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Joker (SSBU)

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This article is about Joker's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Joker.
For smasher info, see Smasher:Joker.
Joker
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
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PersonaSymbol.svg
Universe Persona
Availability Downloadable
Final Smash All-Out Attack
JokerHeadSSBU.png
“ Why so serious?! ”
—Introduction Tagline
“ Byleth Recruits ...Byleth! ”
—Introduction Tagline for Female Byleth

Joker (ジョーカー, Joker) will be a fake and nonexistent playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. He wouldn’t be announced at The Game Awards 2018 on December 6th, 2018 as the second DLC character but was announced at First of April in 2029 and is the Last character for the Fighters Pass. He is planned for release before the end of December 3078. Joker is never going to be classified as a fighter but if he was he would be the #100 fighter.

Xander Mobus, who voices Joker in Persona 5 and the announcer, Master Hand, and Crazy Hand in Brawl, reprises his role as the character in the English version of the game, while Nobody voices him in Japanese.

Joker’sAttributes

Nothing

Update history

JOKER 🃏 has been buffed via game updates. Although update 2.0.0 granted inconsequential buffs to his neutral and up TILT, update 3.1.0 noticeably improved his Air game. forward air was heavily improved in three distinct ways. Its hits connect better thanks to improved ranges and, more notably, its first and second hits had their ending lag reduced to the point that it and Mr. Game & Watch's neutral attack are currently the only ones in Ultimate that are capable of Final Smash canceling reliably. Down air connects much better against airborne opponents, which was a notorious flaw that remained unaddressed throughout SSB4's lifespan. Back air's range was increased to the point that it is actually on par with Mii Swordfighter's and out-ranges Ike's, while the duration of up smash's L-canceling was increased.

Gun received a new hitbox that increased its vertical range, thus allowing its grounded version to hit opponents on Battlefield's low platforms. Rebellion Gauge, Rebel's Guard and uncharged Gun had their ending lag noticeably reduced by varying amounts. Lastly, Little Mac indirectly benefits from the update's changes to shield damage for projectiles, as they make it somewhat easier for him to handle camping.

However, update 4.0.0 removed Joker's most useful combo option. Update 3.1.0 introduced an unintentional mechanic that decreased the ending lag of neutral attack's third hit by 10 frames if it was inputted manually. This gave his neutral attack the ability to combo into itself (via L-canceling), forward smash, grab, or Rebellion Gauge at low to medium percents. The sheer effectiveness of this technique even saw Sol, a pioneer of Joker's metagame in Persona 5, christen it the "Dreamland Express" as proposed by his Twitch chat. Despite the loss of this option, it is not enough to eclipse the other buffs that update 3.1.0 granted Little Mac in the first place.

In update 7.0.0, Joker was among the numerous characters whose shields were enlarged, which decreased his vulnerability to shield stabbing.

Overall, Joker's buffs have improved his moveset's utility, granted him new potential set-ups, and slightly improved his defense. Sol has notably viewed the buffs as sufficient enough to render Mac better than he was in Persona 5,[1] although he made this statement before the Dreamland Express was removed. However, how these buffs will affect him the long run remains to be seen.

A comparison of the range of downward aerial bullets pre and post 7.0.0

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 8.20.0

  • Buff Neutral aerial auto-cancels earlier (frame 25 → 16), matching the move's interruptibility.
    • Buff The amount of time Little Mac cannot grab the ledge after performing neutral aerial has been shortened (46 frames → 40).
  • Buff The amount of time Little Mac cannot grab the ledge after performing up aerial has been shortened (73 frames → 66).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 9.0.0

