Template:SSB4 to SSBU changelist/Mr. Game & Watch

Aesthetics

• Mr. Game & Watch's appearance is largely unchanged from SSB4, though his outline is thicker and a darker gray and his feet are slightly larger.
• The following moves temporarily alter Mr. Game & Watch's appearance to resemble the characters from the Game & Watch games they are based on:
  • Neutral attack (Greenhouse), forward tilt (Lion), up tilt (Flagman), down tilt (Manhole), forward smash (Fire Attack), down smash (Vermin), up aerial (Spitball Sparky), all throws (Ball), Chef, Judge and Oil Panic.
  • This significantly changes most of Mr. Game & Watch's attack animations both functionally and aesthetically, and it makes him more expressive overall.
• Mr. Game & Watch's walking animation has been changed, now looking less flippant.
• Like in Melee, Mr. Game & Watch now makes a noise when getting KOed, and he also has a new sound for getting Star KOed. Both use the sound of his up and side taunts.
• Mr. Game & Watch has a new victory animation where he juggles balls using his appearance from Ball. This replaces the victory pose where he jumps up and down.
• Mr. Game & Watch's mouth is open during his clapping animation, similar to his Melee appearance.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Mr. Game & Watch's jumpsquat takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Mr. Game & Watch runs faster (1.5264 → 1.679).
  • His initial dash is significantly faster (1.5 → 1.98).
• Mr. Game & Watch walks slightly faster (1.1242 → 1.18).
• Mr. Game & Watch's traction has been significantly increased (0.06 → 0.131), now tied for the 5th highest in the entire game.
• Mr. Game & Watch's air speed is slightly higher (1.12 → 1.176).
• Forward roll has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 31) and grants less intangibility (frames 4-16 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-16 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 30 → 36).
• Spot dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3).
• Air dodge has more startup (frame 2 → 3) and significantly more ending lag (FAF 32 → 60).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-26 → 3-28).
• The reintroduction of directional air dodges improves Mr. Game & Watch's recovery more than other characters', as due to Fire not causing helplessness, he can get additional distance with a directional air dodge after using it.
• Mr. Game & Watch has his hurtboxes modeled to match the new animation changes made to his attacks. This increases his hurtbox size for some of his attacks (notably Chef and up tilt), but reduces it for others (notably down tilt and neutral attack).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit transitions into the neutral infinite faster (frame 12 → 7).
  • The first hit and infinite have altered angles to keep opponents closer to Mr. Game & Watch (83°/85° → 361°/180° (hit 1), 74°/40° → 361° (infinite)), and the latter has gained a hitstun modifier of 4, allowing the move to lock opponents and connect better.
  • The infinite's finisher deals more damage (2% → 3%), with its knockback scaling not fully compensated (180 → 160).
  • The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 10×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, without allowing opponents to cancel shieldstun like other neutral infinites, as the move pushes them out of range before they can shield 10 hits.
  • The finisher has a larger hitbox (5.5u/4u → 6u/4u), and its farthest hitbox is placed higher (Y offset: 8.5u → 9.5u), improving its vertical range.
  • The first hit's outer hitbox no longer deals enough hitstun to prevent opponents from shielding the rapid jab.
  • The first hit has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/4u/3u → 3.8u/4.3u), with the hitbox that reached behind Mr. Game & Watch being removed.
  • The first hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.5×), making it easier to SDI.
  • The infinite deal less damage per hit (1% → 0.8%).
  • The infinite no longer uses set knockback (5/10 set/100 scaling → 12 base/20 scaling), causing it to connect less reliably at high percents.
  • The finisher has considerably more ending lag (FAF 24 → 35).
  • The first hit no longer uses set knockback (5/10/20 set/100 scaling → 25/20 base/22/15 scaling). At high percents, this causes it to connect less reliably into the infinite, but gives it a guaranteed jab cancel followup into Fire thanks to the latter's faster startup.
  • The infinite has a higher hitlag multiplier (0.5× → 0.7×), but a lower SDI multiplier (1× → 0.8×).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt has less startup with a longer hitbox duration (frames 10 (clean)/11-17 (late) → 8-9/10-20).
  • It deals more damage (10%/9% → 12%/10% (clean), 4% → 6% (late)) with knockback partially compensated only on the clean sweetspot (100 → 96), improving its KO potential.
  • The late hit has significantly more knockback scaling (100 → 135/120). Combined with its increased damage, this grants it KO potential.
