This article is about Charizard's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For other uses, see Charizard. Also, for information about Charizard in regards to Pokémon Trainer, see Pokémon Trainer (SSBU), Squirtle (SSBU), and Ivysaur (SSBU).
Charizard (リザードン, Lizardon) is a character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Unlike in Super Smash Bros. 4, Charizard is no longer a standalone character, and is back under the Pokémon Trainer’s control. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Along with the Pokémon Trainer, Charizard is classified as fighter #35.
Shin'ichirō Miki reprises his voiced role as Charizard in all regions, providing new clips.
Charizard deviates from the other super heavyweight characters in mobility. Its ground game provides extensive utility courtesy of its high initial dash and run speed. Also, its normals such as forward tilt and neutral attack are supplemented by skid canceling. Its high traction and quick out-of-shield options like neutral attack and up smash suit its close-quarters combat well. Up smash hits on frame 6, KOs at reliable percents, and functions as an effective juggling and anti-air tool alongside up tilt.
Charizard's neutral air is a multi-purpose tool that is useful at starting and extending combos, juggling, edge guarding opponents, and helping Charizard land. It is capable of stringing into itself, forward air, and back air, especially out of a fast fall. Its forward air is fast (frame 8) and has considerable power as a combo finisher and KO tool. Up air renders Charizard's head intangible and is one of the strongest in the game, making it a reliable juggling tool and finisher. It is also a makeshift combo starter at low to middle percent ranges. Back air's power cannot be understated; it features extensive disjoint and a wide diagonal arc that overpowers opponents above and behind Charizard. Down air's sweet spot hitbox is large and powerful, allowing it to easily meteor smash opponents on the ledge and KO at low percents.
Charizard's grab game is highly flexible, being capable of setting up combos and positioning the opponent, as well as outright KOing them. Having minimal ending lag, back throw is a versatile combo tool that leads to the likes of forward air, back air, and reverse neutral air. It positions the opponent off-stage at higher percents as well. Down throw fills the combo starter role like back throw, though it is much less effective. Forward throw has higher knockback than back throw, being able to set up edge guards and ledge traps earlier, as well as KO'ing at higher percents. Up throw works as a last-resort KO option at 150% and above, or earlier on stages with platforms.
Of Charizard's special moves, Flamethrower sees the most utility, having a long range and being able to angle up or down. It pressures opponents to approach, counteracts weak projectiles, and is a useful ledge-trapping move. Fly has super armor at its startup, not only granting Charizard a safer recovery but also a reliable option out of parry against attacks with multiple hits. Flare Blitz is a strong hard-punish attack that effectively tech chases opponents and inflicts significant damage and knockback.
Overall, Charizard's main benefits include its robust advantage state, damage-racking capabilities, and KO potential. It can build significant damage from just a few hits thanks to its high returns from its combos and strings, mainly out of its back throw. Charizard is the most advantaged when it is below the opponent. Its neutral air, up tilt, up smash, and back air are disjointed and cover wide arcs against opponents above it. Charizard also comes with respectable edgeguarding and ledge-trapping abilities. Flamethrower covers many get-up options when adequately spaced, and the player can punish them on reaction with down smash, up smash, forward tilt, or neutral air. Forward tilt (angled downwards) and down smash are also capable of hitting characters at the ledge.
Charizard's neutral game is considered mediocre. Flamethrower's decay prevents it from being usable for a long time, and its few safe-on-shield options, such as back air, neutral air, and forward tilt, require precise spacing and timing for the highest benefit. Its moveset contains several flaws that offset its strengths, including forward air not being able to autocancel out of a short hop. Thus, its moveset requires high commitment, resulting in heavy reliance on movement and reads to control the tempo of the game. While Charizard can maintain a strong advantage state, its moveset is built to cover paths the opponent is taking instead of juggling them aggressively. Charizard’s biggest weakness is against characters that can rush it down with combos such as Squirtle, Mario, Palutena, Lucina, and Corrin, as its few combo-breaking moves are either too risky or too slow to be consistent in this application.
