The following Ice Climber will taunt whenever the leader throws an opponent.
  • Additionally, when the leading Ice Climber is grabbed and/or thrown, the partner will panic.

For a gallery of the Ice Climbers' hitboxes, see here.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack		Right Sweep (右はらい) / Left Sweep (左はらい)	leader: 2% partner: 1.5%	A pair of one-two combo hooks with their hammers. A great "get-off-me" tool that inflicts exceptional damage for a neutral attack with both Ice Climbers to boot. It is extremely quick due to coming out on frame 4, and both hits have somewhat low ending lag. These traits make it effective for jab canceling or as an out of shield option. Both hits can also jab lock.
			leader: 3.5% partner 2.625%
Forward tilt		Side Strike (横たたき)	leader: 9% partner: 6.75%	Throw a horizontal straight roundhouse swipe with their hammers. It is quick, due to coming out on frame 9, possessing low ending lag and can be angled. Due to its high knockback growth, it is able to KO middleweights at around 80%-90% at the edge of Final Destination, with its incredible speed especially making it useful for burst KOing. Its impressive disjoint also makes it viable for spacing. This makes it a useful 2-framing and edgeguarding option when angled downwards.
Up tilt		Hammer Spin (くるくるハンマー, Spinning Hammer)	leader: 0.8% (hits 1 - 6), 4% (hit 7) partner: 0.6% (hits 1 - 6), 3% (hit 7)	Point their hammers straight up, then twirl them in circles over their heads in a buzzsaw-like manner. This creates a lingering hitbox that hits multiple times. Altogether, it deals excellent damage, making it useful for juggling and pressuring shields. It is an extremely versatile combo starter at low/medium percents, especially on fast-fallers, due to it coming out on frame 9 and possessing both low ending lag and disjointed range. It can follow up into a chain of up aerials at low precents, while it can follow up into Belay for a guaranteed KO combo at higher precents, especially out of Blizzard. It also covers the sizable portion of both the hammers and the upper portion of the Ice Climbers' bodies, which can give him protection above him and allows it to have usage as an anti-air tool despite its rather poor range, especially horizontally. The latter pratically forces the Ice Climbers to stand next to a grounded opponent to land the move in succession.
Down tilt		Shin Attack (スネたたき)	leader: 6% partner: 4.5%	Sweep their hammers across the ground in front of themselves while crouching. A steep semi-spike that functions extremely well as both a poking option in neutral and edgeguarding option, thanks to its quick start-up, impressive range, and low ending lag. In addition, it can KO middleweights at around 140% near the edge of Final Destination, and hits low enough to shield stab opponents with tall hurtboxes. It is fairly spammable due to coming out on frame 8 and possessing minimal ending lag. When coupled with its tripping potential, and the fact that the Ice Climbers' crouch allows him to dodge several attacks with high hitboxes, it can be a very useful set-up option especially after a crouch.
Dash attack		Dash Strike (ダッシュたたき)	leader: 6% partner: 4.5%	The Ice Climbers leap forward, lunging and ramming their hammers in front of themselves, similar to Palutena's dash attack. It has decent startup at frame 9 with a fairly long-lasting and disjointed hitbox, and deals vertical knockback to make it effective for initiating aerial pressure or aerial combos. It can also lead into cross-ups against shielding opponents and can KO middleweights at around 190%/165% on top of the mid/top platforms on Final Destination with high levels of rage, respectively. It also gives the Ice Climbers a substaintial speed-boost and covers good distance, making it reliable for approaching. While it can lead into cross-ups, it is punishable on shield due to its ending lag.
Forward smash		Stake Smash (クイ打ち)	leader: 12% partner: 9%	Based on their quintessential and original attack, the Hammer Slam, from Ice Climber. The Ice Climbers lift their hammers up, them smash them straight down to the ground. The animation is visually comparable to King Dedede's forward smash, albeit drastically quicker and lack shockwave-hitboxes. Due to becoming active at frame 11, it is disproportionately quick for a forward smash. It can be angled and the Ice Climbers slam their hammers at moderate distances, giving it deceptively good range. Its clean hitbox also deals respectable damage and has extremely high knockback growth, which makes it a powerful and reliable KOing option. It is among the strongest forward smashes in Ultimate. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights starting at around 70%. The late hitboxes share the amount of KO potential due to their knockback reminaing intact. However, the hitbox has a deceptively short duration compared to what it seems, and has noticeable ending lag (33 frames), making it unsafe on shield and punishable without wise usage. A powerful punishing option that is also capable of 2-framing reliably.
Up smash		Icicle Crasher (つらら割り)	leader: 11% (hammer), 9% (body) partner: 8.25% (hammer), 6.25% (body)	An overhead hammer-swing in a wide arc. It can hit behind the Ice Climbers, while its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has extremely high knockback growth akin to forward smash, KOing middleweights at around 100% from anywhere on Final Destination. Has moderate startup and ending lag, coming out on frame 12 and possessing 32 frames of ending lag, which gives it decent interruptibility. Its impressive coverage and disjointed hitboxes make it useful as an out-of-shield or punishing tool against rolls or opponents with predictable landing options. Its late hitbox is noticeably weaker, but still boasts respectable KO power for an up smash, KOing middleweights at around 120% from anywhere on Final Destination.