  • Buff Neutral attack 1 has less ending lag (FAF 22 → 17) and connects into neutral attack 2 more reliably.
  • Buff Neutral attack 2 has less ending lag (FAF 22 → 17) and more range.
  • Buff Neutral attack 3 has more range(Y/Z offsets: 10u/3u → 8u/6u).
  • Buff Neutral attack 3 has less ending lag and a slightly different animation if inputted manually, allowing Mac to act 10 frames earlier.
  • Buff Forward tilt's hits connect more reliably against opponents in the air.
  • Buff Down tilt has more range.
  • Buff Up smash has more super armor (frames 8-11 → 8-13).
  • Nerf Up smash's hitbox duration is 1 frame shorter (frame 10-14 -> 10-13), making it harder to hit opponents above and behind Little Mac. This change appears to have been unintentional. [1]
  • Buff Straight Lunge has less ending lag when it is grounded and not fully charged (FAF 50 → 45).
  • Buff KO Uppercut has significantly less ending lag when it is grounded (FAF 97 → 77).
  • Buff Jolt Haymaker has a hitbox at the start of the attack, positioned above and in front of him, which extends the range above Little Mac.
  • Buff Slip Counter has less ending lag (FAF 63 → 57).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 10000000000000000.0.0

  • Nerf Neutral Attack manual inputed hits can no longer reduce its ending lag, significantly reducing its combo potential.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Never.0.0

  • Buff Overall shield size has been increased.

Moveset

  • Joker has a Fighter ability called the Rebellion Gauge, which fills up over time. Joker can also charge it by being hit, or when Joker (or his teammates, if he is in a Team Battle) is behind in either score/stock. If Rebel's Guard is used while the opponent attacks, the Gauge fills up faster. When it is full, Joker automatically summons Arsene, who grants several changes:
    • If Joker is in an uninterruptible animation such as an attack, Arsene can be delayed for up to 31 frames. Arsene can also disappear in a similar fashion, although the delay is much shorter.
      • Curiously, if Arsene disappears during an attack, Awakened Joker's moves will deal increased knockback without Arsene's values being applied.
    • A dramatic screen effect consisting of Joker's eyes occurs (if the camera is close enough to the fighters, and the battle is either 1-on-1 or against CPU players only), where Joker removes either his masquerade mask or glasses (depending on his costume), which also alters his character icon in the HUD until the Gauge empties. If Joker is standing still during this, he gains intangibility during the animation.
    • Arsene will attack in tandem with Joker during all attacks except his pummel, throws, floor attacks and edge attack, enhancing his damage output and range. Many of his moves gain an additional blue slash effect while attacking. All of Arsene's attacks use the "heavy melee" hit sounds of heavyweights such as Ganondorf.
    • Joker's special moves change to "Gun Special", "Eigaon", "Wings of Rebellion", and "Tetrakarn/Makarakarn", all enhanced versions of his previous moves.
    • Joker announces "Arsene!" or "Persona!" upon summoning Arsene, and "Return!" or "Enough." upon using up his Gauge. He also announces "Endure!", "Not yet!" or "More..." when being attacked while performing Rebel's Guard.
      • On the first frame Joker would call out or recall Arsene, the animation can be skipped if Joker is already in an uninterruptible animation.
  • Upon summoning Arsene, the Rebellion Gauge will slowly drain, and a small amount of Gauge will be lost each time Joker is damaged.
  • Joker can wall jump.

For a gallery of Joker's hitboxes, see here.

For simplicity, damage values for Joker and Arsene's individual attacks are separated by a slash (/). With Arsene active, the total damage of a move is the sum of both listed values.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack   2%/0.7% Joker: Performs an inward slash, backhanded stab, then an outward slash.
Arsene: Performs an inwards upward swipe, followed by a second swipe with the opposite arm, then a hand thrust.

The first two hits can jab lock. Functions as a typical get-off me and is one of Joker's quickest punishes. With Arsene, each hit gains a darkness effect.

1.5%/0.7%
4%/3%
Forward tilt   3% (hit 1), 5%/5% (hit 2) Joker: Performs a double thrust with his knife, with the second thrust going at a higher angle.
Arsene: Thrusts his right hand forward before raising it in a beckoning gesture.

