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Pikachu (SSBU): Difference between revisions
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|ssbgame4 = SSB4 | |ssbgame4 = SSB4 | ||
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]] | |availability = [[Starter character|Starter]] | ||
|tier = | |tier = A | ||
|ranking = | |ranking = 17 | ||
}} | }} | ||
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REMINDER: Our Manual of Style states that all Pokémon are to use gender-neutral pronouns. | REMINDER: Our Manual of Style states that all Pokémon are to use gender-neutral pronouns. | ||
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'''Pikachu''' ({{ja|ピカチュウ|Pikachū}}, ''Pikachu'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Like all veterans, it was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Pikachu is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #08]]. | '''Pikachu''' ({{ja|ピカチュウ|Pikachū}}, ''Pikachu'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Like all veterans, it was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Pikachu is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #08]]. | ||
As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', {{s|wikipedia|Ikue Ōtani}}'s portrayals of Pikachu from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' were repurposed for ''Ultimate''. | As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', {{s|wikipedia|Ikue Ōtani}}'s portrayals of Pikachu from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' were repurposed for ''Ultimate''. | ||
Pikachu is ranked | Pikachu is ranked 17th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing it in the A tier. This is a notable improvement from its 15th out of 54 placement in ''SSB4''. Pikachu's strengths come from its overall great mobility all around. Its most prominent strengths are in its [[Neutral game|neutral]] and [[edgeguarding]] game, due to the fast [[startup]], low endlag of all its [[aerial attack]]s, and its ability to recover far from the stage thanks to [[Skull Bash]] and [[Quick Attack]]. All of its aerials also [[Auto-canceling|auto-cancel]] on a [[short hop]], which grants it utility for [[out of shield]] [[Punishment|punishes]] and potential [[zero-to-death]] [[combo]]s. Despite its poor [[range]], Pikachu also possesses a strong [[grab]] game: its [[Back throw|back]] and [[forward throw]]s allow it to set up combos leading to edgeguards while its [[down throw]] is a valuable combo starter. Finally, Pikachu possesses a strong, far-travelling [[projectile]] in [[Thunder Jolt]], which is used to help Pikachu's approach and edgeguards. | ||
However, Pikachu has some notable weaknesses. Due to being one of the [[weight|lightest]] [[fighter]]s in the game, its survivability is hindered against characters with strong finishers. Pikachu also struggles to [[KO]] effectively due to none of its aerials having the ability to KO onstage, while most of its KO moves are either only effective at high percents or have notable downsides such as sourspots or high ending lag. Lastly, its poor range and lack of [[disjoint]]s gives it few options to [[approach]] aside from Thunder Jolt; its reliance on the projectile provide it with a noticeable disadvantage against characters who can properly deal with it. | However, Pikachu has some notable weaknesses. Due to being one of the [[weight|lightest]] [[fighter]]s in the game, its survivability is hindered against characters with strong finishers. Pikachu also struggles to [[KO]] effectively due to none of its aerials having the ability to KO onstage, while most of its KO moves are either only effective at high percents or have notable downsides such as sourspots or high ending lag. Lastly, its poor range and lack of [[disjoint]]s gives it few options to [[approach]] aside from Thunder Jolt; its reliance on the projectile provide it with a noticeable disadvantage against characters who can properly deal with it. | ||
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'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|3.1.0}}''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|3.1.0}}''' | ||
{{UpdateList (SSBU)/3.1.0|char=Pikachu}} | {{UpdateList (SSBU)/3.1.0|char=Pikachu}} | ||
'''Technical changelist''' | |||
{|class="wikitable" | |||
!Change!!Old value!!New value | |||
|- | |||
|Grab hitbox radius || grounded opponents: 3.1u, airborne opponents: 1.55u || 4.0u, 2.0u | |||
|- | |||
| Grab Y1 and Y2 offsets || 5.0u (both, all hitboxes) || 5.9u | |||
|- | |||
| Grab Z1 and Z2 offsets || grounded opponents: 4.0u (Z1)/7.4u (Z2), airborne opponents: 2.45u (Z1)/8.95u (Z2) || 4.9u/7.9u, 2.9u/9.9u | |||
|} | |||
'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|7.0.0}}''' | '''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|7.0.0}}''' | ||
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*{{Sm|Captain L|Canada}} - The second-best Pikachu player in the early metagame, having achieved several top 32 placements at majors/supermajors such as 13th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}} and 25th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}, {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}}, and {{Trn|CEO 2019}}, and was also ranked 50th on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]]. He has since dropped Pikachu in favor of {{SSBU|Sheik}}. | *{{Sm|Captain L|Canada}} - The second-best Pikachu player in the early metagame, having achieved several top 32 placements at majors/supermajors such as 13th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}} and 25th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}, {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}}, and {{Trn|CEO 2019}}, and was also ranked 50th on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]]. He has since dropped Pikachu in favor of {{SSBU|Sheik}}. | ||
*{{Sm|ESAM|USA}} - The best Pikachu player until 2022 and was a major innovator on Pikachu's metagame. He is currently the only Pikachu player who has won a major/supermajor, winning {{Trn|Glitch 7 - Minus World}} and {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}}. At his peak, ESAM was ranked 14th on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]]. | *{{Sm|ESAM|USA}} - The best Pikachu player until 2022 and was a major innovator on Pikachu's metagame. He is currently the only Pikachu player who has won a major/supermajor, winning {{Trn|Glitch 7 - Minus World}} and {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}}. At his peak, ESAM was ranked 14th on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]]. | ||
