Pikachu (SSBU): Difference between revisions

|image = {{tabber|title1=Normal|tab1=[[File:Pikachu SSBU.png|x250px]]|title2=Pikachu Libre|tab2=[[File:Pikachu-Alt7 SSBU.png|x250px]]}}

|tier = S-

|ranking = 13

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Pikachu, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

'''Pikachu''' ({{ja|ピカチュウ|Pikachū}}, ''Pikachu'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Pikachu is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #08]].

Pikachu is ranked 13th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing it in the S- tier. This is a notable improvement from its 15th out of 54 placement in ''SSB4''. Pikachu's strengths come from his overall great mobility all around. Its most prominent strengths are in its [[Neutral game|neutral]] and [[edgeguarding|edgeguarding game]], due to the fast [[startup]] and low endlag of all its [[Aerial attack|aerials]]. Aside from being used in edgeguarding, all of its aerials also [[Auto-canceling|auto-cancel]] on a [[short hop]] which grants it utility for [[out of shield]] [[Punishment|punishes]], and even potential [[zero-to-death]] [[Combo|combos]]. Despite his poor [[range]], Pikachu also possesses a strong [[grab]] game. Its [[Back throw|back]] and [[forward throw]] allow him to set up combos leading to edgeguards. [[Down throw]] is a valuable combo as it leads into many of its attacks such as his [[neutral aerial]].

Pikachu's [[Special move|specials]] are also potent: [[Thunder Jolt]] is a far-travelling [[projectile]] with the ability to climb [[wall|walls]] and [[Ceiling|ceilings]]. [[Quick Attack]] is a fast, unpredictable and long distanced attack which is widely viewed as one of the best [[recoveries]] in the game. When combined with [[Skull Bash]]'s usage for horizontal distance, Pikachu has no trouble getting back to the [[stage]]. [[Thunder]] is a powerful attack with high vertical range; the cloud also has a [[Meteor smash|meteor]] effect at startup which allows certain attacks such as its [[up throw]] to combo into Thunder.

 

Overall, Pikachu's strengths outweigh its weaknesses. Even before the release of ''Ultimate'', many players saw Pikachu as a top tier character. Despite having a small playerbase, he has seen notable [[competitive]] success thanks to players such as {{sm|ShinyMark}} and {{sm|ESAM}}. Outside of this however, Pikachu's results are mediocre in comparison to other top tier characters. With this in mind, and the fact that the aforementioned [[Smasher|Smashers]]' have had inconsistent results in tournament, Pikachu's status as a top tier character has been subject to debate.

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Pikachu, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Pikachu, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

At the end of ''SSB4''{{'}}s metagame, Pikachu was considered a high tier character (ranked 15th out of 55 characters). In its transition to ''Ultimate'', Pikachu has been heavily buffed. All of its moveset's aspects were greatly improved during its transition, in addition to its moveset benefiting noticeably from the changes to gameplay mechanics.

Pikachu's largest buffs arguably come from its improved speed: its already above-average mobility has been increased, many of its moves have less ending lag, and its aerials have drastically reduced landing lag; while the former and latter buffs are shared with the rest of the cast, they especially benefit Pikachu, the former due to its small size and the latter since its aerials had among the highest landing lag in ''SSB4''. These buffs improve Pikachu's neutral game and overall comboing capabilities plus, due to its "pancaking" during many of their landing animations, allow it to avoid mistimed attacks with more ease and retaliate. To further complement this, its already great air game was enhanced as well: Pikachu has a new [[neutral aerial]] that acts similarly to {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}'s own and has much more combo potential; both [[forward aerial|forward]] and [[up aerial]]s have increased KO power, alleviating one of Pikachu's biggest weaknesses in ''SSB4''; [[back aerial]] [[auto-cancel]]s from a short hop, now consistently launches opponents behind Pikachu, and has a faster animation, which gives it combo potential into itself several times at low percentages, to the point it's able to perform a pseudo-[[Wall of Pain]] with the move; and [[down aerial]] now has a clean hitbox that [[meteor smash]]es opponents, further improving Pikachu's aerial KOing ability.

Although not as buffed as its aerial game, Pikachu's other moves have also seen noteworthy improvements. In particular, [[dash attack]] has increased KO power and significantly increased [[shieldstun]], to the point it is now unpunishable on shield. [[Forward smash]] has increased range, making it a more dangerous tool for trapping opponents on the [[edge]]; [[up smash]]'s strong hit lasts longer, making it more reliable for KOing; and [[down smash]] will always send opponents in the direction Pikachu faces and at a lower angle, making it more useful, as well as gaining a KO confirm into it from Pikachu's new neutral aerial. Pikachu's standing grab extends farther; [[down throw]] now inflicts additional hit lag on the opponent on release, improving its combo ability; and [[up throw]] has increased knockback, allowing it to KO at high percentages. On top of this, some of its special moves were significantly buffed, as [[Thunder Jolt]] has less ending lag, which improves Pikachu's neutral game and grants it a trapping option if opponents shield it from far away; [[Skull Bash]] has drastically reduced ending lag on hit, making it much safer unless it is [[perfect shield]]ed; and [[Thunder]]'s cloud hitbox deals set knockback, allowing it to connect consistently into the discharge, which also inflicts much more knockback.