All in all, Charizard is a well-rounded super heavyweight but has the weakest auto-pilot of the three Pokémon in the Pokémon Trainer's party. It must rely on sheer mobility and player interaction and must work around the glaring problems its moveset contains. Charizard can function both offensively and defensively in the neutral, but it is up to the player to find the most advantageous position in this spectrum. Once it gains advantage, it must capitalize on the opponent's mistakes to the greatest extent for the highest return. While Charizard is fully functional as an individual fighter like Squirtle and Ivysaur, it is the Pokémon of choice at 120% and above. Its high weight lets it survive blows that would otherwise be fatal to Squirtle and Ivysaur. Also, especially with rage, many of its attacks have the KO power required to swiftly finish an opponent already weakened by the other two Pokémon.
Charizard can be considered the best super heavyweight in the game as its Trainer can call on it when its strength, endurance, and recovery are needed and remove it from situations that exploit the weaknesses it shares with fighters of its weight class. While Charizard requires more skill and prediction to use to its full potential than Squirtle and Ivysaur, Pokémon Trainers that have mastered the Flame Pokémon will be rewarded significantly with the options that it brings to the table.
If the player wishes to centralize their gameplan around Charizard, knowledge of Squirtle is recommended. It excels in areas where Charizard tends to be weak (combos, evasion, and frame data) and can be used most effectively in situations where Charizard would struggle, especially in racking up damage and avoiding enemy combos at low percents. Muscle memory with Squirtle can supplement Charizard's own combo game and movement as well.
Previously the standalone character in Smash 4 representing the trio of Pokémon in Brawl, Charizard now returns as part of the Pokémon Trainer's crew. As expected, it has kept many of its changes from Smash 4, and has also retained its function as the fastest and hardest-hitting member of the Pokémon Trainer's party. In the transition to Ultimate, Charizard has received a mix of buffs and nerfs; while it was initially ambiguous to whether it was buffed or nerfed since both buffs and nerfs were equally notable, game updates have provided Charizard with useful buffs that have improved its options and fixed inconsistencies with its moveset. Because of this, Charizard has been buffed overall.
When it comes to its grounded moveset, most of Charizard's finishers have become much more reliable; forward tilt has a better hitbox placement and more knockback, forward smash deals more damage and knockback, some of up smash's hitboxes link more reliably and the second hit is faster and down smash no longer has sourspots. Charizard has also gained other finishers, with dash attack gaining more damage and knockback and forward throw dealing more knockback. Up tilt's hitbox also covers more horizontal range, improving its already decent anti-air potential. On the other hand, in terms of its aerial moveset, Charizard's neutral aerial has much less ending lag and its animation is faster, making it a more effective air-to-air option and combo extender, and back aerial has better vertical range that overlaps, making the move's dangerous sweetspot easier to land. Its special moveset has also seen some improvements, with Flare Blitz's hitbox now linking much more reliably into the explosion, which is stronger, and Fly's ascending hits linking much more reliably, making both more reliable.
The revamped game mechanics have brought mostly positive changes to Charizard. While the increased mobility has benefitted most characters, Charizard is one of the biggest recipients relative to the cast; its previously abysmal initial dash speed is now one of the fastest in the game (which allows Charizard to also benefit from the ability to use any attack out of a run), its air speed is now substantially faster compared to Smash 4, and its falling speed and fast falling speed are much higher, making it easier for Charizard to land while making its neutral game potentially more effective, and the universally faster jumpsquat significantly helps its buffed aerials. The changes to air dodges help Charizard overall, allowing it to use a directional air dodge to escape combos and juggling more easily, while not making it much more susceptible to edgeguarding due to its multiple jumps and faster air speed. Its increased mobility also allows Charizard to catch opponents that could abuse directional air dodging with more ease. Finally, the increased shieldstun has further improved Charizard's ground game, making its moves safer on shield when properly spaced, most notably its sweetspotted forward tilt and down tilt.