*{{Flag|USA}} / {{Sm|H4|Japan}} - One of the best Pikachu players in the United States, having placed 13th at {{Trn|Port Priority 7}} and 17th at {{Trn|Battle of BC 4}}. Since 2023 he has been studying abroad in Japan, and is also considered the best Pikachu player in Japan, notably placing 1st at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 38}} and 33rd at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 13}}. | *{{Flag|USA}} / {{Sm|H4|Japan}} - One of the best Pikachu players in the United States, having placed 13th at {{Trn|Port Priority 7}} and 17th at {{Trn|Battle of BC 4}}. Since 2023 he has been studying abroad in Japan, and is also considered the best Pikachu player in Japan, notably placing 1st at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 38}} and 33rd at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 13}}. | ||
*{{Sm|Kishiru|Japan}} - The best Pikachu player in Japan in the early metagame and during the pandemic period, placing top 32 at several majors/supermajors such as 13th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}}, 17th at {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2019}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Glitch 8 - Missingno}}. He went inactive in late-2021 and has only made a handful of tournament appearances since. | *{{Sm|Kishiru|Japan}} - The best Pikachu player in Japan in the early metagame and during the pandemic period, placing top 32 at several majors/supermajors such as 13th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}}, 17th at {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2019}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Glitch 8 - Missingno}}. He went inactive in late-2021 and has only made a handful of tournament appearances since. | ||
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However, Pikachu noticeably lacked the results other contenders for best in the game had. ESAM largely spearheaded Pikachu's results for the first few years of the game's competitive lifespan, and despite seeing high highs, was often brought down by mediocre results. For example, ESAM saw a career-defining victory over {{Sm|MkLeo}} at {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}} but underperformed at most of his other majors in 2021. The post-online metagame also saw the rise of a couple other Pikachu players such as {{Sm|H4}}, {{Sm|Neeroz}}, and {{Sm|ShinyMark}}; the latter especially has seen performances that were on par with ESAM's, which included two top 8 finishes at supermajors. These results, however, were often countered with the players' inconsistency or a lack of results from outside their region. As a result, per [[OrionRank]]'s character rankings, Pikachu was 25th in results in 2021<ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zTKrF1HOv70Pp8xdJKrRQy3QiMYKLTCstoVNgxymt0o</ref>, and then fell to 43rd in 2022<ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gRlzy4z_dpqb2ZRhGoqtbDcuvUKz_ROsMZHGegon53M</ref>, a far cry from its top tier perception. Furthermore, Pikachu's position in the post-pandemic metagame became less secure due to the increase in strong players at top level play as well as new metagame standards, with more people preferring to use characters that have easier time racking up damage and KOing, such as {{SSBU|Steve}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}. | However, Pikachu noticeably lacked the results other contenders for best in the game had. ESAM largely spearheaded Pikachu's results for the first few years of the game's competitive lifespan, and despite seeing high highs, was often brought down by mediocre results. For example, ESAM saw a career-defining victory over {{Sm|MkLeo}} at {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}} but underperformed at most of his other majors in 2021. The post-online metagame also saw the rise of a couple other Pikachu players such as {{Sm|H4}}, {{Sm|Neeroz}}, and {{Sm|ShinyMark}}; the latter especially has seen performances that were on par with ESAM's, which included two top 8 finishes at supermajors. These results, however, were often countered with the players' inconsistency or a lack of results from outside their region. As a result, per [[OrionRank]]'s character rankings, Pikachu was 25th in results in 2021<ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zTKrF1HOv70Pp8xdJKrRQy3QiMYKLTCstoVNgxymt0o</ref>, and then fell to 43rd in 2022<ref>https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gRlzy4z_dpqb2ZRhGoqtbDcuvUKz_ROsMZHGegon53M</ref>, a far cry from its top tier perception. Furthermore, Pikachu's position in the post-pandemic metagame became less secure due to the increase in strong players at top level play as well as new metagame standards, with more people preferring to use characters that have easier time racking up damage and KOing, such as {{SSBU|Steve}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}. | ||
Overall, opinions on Pikachu have varied greatly. Some players, particularly in North America, continue to argue that Pikachu is one of the best characters despite its underwhelming results due to its thereotical strength, while others, particularly in [[Japan]], believe that Pikachu is overrated due to its mediocre results compared to other top and high tier characters. | Overall, opinions on Pikachu have varied greatly. Some players, particularly in North America, continue to argue that Pikachu is one of the best characters despite its underwhelming results due to its thereotical strength, while others, particularly in [[Japan]], believe that Pikachu is overrated due to its mediocre results compared to other top and high tier characters. The clashing opinions was reflected on the first tier list, where Pikachu is ranked 13th, with the character notably having the greatest standard deviation in its tier list voting; the character was ranked in the top 5 in Latin America, and top 10 in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], but conversely was not even ranked in the top 25 in Japan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.start.gg/ultranks-first-official-ssbu-tier-list-4a35bf3dcfc3|title=UltRank’s First Official SSBU Tier List}} Note: the standard deviation is noted in the "Analysis" section, while the placements by region is noted in the "Regional Differences" section</ref> | ||
Following the first tier list, Pikachu's overall representation remained rather stagnant: although ShinyMark eventually began traveling more and became a notable top level threat, on the other hand ESAM's activity remained low while the results he did have were worse than before. With no other Pikachu players within the top 150 by the end of the year, opinions on Pikachu continued to mellow out, and as such Pikachu fell 4 spots to 17th on the second tier list, ranking in the A tier. | |||
=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: I Choose You!== | =={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: I Choose You!== | ||