  • The move has smaller hitboxes (4.8u/4u → 4u/3.5u (clean), 4.5u/3.5u → 3.3u/2.8u (late)), the sourspot does not extend as far (Z offset: 5u-16u → 7u-12u, Y offset: 4u → 4.5u), and the sweetspot has been moved towards Mr. Game & Watch and does not extend as far vertically (Z offset: 16u → 15u, Y offset: 4u-7u → 4.5u-6.5u). This reduces its range overall.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 34).
  • It grants intangibility on Mr. Game & Watch's hands throughout the entire move, as well as his raised arm during each hit's active frames, allowing it to beat out opposing attacks more effectively.
  • The first hit uses weight-independent set knockback (20 base/125/127 scaling → 60/80 set/100 scaling) and launches opponents at lower angles (100°/115° → 170°/145°), now being specifically designed to connect into the second hit. This allows the move to consistently deal its full damage and provide a higher frame advantage over the opponent.
  • The second hit launches at a more vertical angle (115° → 75°). In combination with the move's reduced ending lag, consistent two-hit nature, and Mr. Game & Watch's faster jumpsquat, this considerably improves its combo potential.
  • The second hit has more base knockback (30 → 50), but less knockback scaling (127/125 → 117), improving its KO potential overall.
  • Both hits' flags have smaller hitboxes (5.5u → 4.5u).
  • The flags appear on each side of Mr. Game & Watch instead of above. This increases the move's horizontal range, but reduces its vertical range.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt deals more damage (6% → 9%) with knockback not fully compensated (40 base/125 scaling → 45/112), drastically improving its KO potential to the point it is the strongest down tilt at the edge (KOing at around 90%), and one of the strongest down tilts from center stage (KOing at around 130%).
  • The hitbox is placed higher, and it has gained an additional hitbox that extends much farther vertically (Y offset: 1.5u → 2.1u-9.3u), improving its coverage in front of Mr. Game & Watch.
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 43).
  • It has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 6-11 → 6-8).
  • The windbox has been removed. This deprives the move of its juggling capabilities and potential recovery interruptions (such as when used against Ike's Quick Draw), and it can no longer hit aerial opponents as a result.
  • The hitboxes are much smaller (2.5u → 1.2u/1.2u), and extend farther horizontally, but are placed closer to Mr. Game & Watch (Z offset: 12u-18u → 6.7u-16.8u). This reduces their horizontal range overall, and gives them a much less favorable disjoint due to Mr. Game & Watch leaning in further during the attack.
• Dash attack:
  • The hitbox has been moved closer to Mr. Game & Watch (Z offset: 6u → 5u), reducing its horizontal range.
• Forward smash:
  • The sweetspot deals more knockback overall (48 base/91 scaling → 46/97), and launches at a lower angle (52° → 48°), improving its KO potential.
  • The move has gained an additional sweetspot hitbox inbetween the sourspot and existing sweetspot (5.3u → 2.9u/5.3u), while the sourspot has been slightly reduced to compensate (3u → 2.6u). This makes the sweetspot easier to land.
  • The sourspot has less base knockback (44 → 42).
  • All hitboxes have been moved closer to Mr. Game & Watch (Z offset: 11u → 7.8u (sourspot), 17u → 12u/16u (sweetspot)) and upwards (Y offset: 3.5u → 5.3u (sourspot), 7.2u → 6.8u/7.8u (sweetspot)). Additionally, he doesn't lean forward as much. This reduces the move's horizontal range, but increases its vertical range and gives it a more favorable disjoint.
  • The sourspot no longer has a sound effect on hit.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less startup with a longer hitbox duration (frames 24-25 → 21-25), matching its Brawl counterpart.
  • It grants full invincibility to Mr. Game & Watch, rather than only to his head and frontal limbs.
  • It has more knockback scaling (93 → 98), improving its KO potential.
  • It has a significantly shorter invincibility period, matching the duration of the hitboxes (frames 4-25 → 21-25). This prevents it from negating opposing attacks much earlier than the hitbox comes out, as well as during the whole period it is charged.
  • The hitbox has been moved lower (Y offset: 12u-10u → 9.5u-8u), but also extends farther horizontally (Z offset: −3u-6u → −6u-5.5u). This noticeably reduces its vertical range, but increases its horizontal range, especially behind Mr. Game & Watch.
  • Mr. Game & Watch faces away from the camera when using his up smash to the left.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less startup (frame 15 → 12) and ending lag (FAF 42 → 38).
  • The sweetspots bury grounded opponents, allowing them to followup into several other moves, including stronger finishers at high percents.
  • The sourspot has significantly more knockback scaling (65 → 80), allowing it to KO under 150% from the center of Final Destination.
  • All hitboxes extend farther to both sides (Z offset: -4.8u-4.8u → -5u-5u (sourspot), -12u/12u → -14.2u-−12.2u/14.2u-12.2u (sweetspots)), increasing the move's horizontal range and making the sweetspots easier to land.