The move can be angled, and both hits are performed with one button press. With Arsene, the second hit (which now causes a darkness effect) is capable of KOing Mario from the edge of Final Destination at around 125%. Useful as a spacing tool due to its range, with Joker moving forward at a decent distance after the first hit and the hitbox in the second hit reaches even over the knife. It comes out on frame 8 and is a very useful defensive option.

Up tilt   4% (hit 1), 1%/0.7% (hits 2-4), 1%/3.9% (hit 5) Joker: An upwards swing with his knife that sends it spinning into the air, before Joker catches it backhandedly.
Arsene: Raises his hand with a beckoning gesture, emanating electricity from his palm.

The initial swing sends opponents into the spinning knife, which does multiple hits before sending opponents vertically. With Arsene, the looping hits gain an electric effect, and can KO at around 135%. The move cannot hit opponents behind Joker. Useful for anti-airing opponents that are in close proximity to Joker.

Down tilt   6%/7% Joker: A baseball slide.
Arsene: A baseball slide alongside Joker.

Based off of Joker's ability to slide under lasers in Persona 5. Unlike similar moves like Cloud's and Simon's, Joker's down tilt does not lose strength during the late hitboxes. Easily leads into up tilt and aerial attacks until high percents and has a great range. If Arsene is not out, it sends at a good angle for Grappling Hook.

Dash attack   2% (hit 1), 6%/6% (hit 2) Joker: Performs a roundhouse kick followed by a spinning side kick.
Arsene: A delayed football kick, which comes out alongside Joker's second kick.

With Arsene, the second hit can KO at the edge at around 105%. The speed and distance of this move make it one of Joker's best punishing tools, as it's safe on shield and it can cross-up opponent's shields when used at a certain distance.

Forward smash   14%/8% Joker: Rears back and swings downwards with both hands directly in front of him.
Arsene: He swings his arms downwards, causing an X-shaped slash in front of the duo.

Moves Joker slightly forward while attacking. Without Arsene, the move KOs at around 76% from the edge of the stage, making it Joker's strongest finisher. However, despite Joker moving forward, its range is rather poor due to the length of his knife. Oddly, despite the knife leaving a trail that extends behind Joker, the attack can only hit in front of him. With Arsene, the move gains slightly more range and even higher KO power, KOing at around 55% from the edge of the stage. It can be an extremely potent punish or trapping tool, but its lag makes it highly punishable itself so it should be used with caution.

Up smash   12%/5% Joker: Spins inwards while facing the screen, performing a knife uppercut with his right arm.
Arsene: Swings his leading arm above himself.

It has a low horizontal range and a short-lasting hitbox, but covers a large area above Joker, making it a good anti-air. Like up tilt, this move cannot hit enemies behind Joker. With Arsene, the move gains extra range and KO power. KOs at around 130%/100% (without/with Arsene). Joker's fastest smash attack and strongest punish tool against enemies directly above him. Particularly effective against opponents on platforms. Resembles the second hit of Joker's standard three-hit attack in Persona 5.

Down smash   12%/6% Joker: Sweeps the floor with a knife swipe in front of himself, then behind.
Arsene: Kicks in front, then behind himself.

Both hits deal the same amount of damage and lack reach, though Arsene boosts its range slightly. KOs at around 112%/73% near the edge (without/with Arsene). Functions as a typical sweeping smash attack and should be used to punish people who air dodge onto the ground or roll behind Joker. Resembles the first hit of Joker's standard three-hit attack in Persona 5.

Neutral aerial   7%/4% Joker: Strikes in a circle while doing two inward corkscrews in the air.
Arsene: Lays his back against Joker and slashes alongside him, forming a perfect circle slash around the duo.