However, Charizard has also received equally notable nerfs, which particularly affect its former most effective tools. Neutral attack's third hit has shorter range and the first two hits can no longer jab cancel, and down throw had its combo potential mitigated due to receiving more ending lag; both latter changes also worsen Charizard's combo game. Notably, the removal of Rock Smash to make way for Pokémon Change has eliminated a previous landing option and shield-pressuring tool from its moveset. However, Pokémon Change can be considered a strength to Pokémon Trainer as an aggregate if the player wishes to eject Charizard from any given situation and take advantage of Squirtle's small size and combo game. Charizard's most notable nerf, however, is that forward aerial no longer autocancels in a short hop due to its faster falling speed and has reduced range on its furthest hitbox, which cripples one of Charizard's former most notable tools in the neutral game. Finally, while its higher fall speed has slightly improved Charizard's neutral game and landing issues, said change has also made it easier to combo.
Some of the changes to game mechanics have also hindered Charizard. The increased startup on grabs out of shield after blocking an attack has worsened Charizard's out of shield game (despite options such as up smash and Fly), and when combined with down throw's lost combo potential, Charizard's grab game has been worsened overall (though it still remains flexible). The universal reductions to landing lag have overall hindered Charizard, as they allow characters to space their moves on shield more easily, though while they have significantly improved its landing options (most notably its neutral, up and down aerials), some of Charizard's aerials still remain highly punishable; this change also further compounds the loss of forward aerial as an option in neutral, its slightly worsened out of shield game, and its vulnerability to combos.
Overall, both Charizard's strengths and weaknesses have been further defined, as while it has much better mobility and power, both points are now counterbalanced by new, gaping flaws in its moveset, such as a more polarized neutral game due to the streamlining of its previously most powerful tools and a higher vulnerability to combos. As such, while Charizard fares slightly better than he did in its solo appearance in SSB4 based on its direct changes, it is debatable how much Charizard has improved compared relative to the cast. However, given Pokémon Trainer's widely accepted top-tier standing, Charizard is particularly more useful as part of the aggregate Pokémon Trainer because it allows them to adapt to situations where its recovery, endurance and/or KO power are needed, and may now replace itself with Squirtle or Ivysaur in cases where Charizard's weaknesses can be exploited and Squirtle's or Ivysaur's cannot. This is especially true after patch 4.0.0, which nerfed some of the more notorious tools in Ivysaur's kit while buffing Charizard in return.
Charizard's model features a more subdued color scheme, more closely resembling its appearance in recent mainline Pokémon games. Its legs and arms are more defined, and the flame on its tail is more vibrant.
During normal matches, Charizard uses the Pokémon Trainer's stock icon, name call, and Boxing Ring title instead of having its own. However, it still has its own stock icon used in numerous situations, such as the Spirits mode, as a Classic Mode opponent, and during Mr. Game & Watch's down throw.
Charizard moves in a wave-like motion during its dash animation, similar to Lugia on the title screen for Pokémon SoulSilver. [1]
Charizard now hangs onto the ledge with one hand instead of two.
Charizard has two new taunts: one where it stands upright for its up taunt (similar to Ridley's down taunt), and another where it does a quick aerial flip and roars during its side taunt. Its former up taunt is now its down taunt.
While maintaining its Flare Blitz victory pose from Smash 4, Charizard regains its victory pose from Brawl where the Pokémon Trainer pets its neck, replacing the roaring victory pose from Smash 4.
Charizard's air speed is much higher (0.92 → 1.103).
Charizard has significantly higher traction (0.04 → 0.11), no longer being tied with Mewtwo for having the second lowest traction in the game. This allows it to punish opponents out of shield much more easily.
Charizard now has hurtboxes on the base of its wings.
Charizard's midair jumps' animations have been changed to be more distinguishable from each other.
Charizard's falling speed and fast falling speed are much faster (1.4 → 1.52) and (2.24 → 2.432) respectively. This makes it more prone to combos, but improves its tomahawk and overall neutral game.
Charizard once again possesses hurtboxes on its wings like in Brawl, making it easier to hit from above.
The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 10 → 7), which transitions into the third hit faster (frame 10 → 8), allowing the whole combo to connect more smoothly.