Down smash		Hammer Sweep (足もと打ち, Leg Strike)	leader: 13% partner: 9.75%	Each Ice Climber individually sweep their hammers across the ground in specific directions (the leader sweeps in front, while the partner sweeps behind at the corresponding direction). If the partner is absent, however, the remaining Ice Climber will sweep in only a single direction. If both Ice Climbers are included during the stock, it hits in front of and behind the Ice Climbers. While not as dominating as it was in Brawl, it deals respectable damage and has extremely high knockback growth like their forward and up smashes. Due to hitting on frame 9, with the fastest startup among the duo's smash attacks, it is tied with Toon Link, Mii Gunner, Mii Gunner and Samus' down smashes for being the sixth-fastest smash attack of any kind in Ultimate. It launches diagonally with above-average power, KOing middleweights under 90% from anywhere on Final Destination. Additionally, it is a reliable 2-framing option that is very useful for edgeguarding as a result, as well as punishing rolls or opponent who approach the duo from behind. Due to it possessing 24 frames of ending lag and hitting on frame 9, it has the fastest interruptibility among all of the Ice Climbers' smash attacks.
Neutral aerial		Climber Turn (クライマーターン)	leader: 7% partner: 5.25%	Perform a horizontal somersaulting cartwheel with their hammers outstretched. Its minimal landing lag makes it a decent set-up option at low percents, especially for desyncs, or a tool for shield pressure when short hopped, while its high knockback growth makes it a decent anti-pressure and out of shield option. In addition, on Final Destination, it can KO middleweights under 185% at center stage and at around 150% at the ledge if hit cleanly. It has large hitboxes that cover most of the Ice Climbers' torsos, especially at the beginning, giving good protection and coverage around them. It can also edgeguard, combined with it having the second-lowest amount of ending lag out of the Ice Climbers' aerials. Due to the properties of the partner's neutral aerial it has the properties of a sex kick. It also auto-cancels in a short hop, making it effective for combos at lower precents. Due to coming out on frame 6, it has the fastest startup of the Ice Climbers' aerials, although this also makes it slightly slower in comparison to other sex kicks with comparable properties.
Forward aerial		Hammer Slam (ハンマードロップ, Hammer Drop)	leader: 12% partner: 12% (sweetspot), 9% (sourspot)	Rear their hammers backward, then perform a straight-somersaulting slam with their hammers downward in a manner similar to their forward smash. Due to coming out on frame 19, it has the slowest startup of the Ice Climbers' aerials, as well as having the highest amount of ending lag of 36 frames. However, it has above-average knockback scaling and excellent damage output, making it one of the strongest forward aerials in Ultimate. It deals enough knockback to KO middleweights at the center of Final Destination at around 130% and 35% earlier at the edge without rage, making it fairly efficient for edgeguarding despite its short duration. Its low landing lag also allows it to be used as set-up options into other moves, especially if meteor smashing an opponent. A versatile aerial that is good for combos both synced and desynced and edgeguarding, it is capable of connecting into itself for a wall of pain or a 2-frame punish in certain instances. It can also be used as an out-of-shield option if the Ice Climbers are too far to hit the opponent with neutral aerial or up aerial instead. Auto-cancels in a full hop. The partner's hammer provides a sweetspot that can meteor smash opponents.
Back aerial		Reverse Strike (ふりむきたたき)	leader: 10% partner: 7.5%	Perform a quick backfist with their hammers behind themselves. It quick startup lag, due to it coming out on frame 8. It can auto-cancel in a short hop and also deals the second-highest damage out of his aerials, and possesses excellent knockback growth, which make it a viable KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination, its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at around 105-110%, which is around the same KO percentages of the Ice Climbers' forward aerial. It also boasts good range due to its disjointed hitbox and its animation makes it unpredictable, which makes it a viable edge-guarding and 2-framing option, and makes it effective for a wall of pain, as well as a good approaching option in conjunction with a reverse aerial rush. It can also stage spike with proper usage, making it especially deadly off-stage. Both hits are extremely safe on shield, with the secondary climber's hit being one of the few moves that is positive on shield.
Up aerial		Overhead Sweep (頭上はらい)	leader: 9% partner: 6.75%	An overhead hammer-swing in a considerable arc. An excellent combo and juggling tool that can quickly rack up damage both desynced and synced, and can even function as a guaranteed KO confirm from down throw at around 70% on most characters. Comes out on frame 7, having the second-lowest startup of the Ice Climbers' aerials. It can also be used for continuing a combo due to its low landing lag. Can be used as an out-of-shield option if the opponent has a large enough hurtbox. Due to its impressive damage and knockback, it is the duo's strongest aerial, being powerful enough to KO middeweights at around 145% on Final Destination on grounded levels, making it a useful KO option after a full hop, or above platforms. It can auto-cancel in a short hop fast fall, like their other aerials minus forward and down aerials.