  • The sweetspots are smaller (5u → 4.5u), slightly reducing their vertical range.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral, back, and down aerial have less landing lag (12 → 7 frames (neutral), 19 → 18 (back), 28 → 22 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 44 → 42).
  • All hits have significantly longer durations (frames 7/12/17/22 → 7-10/12-15/17-20/22-23), much like the move's Brawl iteration.
  • All of the move's hitboxes except the first hit's fish hitboxes are stretched horizontally (Z offset: 1.8u → −1u-6u/−1u-6u (hit 1), −9.5u/9.8u/1.8u → 9.6u-10.8u/−7.5u-−8.8u/−1u-6u/−1u-6u (hit 2), −11u/13u/1.8u → 13.3u-13.6u/−9.9u-−9.7u/−1-6u/−1-6u (hit 3), −11u/12.7u → −10.2u-10u/1.8u-3.4u (hit 4)) and vertically (Y offset: 17.9u/21u → 20.7u-21u/17.9u-18.3u (hit 2), 11u/12.5u → 12.4u-13.6u/11u-12u (hit 3), 1u/1.5u → 1.5u-2.9u/2.4u-1u (hit 4)), increasing the range of each hitbox.
  • Due to its reduced landing lag, it has greatly improved combo potential, even allowing the multi-hits to set up into moves such as down tilt and forward tilt at KO percents.
  • The first three hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.8×), making them harder to SDI out of.
  • The first three hits launch at different angles, with the first two using autolink angles (160°/160°/90° → 165°/165°/367°/105° (hit 1), 160°/150°/367°/105° (hit 2), 145°/140°/120°/120° (hit 3)), and all of their hitboxes deal weight-independent set knockback (30/30/0 → 30/30/30/45 (hit 1), 30/30/20/20 (hit 2), 30/30/15/15 (hit 3)), improving their linking ability and preventing opponents from falling out at higher percents.
  • The move deals less damage (5% (hit 1), 4% (hits 2-3) → 3%; 17% total → 13%).
  • The last hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 2×), making it easier to DI.
  • The first three hit have had their large hitbox replaced by two small ones (5u → 2.5u/2.5u (hit 1), 5u → 3u/3u (hits 2-3)).
• Forward aerial:
  • Mr. Game & Watch has a new forward aerial: he holds a bomb in front of him and drops it straight down, based on Mario's Bombs Away. Uniquely, the bomb functions as a projectile, exploding half a second (30 frames) after it is dropped or when it hits the stage. The move consists of both hits; one in front of Mr. Game & Watch when he drops the bomb, which deals 3% damage, and the other on the bomb's explosion, which deals 12%. The bomb does not explode upon hitting an opponent, and any attack that hits it will cause it to disappear.
  • It deals more damage if both hits connect (11.5% → 15%).
  • The explosion has significantly more knockback scaling (86 → 101), which alongside its higher damage output than the previous forward aerial improves its KO potential.
  • Due to its new properties, it has increased vertical range below Mr. Game & Watch.
  • The delayed explosion significantly improves the move's safety as a landing option against shielding opponents, to the point it is nearly impossible to punish after shielding it, despite its increased landing lag. It also grants the move combo potential, and allows it to hit offstage opponents below the ledge.
  • The explosion has a much larger hitbox (5.5u → 10u).
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 45 → 48) and landing lag (15 frames → 17).
  • Its initial auto-cancel window has been removed.
  • The hit in front of Mr. Game & Watch has a much smaller hitbox (5.5u → 2u), noticeably smaller than the bomb. This drastically reduces its range, despite being placed slightly farther horizontally (Z offset: 9u → 9.3u).
  • Both the initial hit and explosion have a much shorter duration (frames 10-25 → 10-13 (bomb), 44-45 (explosion)), and the bomb's susceptibility to being canceled out by opposing attacks leaves Mr. Game & Watch completely vulnerable if it trades with an opposing attack. This makes the move significantly less effective for attacking and approaching directly.
  • Both hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×).
  • The initial hit uses set knockback (30/10 base/86/80 scaling → 30 set/50 scaling) and a hitstun modifier of 5, in order to link consistently into the explosion when close to the ground.
  • The explosion launches at a higher angle (361° → 45°). This further improves its combo potential, but makes it less effective for edgeguarding.
• Back aerial:
  • The looping hits consistently use an autolink angle (366°/25° → 367°/367°), allowing them to connect reliably, despite the outermost hitbox dealing more knockback overall and the innermost hitbox no longer using set knockback (30/0 base/0/40 set/40/100 scaling → 0 base/100 scaling).