The first and second hits deal less damage (3% → 2.5% (hit 1), 4% → 2.5% (hit 2)).
The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Charizard, like other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect and jab lock more consistently, but removes their jab cancel setups against grounded opponents.
The last hit has fewer hitboxes, and the remaining hitboxes are smaller (6.5u/5.5u/5u/4u → 5u/4u/4u), reducing the attack range.
Charizard rears back in a more pronounced fashion during the ending lag of neutral attack's last hit.
Forward tilt has a new sweetspot hitbox on frame 12 that is centered in front of Charizard's tail, with the original sweetspot remaining intact. This makes the sweetspot larger and prohibits issues with the z-axis.
It has less ending lag (FAF 43 → 38).
It has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 11-13 → 12-13).
The sweetspot deals more knockback (40 base/100 scaling → 45/104).
Up tilt has an altered animation, with Charizard jumping higher and its wings spreading out more to its sides.
In addition to the hitbox above Charizard, it possesses new hitboxes covering its wings as they spread out. This increases the move's lateral range above Charizard, although due to the high placements of these hitboxes, it still cannot effectively hit grounded opponents at Charizard's sides.
It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 9-13 → 9-12).
It launches opponents slightly away from Charizard instead of towards it (96° → 78°/84°) and deals much less knockback (40 base/130 scaling → 50 base/80/85 scaling). It can no longer KO opponents below 200%, and the new angle and ending lag hurt the move's combo ability.
Due to Charizard gaining hurtboxes on its wings, the move is riskier to use as an anti-air option, as these hurtboxes extend upward during the active frames. This makes it easier for opponents' aerial attacks to trade with Charizard.
Charizard no longer breathes fire during forward smash's animation.
Forward smash deals more damage (17% → 19% (clean, late body), 14% → 16.4% (late head)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (94 → 91 (clean, late body), 86 (late head)). This considerably improves its KO potential.
Forward smash grants more intangibility (frames 22-25 → 20-24).
Up smash's second hit comes out more quickly (frame 17 → 14), allowing it to connect better from the first hit and giving the move faster interruptibility (FAF 49 → 47).
The outermost hitbox on the first hit now uses the 368° autolink angle instead of weakly meteor smashing them in place, allowing it to consistently link into the second hit.
Due to Charizard gaining hurtboxes on its wings, the move is riskier to use as an anti-air option, although to a much lesser extent compared to up tilt.
The knockback scaling and angles on down smash's hitboxes close to Charizard have been homogenized with the tipper hitboxes (KBG: 85 → 79; angle: 46° → 33°). Despite the move's lower knockback scaling, the more horizontal angle improves its KO ability.
Back aerial's animation has been rotated slightly to prevent issues with the z-axis. The last active frame is now directly behind Charizard, increasing the move's vertical range and enabling it to punish opponents from below.
Due to the Sakurai angle being lower, DI is less effective when back aerial hits an airborne opponent. This improves its KO potential.
The first active frame does not contain the 16% sweetspot.
Down aerial's lower landing lag alongside the removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes enable it to function as a potent combo starter onstage. The sweetspot also has a longer duration (frames 18-20 → 18-21).
The clean hit has received a sourspot on Charizard's body that does not meteor smash, making it slightly harder to use for edgeguarding. The late hit also has a shorter duration (frames 21-26 → 22-25).
It auto-cancels later (frame 41 → 42).
Its initial auto-cancel window has been lengthened (frames 1-4 → 1-5).
Down aerial's animation has been altered.
Down aerial's landing animation no longer causes Charizard's tongue to clip through its head.
Back throw releases opponents faster (frame 29 → 26), though with its interruptibility frames unchanged. This makes it harder to DI, but gives it more ending lag.
Despite this change, it has increased combo ability due to Charizard's much faster initial dash speed and jumpsquat.
Due to rage being changed to not affect hitboxes with set knockback, Fly no longer launches opponents away from the rest of the hits when Charizard has rage, allowing it to connect more reliably.
Since Charizard has returned to Pokémon Trainer's team, Rock Smash has been replaced with Pokémon Change.