Down aerial		Hammer Swoop (急降下ハンマー)	leader: 8% partner: 6%	Hold their hammers below themselves and perform a double axe handle with them while falling downward. A stall-then-fall, though with a slower traveling speed than comparable attacks of its kind (it has the slowest falling momentum speed among all other stall-then-falls in Ultimate). Additionally, it is unable to meteor smash at all, unlike most attacks of its kind. The hitbox covers most of the Ice Climbers' underside, making it good for punishing opponents who attempt to juggle. It can be effectively used out of a short hop to attack opponents directly in front of the Ice Climbers, especially out of shield. While it can potentially cause the Ice Climbers to self-destruct while using it off-stage, their effective recovery, coupled with it having the lowest ending lag of the Ice Climbers' aerials and the move traveling slower than the other stall-then-falls makes this unlikely. The partner's down aerial is a steep semi-spike that can KO middleweights at around 165% at the center of Final Destination. While having a rather good auto-canceling window (being able to auto-cancel out of a full hop), and being good for edgeguarding, its usage offstage is only serviceable against characters with slow/linear or exploitable recoveries, as the leader's down aerial only starts KOing middleweights at around 185% on Final Destination at grounded levels with high rage. As a result, it typically has usage as a niche landing or out-of-shield option.
Grab		Grab (つかみ)	—	The leader reaches in front of themselves with their free hand. The leader's grabs have the shortest grabbing range in Ultimate, but are among the fastest in the game. In addition, due to tying with Mr. Game & Watch and Mii Gunner for having the second-shortest pivot dash, and their dash grab giving them a substantial speed-boost and long horizontal momentum, their dash and pivot grabs are especially effective. In addition, the duo's grabs are very rewarding due to the utility of the Ice Climbers' throws and desynching.
Pummel		Grab Headbutt (つかみ頭突き)	1%	A headbutt. The partner takes no action at all. It inflicts average damage, but is among the fastest pummels in the game, with its speed being comparable to Kirby and Sheik's pummels.
Forward throw		Hockey Shot (ホッケーショット)	3% (hit), 5% (throw)	A hockey shot. Its moderately high base knockback makes it a viable option for tech-chasing and forcing the opponent off-stage to start edge-guards. If desynced, the partner can follow-up with a forward aerial or forward smash during forward throw's animation for a guaranteed KO confirm. It also has decent knockback growth, allowing it to KO middleweights at about 192% by the edge of Final Destination with high rage.
Back throw		Snowy Mountain Throw (雪山投げ)	6%	The leader heaves the opponent behind themselves in an arc, bouncing them off the ground. Its high base knockback allows it to set up edgeguards, while its somewhat low ending lag makes it versatile for combos both synced and desynced. However, its high launching angle prevents it from having true follow-ups or forcing the opponent off-stage at a unfavorable position at all, while its high base knockback prevents it from leading into true KO confirms at higher precents. Additionally, due to its low knockback growth, minimal damage output, combined with it launching at a very high angle, it lacks notable KO potential, not KOing at all until well past 500% even with unoptimal DI.
Up throw		Grab Icicle Crasher (つかみつらら割り)	3% (hit), 5% (throw)	The leader heaves the opponent overhead before swinging their hammer overhead in an arc, bashing them and launching them upward. It has the second-highest base knockback of all up throws at the expense of having weakest knockback growth among all up throws in Ultimate. Although lacks much versatility compared to down throw in terms of follow-up potential, it is useful for comboing and quick air-to-ground transitions, leading to up aerial and rarely neutral aerial at 0% to medium precents, and Belay at around high precents for KO combos. It also leads to access of juggling with chains of up aerials, and can KO at extremely high precents near the upper blast zone.
Down throw		Avalanche Crusher (なだれつぶし)	6%	A powerbomb. Due to its high knockback growth, it has the highest KO potential out of the Ice Climbers' throws, as it KOs middleweights at around 185% on Final Destination with rage. However, it deals the lowest base knockback among the duo's throws, which makes KO attempts with it best suited for later instead of earlier. It is also excellent for starting or extending combos, especially when desynced or synced. It can lead into neutral aerial from 0% to low precents, or Belay or up aerial at high precents for guaranteed KO combos. It can also lead into a chain of up aerials for juggling or racking up damage early. Due to these collective factors, this throw is considered among the best factors of the Ice Climbers' grab game.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			leader: 7% partner: 5.25%	The Ice Climbers spin 360°, thrusting their hammers around themselves while getting up.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			leader: 7% partner: 5.25%	The Ice Climbers sweep their hammers in quick arcs from back to forth while getting up.
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			leader: 5% partner: 3.75%	The Ice Climbers sweep their hammers in a straight line while getting up in a similar manner to their back floor attack.
Edge attack Edge getups			leader: 8% partner: 6%	The Ice Climbers climb up and slam their hammers in front of themselves in a straight line.