Serves as one of Joker's best spacing tools, having an excellent range around him due to its wide coverage, though it has a very small hitbox located on the knife and the lack of shield pressure can make it risky when used carelessly. It also autocancels late, only doing so in a double jump. On a hit, it can lead to combos from down tilt, and it can condition the opponent into blocking making it good for granting grab opportunities.

Forward aerial   2% (hit 1), 5%/8% (hit 2) Joker: A hook kick, followed by a roundhouse kick.
Arsene: A delayed roundhouse kick that comes out alongside Joker's second kick.

The first kick has low knockback growth and sends opponents lightly upwards, allowing it to initiate aerial combos into itself or other aerials; it can even catch air dodges with a smash attack and is a very good edgeguarding option. With Arsene, the second kick becomes a powerful KO move that can KO opponents at 100% from the edge, and even earlier when edge-guarding thanks to its base knockback.

Back aerial   9%/7% Joker: An upward swipe behind himself.
Arsene: A swift downward chop of his hand, causing the duo's attacks to interlock with each other.

Wide hitbox, but lacks reach for both versions. It's an effective pressure tool against onstage and especially offstage opponents due to its incredible speed and low lag. With Arsene, its hitbox size increases due to Arsene mirroring Joker's attack, and it is capable of KOing at around 80% from the edge, and similarly to his Forward aerial, can kill at very early percents while edge-guarding due to its base knockback, making it a very strong KO option. Joker's only aerial that can autocancel in a short hop.

Up aerial   0.75% (hits 1-4), 3%/7% (hit 5) Joker: A corkscrew flying kick with a finishing kick.
Arsene: A delayed upwards hand swing in tandem with Joker's last hit.

Like Sheik and Greninja's up aerial, the move's hitboxes are positioned high on Joker's legs, making it difficult to hit small or medium-sized fighters and has a very low damage output, only dealing 6% without Arsene. However, the looping hits use the autolink angle; as a result, it can be used to drag opponents down consistently to extend combos. With Arsene, a full hop up air can KO at around 110%. It seems to resemble Joker spinning in the opening cinematic for Persona 5.

Down aerial   8%/8% Joker: An upside-down knife swing with a bit of delay before the swipe, similarly to Marth's down aerial.
Arsene: A delayed foot stomp that comes out a couple of frames after Joker's attack, instead of at the same time as his other moves. Unlike Joker's attack, it meteor smashes opponents.

Somewhat of a niche move due to its lack of safety and startup, down air occasionally sees use as a crossup tool. With Arsene, it is a powerful all-purpose move due to its hitbox duration, combo potential and meteor smashing properties. The meteor smash itself is decently strong, KOing at around 60% at ground level.