It can now change places with Squirtle and Ivysaur to adapt to certain situations.
The removal of Rock Smash reduces Charizard's own defensive capabilities, hinders it's landing options and eliminates one of its finishers.
Pokémon Change is much faster, as it does not need to load the next Pokémon during every switch. The quicker switch time allows it to potentially combo into another Pokémon's moves, work akin to an air dodge, or supplement the Pokémon's recovery.
Pokémon Change can now be used in the air. Like in Brawl, it also offers brief intangibility upon switching out.
Pokémon Change now has a cooldown of 140 frames (2.33 seconds), which can be skipped via a special move or a taunt.
Charizard has been buffed in updates. The changes Charizard has received improve its damage output and ability to KO. In addition, Flare Blitz is able to grab the ledge substantially earlier, and neutral aerial is safer on shield and can combo into other moves more reliably out of fast fall.
Forward smash deals more damage (17% → 19% (clean, late body), 14% → 16.4% (late head)) with knockback scaling not fully compensated (94 → 91 (clean, late body), 86 (late head)).
Neutral aerial has a slightly longer hitbox duration (frames 8-19 → 8-20) and less landing lag (13 frames → 10).
Forward throw deals more knockback (60 base/65 scaling → 63/70).
Flare Blitz can snap to the ledge earlier (frame 54 → frame 45).
The outermost hitbox of up smash's first hit uses set angles instead of the 368° autolink angle.
The first hit has a different hitbox during its last active frame that uses the 368° angle, but deals no damage (5% → 0%), effectively providing no benefit over landing only the second hit.
Flare Blitz's first hit uses the autolink angle (60° → 366°), and has a higher hitlag multiplier if used in the air (0.1× → 0.7×), allowing it to connect more reliably into the explosion.
Fly's first hit has different angles (80°/98°/80°), deals less set knockback (140/140/130 → 120/80/115), and launches opponents in the direction Charizard is facing, while the looping hits use the autolink angle (72°/92°/82°/82° → 367°), allowing the move to connect more reliably.
Charizard swipes twice with its claws, then bats upward with its wing. Fast (frame 4) and having moderate range, it is reliable in close-quarters combat.
Swings its tail forward. The move has a sweetspot at the flaming tip of Charizard's tail. When sweetspotted, it has high knockback for a tilt attack, KOing middleweights at around 140% from the center of Final Destination. Having long-range and angling capabilities, forward tilt is an essential tool in the neutral game for spacing and approaching.
Jumps with its wings widespread, hitting with them from below. While it has decent vertical range, it is not an effective anti-air attack because the hurtboxes of its wings are vertically extended. In addition, it has very low priority, since it almost always clanks with weak attacks and loses against strong attacks. Lastly, it doesn't hit grounded opponents or ducking characters as easily.
A battering ram. It has long-range and launches at a semi-spike angle, which makes it useful for edgeguarding and tech chasing. However, it is unsuited for combos or KOing at conventional damage ranges. If it is blocked, even when unspaced, it cannot be shieldgrabbed by the majority of the cast, including Palutena and Bowser.
Charizard kicks forward. Dash attack has very high base knockback, and its power and long duration allow it to effectively punish cooldown and break zoning. The move KOs at high percents near the ledge.
Rears back its head and then performs a lunging headbutt. Very strong, with its sweetspot KOing middleweights under 70% from the center of Final Destination. It also renders Charizard intangible throughout its duration. However, it is extremely unsafe, hitting on frame 22 and suffering 45 frames of ending lag.
Charizard rears back and swings its wings upward twice in an overhead fanning motion. This is the fastest of Charizard's smash attacks and one of the fastest smash attacks in the game, hitting grounded opponents on frame 6 and aerial opponents on frame 7. The move has long-range and disjoint, and because up smashes cancel shield dropping, it is very useful not only as an anti-air attack but also out of shield. The move KOs in the 100%-120% range against most characters.
Charizard stomps the ground, creating a shock wave. It hits on both sides of Charizard and launches at a semi-spike angle, making it potent for edgeguarding. However, it has slow startup and extremely high ending lag.