Neutral special		Ice Shot	3.5-2.2% (ice chunks), 3.5% (hammers)	Each Ice Climber summon a small stalagmite of ice and knock it straight-forward with their hammer, causing it to slide along the ground, gradually shrinking as it travels. It bounces off walls and shields. The ice can freeze the opponents at high percents. Unlike most projectiles, the ice functions more like a container or soccer ball in that the incoming projectile is completely stop, allowing the Ice Climbers to counter most projectile-spamming playstyles more easily. At extremely high percents, it can also freeze opponents, allowing the usage of setups or reads. It stuns the opponent long enough to make it viable for edgeguarding or gimping vulnerable recoveries. However, similar to King Dedede's Gordo Throw, the ice can easily be reflected with an attack that deals damage. If done so, the projectile's ownership will change, allowing it to harm the Ice Climbers if collided with. The first midair usage will pop the Ice Climbers up slightly.
Side special		Squall Hammer	both: 2.2% (loop), 4% (last) leader: 1.3% (loop), 2% (last) partner: 0.975% (loop), 1.5% (last)	The Ice Climbers stand back-to-back while spinning around an axis with their hammers outstretched, hitting opponents multiple times. The attack is concluded with them ramming their hammers upward, which launches the opponents upward. By repeatedly tapping the special input, the Ice Climbers will rise in the air, allowing them to recover. This, however, also renders them helpless after Squall Hammer's performance. If only a solo-climber is present, the move inflicts less damage and reduced knockback, and gains less height. However, Solo Squall Hammer stalls the remaining Ice Climber's gravity with excessive button mashing. Squall Hammer is a prime key factor as a method to begin desyncs, and can trap opponents between each Ice Climber once a desync is achieved. Similar to Bowser Jr.'s Clown Kart Dash, it covers impressive horizontal distance in a short and quick amount of time (covering nearly the full length of Final Destination), allowing them to alleviate their poor approach and overall sluggish movement, especially in the air. The final hit is strong enough to KO middleweights at around 159% near the top blast zones on Final Destination without rage. As a result of these collective factors, Squall Hammer is one of the duo's most versatile tools in their kit.
Up special		Belay	16% (partner)	The leading Ice Climber flings the partner the air with a rope at a considerable height, slamming into opponents during the process. After covering enough distance, the partner pulls the leader upwards at an even greater distance. If nearing a ledge, the partner will immediately target it, and then proceed to pull the leader to the ledge as well. During the entire duration of Belay, the partner has an invincibilityframe -window upon startup and the period the hitbox is out until it dissipates, allowing for a safe recovery for both Ice Climbers. This also lets the Ice Climbers perform a pseudo-counterattack against almost all attacks that hit the Ice Climbers during startup, which makes it good for interrupting aerial approaches or attacks. The raduis of the tether grabbox is also Additionally, the following Ice Climber possesses a hitbox that deals powerful vertical knockback and high damage, dealing enough knockback to KO grounded middleweights at 140% on Final Destination, though it is rather difficult to use as a combo finisher due to the difficulty of aiming the partner. Without a partner, the move will grant essentially no distance. In addition, if the partner collides with an opponent or the hitbox gets out-prioritized, Belay's distance will reduce, similar to PK Thunder 2. Each Ice Climber becomes helpless after Belay's usage.
Down special		Blizzard	both: 1% (far loop), 1.8% (close loop)	The Ice Climbers blow a stream of frigid/cold air from their palms in front of themselves, potentially freezing opponents. If using Blizzard on an already frozen opponent, they will remain frozen for a longer duration. If both Ice Climbers are present, this move can deal a maximum of 31.5%. As the name implies, it freezes opponents in their tracks, making it reliable for set-ups and follow-ups, and deals significant amounts of damage at point-blank proximity. Using the attack while an opponent is already frozen increases the freeze-time slightly and can allow the duo to make space between them and their opponent if need be, or tack on extra damage while frozen. Specifically, this move is very useful when near the ledge, as freezing an opponent near the edges of a stage can make it easy to nudge them off and near the lower blast zone without any means to escape, making it especially deadly in ledge-trapping and edgeguarding. It also has priority over some other projectiles and can cancel them if the two collide.
Final Smash		Iceberg	13% (peak, rising), 11%/9%/7% (iceberg), 16% (Polar Bear), 5% (Condor)	The Ice Climbers high-five each other and raise their arms up, summoning a rotating and giant iceberg to rise up from the center of the stage. If only a single Ice Climber initiates the Final Smash, the leading Ice Climber spins, lifts their hammer up while raising it. For the duration of the Final Smash, it can be directed left and right. The range of how far it can move is shown by the mist. The iceberg deals damage to opponents who touch it: the closer they are towards the peak, the more damage they receive. Towards the base of the iceberg is a Polar Bear, which has high launching power. A Condor also appears, flying above, which the Ice Climbers can grab onto. This allows the iceberg to be more easily controlled without worry of self destruction, although the partner will be at risk of potentially being pushed offstage if they fail to grab it. Upon ending, the iceberg will lower itself, and the Condor will fly off to the side of the stage.