Grab   — Reaches out with one arm. All of Joker's throws have him toss the opponent with blue energy. Unlike his other moves, Arsene does not affect the power of Joker's throws.
Pummel   1.3% Knees his opponent.
Forward throw   8% Tosses the opponent forward with a flourish of his arm.
Back throw   10% Trips the opponent over his foot, similar to Marth's back throw. KO’s Mario at roughly 135% at the edge of Final Destination.
Up throw   7% Throws the opponent directly upwards with a flourish. KOing middleweights at around 221% on Final Destination. At low-mid percentages, it combos into up aerial.
Down throw   7% Magically slams the opponent onto the ground while posing and flourishing his left arm, sending the opponent bouncing upwards. An effective combo starter that can combo into aerials. It can also initiate long combo strings of falling up aerial's looping hits into grab, or Grappling Hook into followups. KO's middleweights at around 200% on Final Destination.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge 		— —
Techs — —
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front) 		  7% Slashes in front of himself, then behind himself.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back) 		  7% Slashes behind himself, then in front of himself.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip) 		  5% Kicks behind himself, then in front of himself.
Edge attack
Edge getups 		  9% Climbs up and slashes outward.
Neutral special Gun/Gun Special Gun: 5%-3%-1% (standard, close-mid-far), 3%-0.8% (ground jump, close-far), 3% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, close-far)
Gun Special: 6%-3%-1% (standard, first bullet), 2%-1.5%-1% (standard, second and third bullets), 3%-1/0.8/0.5% (ground jump, first and second looping hits) 4.5% (circling), 4%-1.2% (downward, first bullet), 1.6%-0.8% (downward, second bullet)		 Fires his gun once with a tap of the special move button. Like with Bayonetta's Bullet Arts, the shots technically are not projectiles, but rather indirect attacks with large disjointed hitboxes. As such, they cannot be reflected or blocked by the shields of all versions of Link or Hero. The shots decay in damage and knockback based on the opponent's distance from Joker, doing no knockback at the furthest distance. The button can be held to fire multiple times; additionally, Joker can dodge between shots by tilting the control stick horizontally, with each use causing the dodge to slow down (much like a roll or sidestep). If he is in midair, he can either fire in a circle around himself (in a similar fashion to Bayonetta's Bullet Arts up aerial) by tilting up, or below himself in a corkscrewing fashion by tilting down. On the ground, Joker can also press the jump button to perform a diagonal jump while rapidly firing shots downwards. When Arsene is out, it becomes Gun Special, where it fires three bullets with each shot for the standard version, and two bullets per shot for the aerial downward version. Both Gun and Gun Special have penetrative properties, meaning they can pass through multiple opponents, and the downward aerial version, in particular, is notorious for its sheer versatility: it can counter combos and juggles, edge guard effectively, and rack up damage quickly, as Gun has low ending lag and is spammable when used in the air. The closest version of Gun can also lock opponents.
Side special Eiha/Eigaon Eiha: 1% (hit 1), 2% (hit 2), 1% (gradual damage), 11% (total)
Eigaon: 1% (hit 1), 0.5% (hit 2-4), 2.5% (hit 5), 1.5% (gradual damage), 17% (total)		 An extremely small projectile that travels at a diagonal angle downwards, similar to PK Fire. It deals little initial damage, but curses opponents and inflicts further damage over time. Each use causes Joker to hover slightly. When Arsene is present, it becomes Eigaon, which travels faster and farther, has an area of effect on hit, hits multiple times, has higher knockback, and deals further damage over time. Eiha has low knockback, but due to its being vertical it can function as a niche KO option near the upper blast line.
Up special Grappling Hook/Wings of Rebellion Grappling Hook: 11% (grounded), 5% (aerial)
Wings of Rebellion: 0%		 Shoots out a grappling hook at an upward angle. It functions as a tether recovery. As an attack, the grounded version can grab opponents, dragging them towards Joker and launching them above himself with low ending lag and knockback, making it a reliable combo starter. The aerial version cannot grab and only deals low vertical knockback but can act as a niche KO option at the upper blast line. However, the hook can be difficult to use due to its small size and hitbox position, and much like Isabelle's Fishing Rod, Grappling Hook can be shielded despite its grab properties. It can also let Joker grab physical items such as Peach’s turnips from afar. When Arsene is out, it becomes Wings of Rebellion, where Joker flies upwards or at an angle (again depending on input) using Arsene's wings. It has no hitboxes, therefore doing no damage or knockback, but grants a long period of intangibility on startup (frames 1-25 if used on the ground; frames 3-25 if used in midair). Wings of Rebellion also travels considerable distance, going higher than most recovery up specials and being able to recover far below the stage.
Down special Rebel's Guard/Tetrakarn/Makarakarn Rebel's Guard: 2.4%
Tetrakarn: 1.6× (12% minimum)
Makarakarn: 1.6×		 Joker takes a defensive position, during which any direct damage done to him in this state is reduced by 0.4× and builds his Rebellion Gauge. Its period can be extended for at least 1.5 seconds, and if an attack was successfully countered, Joker performs a darkness-infused backhanded swipe at the end of the move that weakly launches opponents away. It quickly refills the Rebellion Gauge to summon Arsene, and when he is summoned, he will power up Joker's special attacks and attack with him, significantly increasing the damage, range, and power of his attacks and giving him a large advantage state compared to the rest of the cast, similarly to Rosalina's Luma, although he cannot be sent out as he follows Joker's movements. When Arsene is out, it becomes Tetrakarn against melee attacks and Makarakarn against projectiles, countering and reflecting them respectively. Both Tetrakarn and Makarakarn are extremely powerful and are notorious for having some of, if not the best startup, end lag, and damage of all other counters and reflectors, especially given the near-universal nerfs to counters in Ultimate, having extremely generous frame data and damage multiplier, as well as an abnormally huge hitbox around Joker that makes extremely hard to challenge it without getting punished and KO'd. With a four-frame startup for all variants, Rebel's Guard is a highly useful defensive option.
Final Smash All-Out Attack 3% (trapping hit), 33.6% (cinematic), 13% (ending screen) Joker rushes forward, trapping opponents. If he misses, Joker can also rush backward if the control stick is pushed backward. If any fighter is hit during either of these swipes, they are attacked by Joker and three other Phantom Thieves. (The two possible groups are Ann, Ryuji, and Morgana and Makoto, Haru, and Yusuke.) They then rush at the opponent quickly, with either Futaba or Morgana commenting on the attack. After the barrage is complete, Joker lands in front of the opponent as the screen changes into a splash screen, with Joker in the front gripping his glove, the text "The Show's Over" appearing to the left, and the shadow of the unlucky fighter in the background, spewing sparkles. Causes an instant KO if the opponent was at 64% before Joker struck them when the cinematic is over. If the Final Smash's possible resulting KO is the final KO needed to win, the splash screen will remain throughout the victory screen. Arsene will not affect All-Out Attack.