Somersaults forward, striking with its tail. Its sweetspot is at the flaming tip of Charizard's tail. It can auto-cancel in a short hop and quickly hits all around Charizard. Has strong combo potential (especially when used while landing) and gimping potential. It is also a satisfactory landing option. At its fastest, neutral air hits behind Charizard and is thus best used out of a reverse aerial rush.
A downward arcing slash with Charizard's claws. Its high power, speed (frame 8) and semi-spike angle make it reliable as an edgeguarding and KOing option. However, it has high landing lag and cannot auto-cancel in a short hop, limiting its usefulness in neutral.
Charizard swings its long tail behind itself. It has slow startup, ending lag, and landing lag. However, the sweetspot at the tip of Charizard's tail is incredibly disjointed, deals high damage, and KOs middleweights under 90%, making it Charizard's strongest KO option. The diagonal arc the move covers allows it to overpower opponents above Charizard.
An upward headbutt. The move's damage output and particularly high knockback allow it to KO middleweights under 100% near the upper blast line. It renders Charizard's head intangible and serves as a makeshift combo starter into itself, up smash, or other aerial attacks when landing.
Charizard kicks downward with one leg. The clean hit is a meteor smash, with a sourspot on Charizard's body that deals high sideways knockback. Down aerial has the highest overall lag of Charizard's aerials, but can function as a niche combo starter against grounded opponents, allowing for a potential KO setup into up aerial at higher percents.
Sways its head with the opponent in tow and then flings them forward. It is Charizard's strongest kill throw, KOing middleweights near the edge of Final Destination at around 120% without rage. It can also be used for a DI trap, as the optimal DI up throw (down and out) is poor for forward throw.
Flings the opponent backward. It deals respectable damage and can be used to set up an edgeguard. Back throw is Charizard's central combo starter, leading into dash attack, neutral aerial, and up smash at very low percents, and forward aerial or back aerial up to mid percents. It can also follow up into Flare Blitz, but this is not a true combo.
Charizard takes to the upper blast line with the opponent in tow, then dive-bombs them onto the stage at a blinding speed, akin to Kirby and Meta Knight's up throws. It is one of the strongest throws in the game without DI, but its mostly vertical, yet more horizontal angle than other up throws allows for the victim to apply both optimal DI and LSI against the move. This weakens it to an extent where middleweights can survive it up to around 160% without rage. The throw's poor knockback for its archetype can be alleviated by being used under a high platform.
Charizard pins the opponent to the ground and hovers, expelling embers from its mouth on them. Down throw's moderate ending lag allows it to function as a niche combo starter, leading into up smash out of dash at low percents and neutral or forward aerial until mid percents.
Performs a battering ram while climbing up from the ledge. This comes out on frame 24, compared to Squirtle's slow frame 28 and Ivysaur's quicker frame 21. It is one of the longest edge attacks in the game.
Expels a stream of flames from its mouth, almost identically to Fire Breath. The move can be angled, which makes it useful for gimping low recoveries and ledgetrapping. Compared to Fire Breath, Flamethrower is inferior at damage racking, but its farthest hitboxes still cause flinching. It has considerable startup and ending lag, and its power and range gradually decrease over time. Charizard must stop using Flamethrower for a short while for it to regain full power.
A flaming corkscrew tackle that also hurts Charizard. It is very powerful, KOing middleweights under 80% from the center of Final Destination. Flare Blitz covers an impressive amount of horizontal distance and grants heavy armor on frames 23-53 that sustains 15% (18% in 1v1)[1], enabling it to extend Charizard's recovery and power through opposing attacks. However, it deals 5% of recoil damage and an additional 5% upon hitting an opponent. It is very risky to use outside of punishes, having extreme amounts of cooldown. When used carelessly near the edge, its impressive horizontal distance can also result in an inadvertent self-destruct.
Flies upward while corkscrewing. Fly covers an average amount of vertical distance. Due to its hitting on frame 9, it has the lowest amount of startup out of Charizard's special move. It also grants super armor during frames 4-15, allowing it to break combos and work out of shield. It deals respectable damage when all of its hits connect, and can KO reliably at high percents.