Announcer call

This article could use additional or higher-quality audio files. The editor who added this tag suggests: Needs announcer calls from other languages. If you have a good audio file for this article, upload it here.

• English

• Japanese/Chinese

• Korean

On-screen appearance

• The Condor flies in with the Ice Climbers hanging off its feet. Upon reaching the foreground, the duo then jump off while high-fiving each other, and the Condor flies off the stage.

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  Ice Climbers' on-screen appearance

Taunts

• Up taunt: The duo set down their hammers and jump excitedly and victoriously once. Originates from their victory animation during the results screen in the Ice Climber NES game, albeit without the flag.
• Side taunt: The duo point their hammers diagonally upward and shout "Yup!" in triumph, as the wind blows behind them. Similar to Ness' side taunt, as well as how baseball players perform it, indicating they are hitting a home-run.
• Down taunt: The duo dance playfully in a circle, similar to King Dedede's down taunt.

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  Ice Climbers' up taunt.

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  Ice Climbers' side taunt.

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  Ice Climbers' down taunt.

Idle poses

• The Ice Climbers twirl their hammers.
• Each Ice Climber look behind themselves curiously.

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  Ice Climbers' first idle pose

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  Ice Climbers' second idle pose

Crowd cheer

	Cheer (English)	Cheer (Japanese/Chinese)	Cheer (Italian)	Cheer (Dutch)	Cheer (French)
Cheer
Description	I scream, you scream, Ice Climb - ers!	Ice Climb - er!	Na - na! Po - po!	Ice - Ice - Climbers!	Na - na! Po - po!

	Cheer (German)	Cheer (Spanish)	Cheer (Russian)	Cheer (Korean)
Cheer
Description	Na - na! Pe - pe!	Naaaa - na! Poooo - po!	Nana! Popo!	Eol - eum Ta - gi!

Victory poses

• Left: The Ice Climbers perform a series of indefinite and victorious jumps with joy. Based on their victory animation during the results screen in the Ice Climber NES game, similar to their up taunt.
• Up: Both nod and high-five one another, with Popo chanting "Yup!" before facing the camera while smiling.
• Right: Nana hides behind Popo, only showing her face as Popo shifts from left to right while his arms are positioned next to his hips.

A flourished remix directly from Brawl. It is the second half of the track that plays when Popo or Nana grab the feet of the Condor at the end of a bonus stage in Ice Climber.

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In competitive play

Most historically significant players

See also: Category:Ice Climbers players (SSBU)

•  Big D - The best Ice Climbers player of all-time and the only Ice Climbers player ever ranked top 100 on a global ranking, ranking as high as 19th on the UltRank 2022.
•  Harasen - One of the best Ice Climber players in Japan since mid-2022, although he has lower activity and peaks than FNKA. He has placed well at several majors, including placing 13th at the supermajor Umebura SP 9 and 25th at the supermajor DELTA 4.
•  Futari no Kiwami Ah~! - One of the all-time best Ice Climbers players in Japan who uses a more synced playstyle. Although inconsistent, he has the highest peaks out of any other Japanese Ice Climbers player, placing 5th at the majors Kagaribi 8 and Seibugeki 12.
•  Kie - Co-mains Ice Climbers with Peach and was considered the best Ice Climbers player in Japan during the early metagame. Placed 2nd at Sumabato SP 3, 3rd at Sumabato SP 4, 4th at Sumabato SP 15, 7th at Sumabato SP 2, and 25th at Umebura Japan Major 2019. Ranked 52nd on the Japan Player Rankings.
•  murasat - Known for his contributions to the Ice Climbers metagame. Although his performance isn't as good as other Japanese Ice Climbers players, he has still seen some respectable results including 25th at the superregionals Kagaribi and Seibugeki 8.

Tier placement and history

Prior to Ultimate's release, players were quick to notify that the Ice Climbers lost their most devastating attributes from Brawl and Melee: their infamous zero-to-death chain grabbing and wobbling, respectively. When combined with the changes to gameplay-based mechanics during the transition from Brawl to Ultimate that either heavily impaired or altogether removed several of their infamous tactics, this caused players to believe that the Ice Climbers wouldn't be viable, a belief that held on throughout the early metagame.

