Goldeen

It simply flops around and does absolutely nothing that causes any damage. If your opponent gets this, you’re lucky. If you get stuck with this, you’re bummed.

Goldeen (, Tosakinto) is a creature from the series. It has appeared as a Poké Ball Pokémon in every Smash game.

Origin
is a Water-type Pokémon introduced in, and is categorized within the Pokédex at #118 as the "Goldfish Pokémon". It is commonly found by, and it evolves into at level 33. It is registered as #118 in the National Pokédex.

is a Normal-type move: while being part of the starting moveset of several Pokémon, it has no effect whatsoever. It is most commonly associated with and, in contrast with its Smash depiction, Goldeen is not able to learn it in any game. However, the exact usage of it in Smash is likely a reference to from the anime, who was notable for being completely useless on land, and would only be able to flop around similarly to the Goldeen in Smash unless in the water.

As a Poké Ball Pokémon
Goldeen appears as a Poké Ball Pokémon in Super Smash Bros. It flops around on the stage helplessly until it disappears or has fallen off the stage. It is one of two completely harmless Pokémon in the game, the other being Mew. Goldeen does not have any hitboxes, so it doesn't do any damage to any of the characters. Thus, it was established as the "dud" Pokémon of the Smash Bros. series.

As a Poké Ball Pokémon
Goldeen returns in Super Smash Bros. Melee to reprise its role as something that does not affect gameplay in any way.

Early in Melee's lifespan, rumors claimed that Goldeen could sometimes activate upon being summoned from a Poké Ball, leading to a one-hit KO. This was later disproven due to advances in hacking, as well as a general lack of proof.

As a stage element
A larger balloon of Goldeen (in actuality, the 3D model of Goldeen used in Pokémon Stadium for Nintendo 64) is one of the many floating and moving "platforms" that make the Poké Floats stage.

Trophy
Goldeen features as a collectible trophy, unlocked as one of the 100+ trophies that can be collected randomly during normal play, such as in the Trophy Lottery, and throughout the various Single-Player game modes.

As a Poké Ball Pokémon
Goldeen returns in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and is, once again, a "dud" Pokémon. The description on the Smash Bros. DOJO!! tells the player to watch out for when using Poké Balls, showing Goldeen's picture.

As a Poké Ball Pokémon
Goldeen returns in Super Smash Bros. 4, keeping its lack of function from the previous installments. It can also be summoned from the newly added Master Ball item, which otherwise contains only rare or legendary Pokémon. This Master Ball variant behaves exactly the same as the regular version, and was added as a joke.

Trophy
Goldeen's trophy can be obtained in both versions. In it is part of the Pokémon Trophy Box.

As a Poké Ball Pokémon
Goldeen returns in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a Poké Ball Pokémon. Once again, it uselessly splashes around dealing no damage. It can still come out of a Master Ball like in Smash 4.

Goldeen cannot appear on Distant Planet.

Spirit
Golden also appears as a spirit.

Trivia

 * During development of the original Super Smash Bros., Masahiro Sakurai chose Goldeen to use Splash instead of Magikarp because he preferred Goldeen's voice in the anime.
 * Goldeen, Mew, and Snorlax are the only Pokémon to appear as Poké Ball Pokémon in every game.
 * Goldeen and Zoroark are the only Pokémon that can come out of Master Balls that are neither nor.
 * Goldeen's Brawl trophy description is inaccurate:
 * is very unreliable, being among the most unreliable moves in the game, as like all OHKO moves its accuracy is a mere 30% unless the opponent's level is lower than the user's.
 * Evolving Goldeen into Seaking does not prevent it from being able to learn, though like many evolved Pokémon, Seaking learns new moves at a later level than its previous form (and there do exist examples of evolved Pokémon being unable to learn some moves that their previous form can).
 * Goldeen is the only Poké Ball Pokémon in Smash 4 who does not sport a player-dependent tag on its head when summoned.
 * In the Japanese games, Goldeen's voice clip comes from the Pokémon anime episode Pokémon Emergency, where it also flopped about on the floor as it does in the Super Smash Bros. series.
 * Even though, on principle, Goldeen flops around due to being summoned on dry land, it will still maintain this behavior in stages where the player can tread water (and thus, throwing a Poké Ball into a body of water will not cause it to be lost), such as Delfino Plaza, or in stages that take place underwater, such as Hanenbow.