5% (Fire Blast, first four), 12.5% (Fire Blast, final), ~50% total
The Pokémon Trainer sends out both Squirtle and Ivysaur, and all three Pokémon perform a synchronized combo attack with long horizontal range. Charizard dishes out five Fire Blasts in a row for massive damage, with the last one having the highest power.
During Charizard's victory poses, the Pokémon Trainer will say one of two lines at random. The male Trainer will say either "You all did great!" (みんな、よくがんばったな！, Everyone, you did great!) or "You did it, Charizard!" (やったぞ、リザードン！, You did it, Charizard!). The female Trainer will say either "Everyone did great!" (みんな、最高だね！, Everyone, you're the best!) or "You're amazing, Charizard!" (すごいね、リザードン！, Amazing, Charizard!).
Left: Stomps and rears its head back to roar upward, then strikes a pose.
Up: Uses Flare Blitz downwards to descend from the sky and crash into the ground, bounces out of it and lands on its feet, then strikes a pose.
Right: Pokémon Trainer pets its head and neck.
A small excerpt of the title theme of Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green Versions, a track which would go on to become the Pokémon main theme and the title theme for the entire series.
The male Pokémon Trainer was among the fighters that were summoned to fight against the army of Master Hands, and he brought his three Pokémon with him, including Charizard.
During the opening cutscene, Charizard was sent out by Pokémon Trainer, along with Squirtle and Ivysaur, shortly before Galeem unleashed his beams of light. Under Pokémon Trainer's command, Charizard used Flamethrower in an attempt to fight the beams of light, but this attempt failed. Pokémon Trainer, Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard were all vaporized and placed under Galeem's imprisonment along with the other fighters, excluding Kirby.
Pokémon Trainer can be found at the southeast near the maze that resembles Pac-Maze. Defeating him allows access to all three Pokémon.
Charizard's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Charizard in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in Ultimate.
One of the in-game tips for Charizard states that its wings "won't take damage" during its up tilt. However, this is incorrect, as the hurtboxes on Charizard's wings extend upward without gaining intangibility or invincibility, making it easier to hit. The player can see this by turning on the invincibility option in training mode.
This tip is recycled from Smash 4, where Charizard's wings do not possess hurtboxes.
Charizard is the only character in the series to have been part of a composite character in one game, separated into a standalone character, and then returned to a composite.
The official Pokémon website claims that this was due to a stint of disobedience, similarly to Ash's Charizard. [2] This is hinted at via its new taunts and victory poses, where it behaves in a less feral way and acts slightly more tame than it did in SSB4.
Charizard and Lucario are the only characters to have had their Final Smash get a new one in one installment, but revert back to their original Final Smash in the next. Charizard is part of Triple Finish in Brawl, uses Mega Charizard X as a standalone character in Smash 4, then reverts to Triple Finish in Ultimate with the Pokémon Trainer's return. In Ultimate, Lucario reverts to Aura Storm from Brawl, though it still transforms into Mega Lucario while performing it.
Both characters are also Pokémon.
Charizard is the only playable Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution that does not Mega Evolve for their Final Smash. Mega Charizard X appears as a spirit.
Charizard uses Fire Blast five times during Triple Finish, matching the move's base PP in the Pokémon games.
Charizard is the only veteran from Smash 4 whose announcer voice clip is not reused in Ultimate. Pokémon Trainer's name is used instead.
Since the announcer does not call out Squirtle or Ivysaur either, this makes all three of Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon the only fighters not to have their own announcer clips in the game.
With the female option for Pokémon Trainer, Ultimate marks the first time outside of the main series Pokémon games where Leaf or one of her counterparts is depicted with a member of Charizard's evolutionary line.
Charizard's model features a more subdued color scheme, more closely resembling its appearance in recent mainline 
Like all characters, Charizard's jumpsquat animation lasts 3 frames (down from 7).
Charizard 
Down aerial's landing animation no longer causes Charizard's tongue to clip through its head.