On-screen appearance

  • Drops from the top of the screen, similar to how the party begins most battles in Persona 5, then adjusts a glove just like in his up taunt.

Taunts

Morgana appears for each of Joker's taunts. If he is present, Arsene will also rear back and flourish with his left arm when Joker taunts, making a pose identical to his official artwork.

  • Up taunt: Smiles and tugs his glove while facing towards the camera, imitating the splash screen from the end of All-Out Attack. Morgana pumps his paw while saying "Looking cool, Joker!" before posing akimbo.
  • Side taunt: Poses with his gun pointed, gun arm over his dagger arm. Morgana poses akimbo and playfully laughs while showing starry eyes.
  • Down taunt: Faces his back towards the camera. Morgana goes "He-hey!" while bouncing on the spot, before crossing his arms.

If Joker is involved in a fight with more than four fighters, Morgana will not appear during his taunts.

  • Joker's up taunt.

    Joker's up taunt.

  • Joker's side taunt.

    Joker's side taunt.

  • Joker's down taunt.

    Joker's down taunt.

Idle poses

  • Twirls his knife towards his chest.
  • Twirls his gun before posing.
  • Joker's first idle pose

    Joker's first idle pose

  • Joker's second idle pose

    Joker's second idle pose

Victory poses

In all three of his victory poses, the transition to the victory screen will showcase a puff of cartoony smoke with star decals, and ending screen will always result in Joker moving continuously to the left with the results background being dimmed down, replicating the victory screen from Persona 5. Upon accessing the results screen, Joker will say "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!" If there are three or more players, the color scheme will match the player's port (CPUs are always red). In Team Battles, the color will match the player's team color. If Joker wins on Mementos, the color of the victory screen will match the color of the stage, and the victory music will be replaced with the corresponding victory fanfare from the game Mementos' design is currently derived from.