Finally, Pikachu notably benefits from the changes to game mechanics. The new limits to [[air dodge]]s and smaller [[edge]] sweetspot sizes make Pikachu's already great edgeguarding prowess more dangerous, especially with down aerial's new meteor smash hitbox, its stronger aerial attacks all-around, and improved primary projectile in Thunder Jolt; they also don't impair its disadvantage state much thanks to its long-distanced and unpredictable recovery. The changes to air dodging also make its on-stage offense even more effective, which combined with its improved mobility, streamlined [[jump]]squat, and reintroduction of [[dash-dancing]] allow it to chase opponents, giving it an excellent combo game that has the potential of causing [[zero-to-death combo]]s. The nerfs to [[rage]] also notably improves its poor endurance, while not nerfing its KOing ability due to its stronger moveset.

In spite of mostly receiving drastic buffs, Pikachu is not without a few nerfs. The most significant nerf Pikachu has received is the removal of [[Quick Attack cancel]]ing, which noticeably reduces its mobility and approach options, making it more predictable. The changes to neutral aerial, in lieu of an improved combo game, also remove its KO potential. The increased startup and ending lag on its grabs, and dash grab and pivot grab not reaching as far, limit the benefits its grab game has received. Lastly, up throw's altered knockback, while giving it KO potential, makes it more difficult for Pikachu to combo into Thunder. Outside of these nerfs, however, other nerfs Pikachu received have generally been minor, while a good amount of the buffs it received make up for said shortcomings, most notably its improved neutral game.

In the end, Pikachu's entire moveset has seen drastic improvements all around, it benefits significantly from the new engine, and its limited KOing ability was mostly alleviated, causing its buffs to severely outweigh the nerfs it received. Although Pikachu still suffers from the same weaknesses that plagued it in ''SSB4'', such as short-range, poor endurance, and still limited KOing ability, its improved strengths now more than compensate for its shortcomings, arguably cementing it as the most viable threat between its fellow "fragile speedster" brethren, alongside its clone {{SSBU|Pichu}}. While Pikachu is not as common as some other top- or high-tier characters, it has still received strong results in competitive play, courtesy of players like {{Sm|ESAM}} and {{Sm|Captain L}}. This has led to a very strikingly positive reception of Pikachu, with many top players describing it as a top 5 character in the game, with some going as far as considering it the single best character, although this is debatable as its results are not as strong as other top-tier contenders. Regardless, Pikachu is considered much better than in ''SSB4'', and has fared significantly better overall than in previous games (bar [[Pikachu (SSB)|its appearance]] in ''[[SSB]]'').

<!--REMEMBER: Nintendo's official stance is that Pikachu, like all Pokémon, go by gender-neutral pronouns. Be sure to use "it" instead of "he" or "she".-->

|dsmashname=Electric Flower　({{ja|ねずみはなび|Nezumi Hanabi}}, ''Mouse Fireworks'')

|ssdesc=[[bulbapedia:Skull Bash (move)|Charges up before launching forward at a high velocity]]. It can be charged to increased damage, knockback, and distance. Useful for horizontal recovery and can sweetspot the ledge, but leaves Pikachu vulnerable due to being fairly slow, and the hitbox being within its hurtbox. If inputted like a smash attack, it immediately starts with some charge.

SSBUPikachuIdle1.gif|Pikachu's first idle pose

SSBUPikachuIdle2.gif|Pikachu's second idle pose

*'''Left:''' Backflips, spins, and faces the screen with a happy expression. This resembles its "character chosen" animation in ''Super Smash Bros.''.

Unlike many other characters, however, these opinions remained relatively the same following the release of the game and throughout the majority of the game's competitive lifespan. Pikachu was small and could pancake (crouch under) a lot of moves, had an extremely strong recovery, and had good zoning options as well as some of the best [[zero-to-death combo|zero-to-death combos]] in the game. Its strong matchups across the vast majority of the cast also enabled it to match up extremely well against the majority of the cast (a rarity for most characters), which has led many to consider Pikachu as one of the best characters in the game. This outlook only served to improve following nerfs to the early metagame's best characters such as {{SSBU|Pichu}}, {{SSBU|Wolf}}, {{SSBU|Olimar}}, and {{SSBU|Peach}} and {{SSBU|Daisy}}, with Pikachu remaining untouched by comparison.