  • The looping hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1.5× → 0.9×), allowing them to transition faster.
  • The last hit has more knockback scaling (170 → 185), improving its KO potential.
  • The move can no longer be frame canceled. Its reduced landing lag does not compensate, hindering its combo potential and safety on shield.
  • The landing hit launches at a lower angle (68° → 58°) and deals much less knockback overall (90 base/120 scaling → 95/60). In combination with the removal of frame canceling, this removes both its combo potential and its ability to KO at realistic percents.
  • The move has a slightly altered animation where Mr. Game & Watch has his legs positioned to the side of his body rather than below it.
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial has been reworked: it shoots a single puff of air that functions as a projectile, flying straight up and hitting multiple times, much like Mega Man's up aerial.
  • Due to its new properties, it has much more vertical range, making it a more reliable followup option.
  • It has a much longer duration (frames 6-12/20-22 → 9-14/15-20/21-26/27-32/33-36/37-42), significantly improving its juggling potential.
  • The looping hits launch opponents more inward (94° → 97°) and use set knockback (20 base/60 scaling → 63/55/40 set/100 scaling), and the move no longer causes hitlag (1× → 0×). This allows for all hits to connect more reliably and makes them nearly impossible to escape.
  • The move has more startup (frame 6 → 9), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 40 → 43), being interruptibile just after the hitboxes cease.
  • It auto-cancels later (frame 41 → 44) and no longer has an initial auto-cancel window.
  • It deals less damage (7% (hit 1), 9% (hit 2) → 1.8% (hits 1-5), 3% (hit 6); 16% total → 12%).
  • The hitbox is much smaller overall (6.5u/4.3u → 3.8u (hits 1-5), 4.3u (hit 6)), reducing its horizontal range.
  • It no longer possesses windboxes, allowing it to hit consistently without pushing opponents out of range, but removing the ability to juggle opponents during vulnerable states (such as helplessness).
  • The last hit deals significantly less knockback (55 base/98 scaling → 65/35). This removes its KO potential, but in combination with its longer duration and multi-hit nature, this allows it to combo far more effectively into other moves, including another up aerial to carry the opponent closer to the top blast line.
• Down aerial:
  • The removal of teching for grounded meteor smashes improves down aerial's combo potential onstage, compounded further by its reduced landing lag.
  • It auto-cancels earlier (frame 51 → 49), matching its interruptibility, and allowing it to auto-cancel after a full hop and Fire.
  • The late hit deals much more knockback (20 base/106 scaling → 22/117), improving its KO potential.
  • The move can no longer be frame canceled; however, this is compensated by its reduced landing lag.
  • The key is larger, matching the vertical range of the sourspot more closely.

Throws and other attacks

• Grabs:
  • All grabs have more ending lag (FAF 30 → 35 (standing), 37 → 43 (dash), 35 → 37 (pivot)).
  • Dash grab and pivot grab have increased range, especially dash grab (Z2 offset: 11.1u → 13.5u (dash), -14.8u → −15.6u (pivot)).
  • Dash and pivot grab have more startup (frame 8 → 9 (dash), 9 → 10 (pivot)).
• When a playable character is thrown by Mr. Game & Watch, they turn into their stock icon for the duration of the juggle; combined with the new, more flatter look of stock icons, it greatly resembles a ball in the original game. Squirtle, Ivysaur and Charizard use their own stock icons instead of the trainer’s. Grabbable Assist Trophies still uses Smash 4's grab animation.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 13 → 1), and ending lag (FAF 30 → 7), greatly shortening its duration and making it more reliable for racking up damage.
  • It deals much less damage (3% → 1.3%).
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw launches at a lower angle (58° → 52°), making it more effective for getting opponents offstage.
• Back throw:
  • Back throw launches at a lower angle (58° → 52°), making it more effective for getting opponents offstage.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw deals much more damage (8% → 12%), with its knockback scaling compensated (40 → 29).
  • It has increased combo ability due to Mr. Game & Watch's faster jumpsquat and jump speed; in addition to Fire, it can combo into neutral aerial and up aerial at low percents.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw releases the opponent later (frame 26 → 35), with its total duration increased as well (FAF 41 → 50), giving the opponent more time to DI.
  • It has significantly more base knockback (35 → 70). This worsens its combo potential at mid to high percents, and when combined with the changes to up aerial, effectively removes the "Toot-Toot" KO confirm he could pull off in Smash 4. However, this also increases its combo potential at low to mid percents in combination with Mr. Game & Watch faster jumpsquat, and grants it KO potential at around 200%.