Upon Ultimate's release, the Ice Climbers' competitive perception, which was estimated to be poor, has dwindled even further and, in turn for worse, became more problematic than most would think. Several of the cast have immediately acknowledged their retained weakness (which have also been more pronounced): the infamous difficulty of maintaining both climbers in a single stock, the partner's vulnerability, their steep learning curve, poor endurance, slow aerial mobility, their vulnerability to camping and the severe handicaps brought to the leader if the partner dies during the stock, as well as the removal of several quirky combos and zero-to-deaths involving the partner from previous installments. As such, the Ice Climbers’ representation was minuscule, and all the players who mained the duo in Brawl have completely dropped them in favour of other characters. As a result, the general consensus have widely perceived them to be either low or bottom-tier.

A few months after release, the duo's playerbase and competitive scene started to make surprising breakthroughs: with the few that stuck with them discovering new desynching setup and damaging combos, as well as new versatile zero-to-deaths off of desyncs. In turn, players such as Big D, Kie, murasat, Daiki and ???? have picked up the duo, received excellent results in tournaments using the character; the former, in particular, have mastered the duo enough to the point that the Ice Climbers can beat almost every match-up across the board once their desynced zero-to-deaths has been pulled off out of a grab. As a result, the Ice Climbers' improving results have gradually improved the community's perception on the duo, with the general consensus believing that the Ice Climbers are either upper mid-tier or high-tier at least, like in their days of Melee, which is a notable improvement compared to their initial low-tier status. Overall, the Ice Climbers remain as characters that should not be underestimated, although not to the extent of Melee and Brawl, ranking 56th on the first and current tier list.

Classic Mode: Duos for Days

Ice Climbers' congratulations screen.

Referencing themselves being duos and as the name implies, Ice Climbers fight a pair of certain iconic characters from a given universe in each stage. To go with the dual theme, both Master Hand and Crazy Hand are fought regardless of the difficulty.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music
1	Link and Zelda	Great Plateau Tower	Main Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2	Ryu and Ken	Suzaku Castle	Ryu Stage
3	Villager and Isabelle	Smashville	Title Theme - Animal Crossing: Wild World (Brawl)
4	Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong	Jungle Japes	Jungle Level (Melee)
5	Palutena and Pit	Palutena's Temple	Title Theme - Kid Icarus
6	Mario and Peach	Princess Peach's Castle	Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros.
Bonus Stage
Final	Master Hand and Crazy Hand	Final Destination	Master Hand / Crazy Hand

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as the Ice Climbers has Ice Climber (Brawl) accompany the credits.

Role in World of Light

Finding the Ice Climbers in World of Light

Although the Ice Climbers are absent from World of Light's opening cutscene nor were they among the fighters summoned to the cliffside to assist in defeating an army of Master Hands, the duo were vaporized and both later placed under Galeem's imprisonment alongside the rest of the fighters (excluding Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light and engulfed the universe in his image.

By taking the north-eastern route of the village where Lucas is unlocked, the Ice Climbers are unlocked in the southern portion of the frozen mountain. Unlocking them eliminates the icy paths so they can be traversed in both directions, as well as opening a path to the hidden forest, making them one of the obligatory characters who must be unlocked to complete the mode.

Later on, the fighters make their last stand against Galeem and Dharkon, with the Ice Climbers among them.

Fighter Battle

No.	Image	Name	Type	Power	Stage	Music
15		Ice Climbers	Grab	7,500	Summit (Ω form)	Ice Climber (Brawl)

Spirit

The Ice Climbers' fighter spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Ice Climbers have been unlocked. Unlocking the Ice Climbers in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Their fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with their artwork in Ultimate.

Additionally, the eggplant that used to represent the Ice Climbers series as its emblem, the first vegetable to appear in the game, appears as a support spirit.

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  606. Ice Climbers

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  609. Eggplant

In Spirit Battles

Conditions in italic aren't listed on the Spirit Battle preview screen.

As the main opponents

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
114		Freezie	Mario Bros. Series	•Ice Climbers		1,600	Mario Bros. (Battlefield form)	•Item: Freezie	•The enemy starts the battle with a Freezie	Mario Bros.
373		Mr. Frosty	Kirby Series	•Ice Climbers (80 HP)		2,200	Dream Land (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Ice Floor	•The floor is frozen •The enemy's ice and water attacks have increased power •Stamina battle	Ice Cream Island
457		Lapras	Pokémon Series	•Ice Climbers		3,800	Wuhu Island (Rocks at sea)	•Buoyancy Reduced	•You can't swim	Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue Medley
531		Kyurem	Pokémon Series	•Ice Climbers		4,700	Summit (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Ice Floor	•The floor is frozen •Timed battle (1:30) •The enemy favors special moves	Battle! (Reshiram / Zekrom)
860		Cyrus & Reese	Animal Crossing Series	•Ice Climbers		9,400	Smashville	•Item Tidal Wave •Hazard: Low Gravity	•Gravity is reduced •Certain items will appear in large numbers after a little while	2:00 a.m. - Animal Crossing: Wild World	Reese (Nana), Cyrus (Popo)
878		Ice Man	Mega Man Series	•Ice Climbers (140 HP)		4,600	Summit (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Ice Floor	•The floor is frozen •The enemy's ice and water attacks have increased power •The enemy has super armor and is hard to launch or make flinch •Stamina battle	Ice Man Stage
1,099		Duon	Super Smash Bros. Series	•Giant Ice Climbers (150 HP)		4,100	Halberd (Ship deck)	•Item: Shooting Types	•Stamina battle •The enemy's shooting items have increased power •The enemy is giant	Boss Battle Song 1	Duon's gun side (Nana) and sword side (Popo)
1,137		Olaf	Advance Wars Series	•Ice Climbers		2,200	Summit (Battlefield form)	•Move Speed ↓ •Hazard: Ice Floor	•The floor is frozen •You have reduced move speed after a little while •The enemy starts the battle with a Steel Diver	Filled with Hope
1,308		Caroline & Justine	Persona Series	•Ice Climbers		9,700	Kalos Pokémon League (hazards off)	•Sudden Damage	•You take serious damage after a little while •Timed battle (1:00)	Aria of the Soul