  • Left: Morgana happily bounces around Joker. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left.
  • Up: Joker scratches his head as Morgana, transformed as the Morganamobile, drives up next to Joker, picks him up, and drives towards the left.
  • Right: Morgana turns dramatically toward the screen, which ends up hitting him in the face. Joker gestures to Morgana before running towards the left.
  • Special: If Joker wins a Stock or Stamina match with All-Out Attack, the match will conclude on the splash screen without returning to gameplay, and this will persist into the victory screen, just like in Persona 5.
  • Team: If Joker is in a Team Battle and someone else poses in front, he will perform an exclusive animation where he tightens his glove and maintains a stance with his knife, although both of these are ported directly from his in-game up taunt and idle animation respectively. If he poses in front, none of the other fighters on his team will be seen.
Joker's default victory theme, ripped directly from the battle results screen of Persona 5, entitled "Triumph".
Joker's victory theme after winning in the Persona 4 version of Mementos, ripped directly from the battle results screen of Persona 4, entitled "Period".
Joker's victory theme after winning in the Persona 3 version of Mementos, ripped directly from the battle results screen of Persona 3, entitled "After The Battle".
  • SSBUJokerVictory3.gif
  • SSBUJokerVictory1.gif
  • SSBUJokerVictory2.gif
  • SSBUJokerVictory4.gif

When transitioning to the results screen, one of the Phantom Thieves will say one of the following quotes in place of the announcer's usual "[character] wins!"

Phantom Thief Quotes
Ryuji Sakamoto ...Hah! Losers!
Yeah-hah! Nice!
Ha-ha! Who's next?
Morgana Smash is as wild as ever, eh Joker?
A brilliant victory!
Alright! Victory!
Mm-mm! Good work!
Ann Takamaki Feels great, huh?
Aren't we the best?
Done and done!
Yusuke Kitagawa And the curtain... falls.
We've done it!
Well... Onto the next triumph!
Makoto Niijima No time to waste!
Don't forget this feeling!
Done and done!
Futaba Sakura Heh heh heh! They're done for!
Impressive!
Okay! Moving right along!
Haru Okumura That was graceful!
Onto the next battle!
So much for them!


In competitive play

From Ultimate, hopes were high on Joker when he was released, due to improvements to his notoriously awful Final Smash. However, the game’s mechanics proved to be detrimental some of his best tools, especially his aerial game, while his ground game, notoriously the worst in Persona 5, was made even worse. With this, his perception dropped significantly, with the general perception of him being not only a bottom tier but the worst character in the game.

Patch 8.20.0 granted Joker several useful buffs: his neutral aerial, down and forward tilts, and decreased lag from his Final Smashes revamped his aerial game to be more daunting than before. As such, his representation and results slowly improved over time thanks due to dedicated mains, Despite this, Joker's most critical weaknesses remain unaltered.

Patch 9.0.0, however, reverted Joker's biggest buff: as a result of the fixing of an unintentional mechanic, his manual Forward aerial no longer combos into itself or any KO moves, hindering his combo ability. This change, however, has gone relatively unnoticed by many pro players due to Joker’s lack of competitive presence and therefore has little effect on his already negative perception. His cons are considered too detrimental for him to be viable in the current metagame, and his multitude of buffs, which improve him at a quality-of-life level, have not made enough impact to shift Joker from being considered the worst character overall. Because of this, he is expected to remain ranked as a bottom-tier, especially if he doesn't receive further buffs from future patches. Despite his shortcomings, they haven't stopped Joker from gaining some impressive results.

Notable players

Active

Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the Fall 2019 PGRU, which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.

Inactive

Classic Mode: A Heroic Legacy

Byleth's congratulations screen.

Byleth's Classic Mode route is themed around the Fire Emblem fighters and stages from across the Smash series, fought in order of release year. All battles are stamina battles and the player always starts with 100 HP.