  • Mr. Game & Watch "drops" the character's icon during the animation.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).

Special moves

• Chef:
  • Chef deals more damage (5% → 8% (pan), 4% → 5% (food)) without compensation for knockback, although the food deals negative shield damage to compensate (0 → -1).
  • The food's trajectory can be controlled by tilting the control stick horizontally, rather than being randomized, improving its consistency as a ledge-trapping and zoning option.
  • The move has more ending lag (FAF 50 → 55).
  • It shoots food at a slower rate when not tapping the special move button repeatedly (23 frames → 32).
  • The pan hitbox has been replaced with two smaller ones (6.76u → 3.5u/4.2u).
• Judge:
  • Judge 5's first three hits have less knockback (40 base/80 scaling → 15/25 base/60/70 scaling), making it easier to hit opponents multiple times at higher percents.
  • Judge 7 spawns three apples on hit instead of one, allowing Mr. Game & Watch to heal significantly more health after using the move.
  • Judge 7 deals more base knockback (30 → 45), making it safer on hit at low percents.
  • Judge 8 does more damage (9% → 13%), which also causes the freeze effect to last longer.
    • Combined with the games to freeze duration, this causes it to freeze for longer at around 90% or higher, but for less time at lower percents.
  • Judge 8 deals less set knockback (70 → 60), slightly improving its gimping potential.
  • Judge 9 has a larger hitbox (3u/4u → 3u/6u), matching the rest of the numbers.
  • Judge 2 no longer has a bonus trip chance of 20%, removing its situational followups.
  • Judge 7 launches at a higher angle (361° → 45°), removing its ability to lock opponents at low percents.
  • Judge 9 has a much higher SDI multiplier (0× → 2×), allowing the opponent to manipulate their launch position to improve their chances of surviving, and shift their position when shielding the move to make it easier to punish, due to its high hitlag.
  • Judge can no longer roll the same number twice in a row.
  • During startup, the numbers appear in a jumble before settling on the decided number.
  • Judge 9 triggers a Special Zoom on hit.
• Fire:
  • Fire's windbox has been removed, instead possessing a new hit on frames 3-4 when the firemen appear, which links into Mr. Game & Watch's own hitbox. This hit deals 3% damage, launches opponents vertically (83° (grounded), 75° (aerial)) and has very high base knockback (132 base/36 scaling (grounded), 100/70 (aerial)), with a hitstun modifier of 10 on the grounded version. This new hit effectively reduces the move's startup (frame 9 → 3) and increases its horizontal range, giving it immense utility as an out of shield and disadvantage option, and due to the grounded version's high hitstun, it has also gained combo potential, leading into a neutral aerial at low percents and an up aerial until high percents.
  • It transitions into the parachute faster (FAF 41 → 37).
• Oil Panic:
  • Oil Panic reflects projectiles that aren't absorbable, increasing its utility.
  • It begins absorbing projectiles earlier (frame 7 → 6).
  • The absorbing portion does not need to be held for as long (30 frames → 25), reducing its ending lag if not held (FAF 50 → 44). Additionally, the absorbing portion's loop has been standardized, allowing Mr. Game & Watch to immediately go into the ending animation if the button is released after frame 30.
  • Mr. Game & Watch is no longer forced into another loop after absorbing a projectile if the button is not being held. He also isn't put into the ending animation, allowing him to act the moment intangibility ends.
  • Using the move in the air no longer cuts Game & Watch's air speed, improving its recovery usage.
  • The move's damage multiplier has been significantly reduced (2.8× → 2×).
  • The attack portion no longer has intangibility on frames 1-6.
  • The attack's minimum and maximum damage are lower, especially the latter (18%-60% → 16%-48%), and it deals less knockback (30 base/80 scaling → 25/80 (clean), 25/78 (mid), 25/76 (late)). This makes it significantly weaker, removing its one-hit KO ability, and further reduces its safety on hit at low percents when absorbing weak projectiles.
  • The attack has slightly smaller hitboxes overall (3.36u/4.8u/8.16u → 3.4u/4.5u/8u).
  • Oil Panic triggers Special Zoom on hit, and briefly leaves the opponent covered in oil.
• Octopus:
  • Octopus's functionality has been altered. Instead of being controllable, the octopus automatically rears back and charges forward, grabs opponents who touch its tentacles, and drags them offscreen, akin to Ganondorf's Ganon, The Demon King. The main body deals damage instead of the tentacles. This allows the move to KO earlier, but makes it more polarized overall, as escaping the grab frees the opponent of any punishment.
  • A greenish-beige backdrop similar to that of a Game & Watch game temporarily appears during the Final Smash.