As minions

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
607		Condor	Ice Climber Series	•Ridley (80 HP) •Ice Climbers (80 HP)		4,500	Summit (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Ice Floor	•Defeat the main fighter to win •The floor is frozen •Timed stamina battle (1:00)	Ice Climber (Brawl)	Ice Climbers

Alternate costumes

Their 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th costumes swap Popo and Nana, making Nana controllable. The stock icons and character select portraits change to reflect this. Popo and Nana act separately in terms of their costume's color.

Gallery

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  Ice Climbers' amiibo.

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  Ice Climbers' fighter card.

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  Ice Climbers' unlock notice.

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  Ice Climbers on Magicant.

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  Attacking a Metroid with Blizzard on Final Destination.

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  Nana grabbed by the Arcade Bunny's claw on Wii Fit Studio.

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  Striking Captain Falcon with Squall Hammer on Summit.

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  Popo performing his forward smash on Kongo Falls.

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  Performing their neutral aerial on Spirit Train.

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  Taunting on Skyloft.

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  With Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, Samus, Pit, Villager and Inkling on Battlefield.

Trivia

• The Ice Climbers and R.O.B. are the only fighters that cannot receive a series bonus, since they lack primary spirits from their own series.
  • Prior to the update 10.1.0, Cloud also shared this distinction.
• One of the Ice Climbers' preview pictures depict them using Blizzard against a Metroid, referencing the species' weakness to cold in the Metroid series.
• When the leading climber is grabbing and pummeling an opponent, the partner's animation will lag for every pummel-hit.
• Hitting the accompanying Ice Climber will not cause controllers to shake if the vibration setting is turned on. This applies to everything from normal attacks, throws, or Final Smashes.
• When played on the world-map for World of Light, only the leading Ice Climber appears.
• The Ice Climbers can be unlocked early in more than one method, by either completing Link's Classic Mode twice, being unlocked after King K. Rool or by playing VS. matches (and restarting the game as well) and being the 10th characters unlocked. Altogether, the Ice Climbers are among the first characters in the roster to be unlocked.
• The Ice Climbers being unlocked in Link's Classic Mode column might reference either Link climbing a huge icy mountain in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (the Ice Climbers' prime hobby) or both of their games were playable on the Nintendo Entertainment System consoles.
• Kirby is featured in the celebration screen for the Ice Climbers' Classic Mode route, in place of Nana's face. This might reference that the Ice Climbers have a somewhat identical appearance to Kirby.
• The Ice Climbers, Kirby, Pac-Man and Jigglypuff have similar tumbling animations to each other: spinning clockwise in a circle while falling and facing the screen with their arms outstretched and a winced/scared expression. Their tumbling animation is a reference to the duo's dying animation in Ice Climber, where they fall at the bottom of the screen after a brief moment of freezing by touching an enemy.
  • Jigglypuff might be an exception, since it doesn't have the similar kind of expression Pac-Man, Kirby and the Ice Climbers have while tumbling.
• If the partner is caught in a non-cutscene trapping Final Smash (such as Triforce Slash, Great Aether, or Omnislash) and the leader is KO'd, the partner will disappear, leaving the opponent attacking nothing. A similar situation occurs in Brawl.
• When getting hit from behind, the Ice Climbers' back-hitting/wall-bouncing "hitstun" animation causes them to freeze for a brief moment before going into their tumbling animation. This is due to additional frames being added past the final point of the animation.
  • The animation itself mimics how hitstun animations worked from Smash 64 to Brawl.
  • The freeze itself is a reference to the duo's dying animation in Ice Climber, in which they freeze for a brief moment after touching an enemy.
• When navigating the camera around the Ice Climbers during certain animations, such as their ledge-hanging animations, the fur trim on the bottom of their coats and around their wrists seem to detach from their jacket, exposing multiple gaps. There are also gaps when looking at their face at certain angles between the fur trim.
  • Additionally, zooming in on Popo's face reveals a gap between his hair and fur trim.
  • Also, looking closely at Nana's hair reveals a small gap underneath between her hair and forehead.
• In a Stock or Stamina battle, if the leading Ice Climber gets KO'd, the vanishing effects of the partner do not appear whenever the leader respawns.