However, Pikachu noticeably lacked the results other contenders for best in the game had. Pikachu's early metagame results were largely spearheaded by only one player - {{Sm|ESAM}} - who despite seeing high highs were often brought down by mediocre results. Even after the online metagame, ESAM's consistency continued to be rather wobbly, as he saw a career-defining victory over {{Sm|MkLeo}} at {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}} but largely underperformed at most of his other majors. Around this time, other notable Pikachu players such as {{Sm|H4}}, {{Sm|Neeroz}}, and {{Sm|ShinyMark}} began making their mark on the metagame, with ShinyMark especially having a breakout tournament at {{Trn|Smash Factor 9}}. These results, however, were often countered with the players' inconsistency or a lack of out-of-region results. 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 killing, such as {{SSBU|Steve}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}.

As it stands, some players still consider Pikachu to be a Top 5 character, however some others such as {{Sm|Dabuz}} have argued that the character is overrated due to having mediocre representation compared to other top tiers. For these reasons, he is ranked 13th on the first and current tier list.

<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->

''See also: [[:Category:Pikachu professionals (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|Captain L|Canada}} - One of the best Pikachu players in the world during the early metagame but has since switched to {{SSBU|Sheik}}. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|The Pinnacle 2019}}, 7th at {{Trn|Battle of BC 3}}, 9th at {{Trn|Play With Heart}} and 25th at both {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}} and {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 5}} with wins over players like {{Sm|Fatality}}, {{Sm|Mr E}}, and {{Sm|WaDi}}. Ranked 50th on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]].

*{{Sm|DM|USA}} - One of the best Pikachu players in the United States prior to switching to Pyra & Mythra and Steve. Placed 3rd at both {{Trn|MONZA Ignition Speed Festival}} and {{Trn|Smashadelphia 2019}}, 25th at {{Trn|Glitch 8 - Missingno}}, and 33rd at both {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and {{Trn|Shine 2019}} with wins over {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}} and {{Sm|Raffi-X}}. Ranked 7th on the [[New England Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate rankings|New England Ultimate Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Enki|France}} - One of the best Pikachu players in Europe. Placed 13th at both {{Trn|WANTED SAISON 4 - Episode 1}} and {{Trn|Smash 4 Glory Ultimate Badass Edition}} and 17th at {{Trn|Albion 4}}, {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}}, and {{Trn|European SEL Clash}} with wins over players like {{Sm|Griffith}}, {{Sm|Oryon}}, and {{Sm|Otakuni}}. Ranked 19th on the [[French Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|ESAM|USA}} - One of the two best Pikachu players in the world. Placed 1st at both {{Trn|Glitch 7}} and {{Trn|Glitch 8.5 - Konami Code}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Glitch 8}}, 4th at {{Trn|GENESIS 7}}, and 7th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}} wins over players such as {{Sm|Nairo}}, {{Sm|MkLeo}}, and {{Sm|Tweek}}. Ranked as high as 14th on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]] and is currently ranked 35th on the [[PGRU v3 NA]].

*{{Sm|Kishiru|Japan}} - The best Pikachu player in Japan. Placed 13th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 5}}, 17th at {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2019}}, 25th at both {{Trn|Umebura SP 3}} and {{Trn|Glitch 8 - Missingno}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|KEN}}, {{Sm|Kuro}}, and {{Sm|T}}. Ranked 96th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Neeroz|France}} - The best Pikachu player in Europe. Placed 7th at both {{Trn|WANTED SAISON 4 - Chapter 2}} and {{Trn|Ultimate WANTED 3}}, 9th at {{Trn|Stunfest 2022}}, 13th at {{Trn|Temple: Hermès Edition}}, and 17th at {{Trn|95 Kings of Fields 2}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Dakpo}}, {{Sm|MPg}}, and {{Sm|Flow|p=France}}. Ranked 32nd on the [[PGRU v3 EU]].

*{{Sm|ShinyMark|Guatemala}} - One of the two best Pikachu players in the world. Placed 2nd at {{Trn|CUMBRE}}, 4th at {{Trn|Relax & Smash at GeekFest Cancún}}, 5th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 9}}, and 7th at both {{Trn|SWT: Central America Ultimate Regional Finals}} and {{Trn|Collision 2023}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|MkLeo}}, {{Sm|sisqui}}, and {{Sm|WaDi}}. Ranked 1st on the [[Guatemalan Power Rankings]]. Online, placed 1st at {{Trn|Hitpoint Online Tournament: Ultimate}} and 2nd at both {{Trn|SWT: Central America South Ultimate Online Qualifier}}. Ranked 16th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]].

|Wrestler

**Coincidentally, all four of these characters were playable in the ''Super Smash Bros. for 3DS'' demo.

*On the [[Sound Test]], Pikachu's voice clips are ordered differently from other non-DLC characters as they all are ordered by the abbreviations of their internal codenames. {{SSBU|Roy}} shares a similar distinction but with a few minor adjustments.