• The Ice Climbers, Banjo & Kazooie, and Pyra/Mythra's routes all share the same theme, facing dynamic character-duos as opponents.
• If one looks closely at one of the Ice Climber's non-leading feet during their wall jump teching animation, it twists the other way during the move. This can be more easily seen if the match is currently slowed down.
• While most other characters have the announcer say "(character) wins!" at the victory screen, the Ice Climbers have the announcer say "Ice Climbers win!" The "(character) win!" audio-clip is typically reserved for the Japanese version, though it is most likely used with the Ice Climbers because of their two-in-one nature and name. Rosalina & Luma and Banjo & Kazooie also share this distinction.
  • In Spanish, French, German, and Italian, the name-tag and voice-clip from the announcer on the victory screen is slightly different from the one used on the character selection screen, instead featuring a noticeable translation of "the" (los, les, die, and gli Ice Climbers, respectively). This trait is shared with Wii Fit Trainer, Pokémon Trainer, Villager, Inkling, Hero, Zombie, Enderman, and the Mii Fighters.
• In the Ice Climbers' battle portrait, the following Ice Climber is positioned slightly lower than they are in their full artwork, in order to make their face fully visible. Banjo & Kazooie are the only other fighter with such an edit.
• The Ice Climbers and Lucas are the only playable characters who use sprites as their Fighters Spirit image.
• The AI level for the following Ice Climber (Nana by default) is 77 out of 100, which is slightly higher than a level-8 CPU (75 out of 100); the non-standard number is likely a pun on Nana's name, as one of the ways to say seven in Japanese is "なな (nana)".
• While most characters have two different sets of knockback-based voice-clips, the Ice Climbers are the only exception to this rule as they use either their low or high knockback-based voice-clips or remain silent, regardless of their knockback speed.
  • Additionally, the Ice Climbers are the only characters that retain their voice-clips from Brawl, but do not reprise their unused knockback-based voice-clips, a trait shared with Link, Captain Falcon, and Ganondorf from Smash 4.
    • When Popo is the leader, they vocalize their medium and one of the heavy knockbacks based on a small probability. Both are missing a light knockback and 1 heavy knockback, which goes unused in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and also in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
• The Ice Climbers' voice-clips sound similar to Kirby's. For example, Popo's high knockback-based and first KO voice-clips sound similar to one of Kirby's voice-clips when taking high knockback, as well as his alternate KO sound from SSB4, and Nana's ledge-grabbing voice-clip sounds similar to Kirby's voice-clip when grabbing a ledge.
• The Ice Climbers are the only characters who have fewer dash-to-run frames when performing a pivot dash instead of a regular dash.
• When playing on a custom stage, there is a visual glitch in the Ice Climber's on-screen appearance where the Condor does not disappear and only does so once "GO!" appears on the screen.
• If both Ice Climbers perform a smash attack with the Home-Run Bat, Nana will vocalize first, which is during the windup rather than before the swing. This is a carryover from Brawl, where all characters will grunt during the windup animation. This is shared with Falco.
• If Nana is the leader, the Ice Climbers' knockback-based voice-clips won't play for unknown reasons.
• The Ice Climbers' description on the North American amiibo website is based on their trophy description from Melee.
• Uniquely, instead of being supported by a clear stand on their amiibo, the Ice Climbers are instead supported by a blue iceberg, which is not present in their official render. The only other characters to have a distinction present in their amiibo that is not present in their official artwork are Mr. Game & Watch (interchangeable poses), Ridley (plastic impact effect), Joker (plastic flame support), Banjo & Kazooie (plastic Jiggy support), and Min Min (plastic gust support).
• The Ice Climbers are the only characters who wield weapons at all times to be affected by stance mirroring.
• The Ice Climbers seen in Sora's reveal trailer after everyone has been turned back into trophies are actually two Popos.
• During Palutena's Guidance regarding the Ice Climbers, Pit assumes that their absence in SSB4 was due to illegal teaming. This dialogue is a humorous reference to the Ice Climbers being cut due to the consistent technical issues that Masahiro Sakurai and the development team faced when attempting to make them function properly in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
• When functioning as the following climber, Popo and Nana are the only characters capable of dashing through other characters in Ultimate.
• When one Ice Climber gets KO'd off the top blast line, the other Ice Climber has a greater chance of being KO'd in the same manner. For example, if the leader were to get Screen KO'd, the partner likely would as well, instead of the typical completely randomized chance.
• If Sephiroth performs Shadow Flare against the AI-controlled Ice Climber, they will flinch and take the initial damage, but the shadowy orbs that normally follow from this attack will not appear.