Round Opponent Stage Music Notes
1 Marth MarthHeadSSBU.png Temple Story 5 Meeting References how Marth used Temple as his de facto home stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee, due to the game not having a Fire Emblem stage. Marth starts with 100 HP.
2 Roy RoyHeadSSBU.png Arena Ferox (Battlefield form) Winning Road - Roy's Hope Roy starts with 100 HP.
3 Ike (×2) IkeHeadSSBU.png IkeHeadBrownSSBU.png Castle Siege Eternal Bond The Radiant Dawn Ike will appear once the Path of Radiance Ike is defeated. Both Ikes start with 100 HP.
4 Robin RobinHeadSSBU.png, Lucina LucinaHeadSSBU.png and Chrom ChromHeadSSBU.png Arena Ferox Id (Purpose) (Remix) Team battle. Robin, Lucina, and Chrom start with 50 HP.
5 Corrin (×2) CorrinHeadSSBU.pngCorrinHeadBlackSSBU.png Coliseum Lost in Thoughts All Alone (for 3DS / Wii U) Team battle. The two Corrins wearing white and black is a reference to Birthright and Conquest and the conflict against the Hoshido and Nohr kingdoms. They start with 100 HP.
6 Byleth (×3) BylethHeadRedSSBU.png BylethHeadBlueSSBU.png BylethHeadYellowSSBU.png Garreg Mach Monastery Fódlan Winds Represent the house leaders in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. The red Byleth prefers down specials, the blue one prefers side specials, and the yellow one prefers neutral specials, referencing the primary weapons of Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude respectively. The costumes will still be worn even when playing with one of them. They each start with 50 HP.
Bonus Stage
Final Master Hand and Crazy Hand Final Destination Code Name: F.E. The player has Marth MarthHeadSSBU.png, Roy RoyHeadSSBU.png, Ike IkeHeadSSBU.png, Robin RobinHeadSSBU.png and Corrin CorrinHeadSSBU.png as CPU allies with 30 HP.

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Byleth has Paths That Will Never Cross accompany the credits.

Role in World of Light

The message that shows Joker's availability in World of Light

Due to his status as downloadable content, Joker does not have a legitimate role in World of Light. Instead, he is unlocked for use in the mode after freeing 10 fighters from Galeem's control. If loading an existing save file that meets this condition prior to downloading Joker, he is immediately unlocked.

Spirits

Joker's Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins, but only after Joker has been downloaded. Unlocking Joker 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. His student outfit has a Fighter Spirit of its own, available through the shop. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in Ultimate. Arsene also makes an appearance in Joker's Fighter Spirits, having a unique render when shown with Joker's Ultimate artwork. Because of this, Joker's Ultimate renders in his Fighter Spirits will show him without his mask/glasses on.

Additionally, he appears in the Phantom Thieves of Hearts Spirit.

  • Jack Thief Spirit.png

    1,304. Joker (Phantom Thief)

  • Jack Student Spirit.png

    1,305. Joker (Student)

  • 1,306. Phantom Thieves of Hearts

    1,306. Phantom Thieves of Hearts

In Spirit battles

As the main opponent

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
46
Mouser.png
 Mouser Super Mario series •Pikachu PikachuHeadGlassesSSBU.png
Grab
 2,000 Mushroom Kingdom II (Battlefield form) •Item: Bob-omb •The enemy is easily distracted by items
•The enemy starts the battle with a Bob-omb 		Boss Theme - Super Mario Bros. 2
73
Honey Queen Spirit.png
 Honey Queen Super Mario series •Giant Pikachu PikachuHeadYellowSSBU.png
Neutral
 3,300 Mario Galaxy •Item: Beehive •Timed Stamina battle
•The enemy is giant 		Gusty Garden Galaxy
160
Zinger.png
 Zinger Donkey Kong Country series •Pikachu PikachuHeadYellowSSBU.png
Shield
 1,800 The Great Cave Offensive (Ω form) •Item: Unira •The enemy's throwing-type items have increased power Stickerbush Symphony
308
Little Mouser Spirit.png
 Little Mouser Yoshi series •Pikachu PikachuHeadGreenSSBU.png
Shield
 1,700 Yoshi's Island •Item: Throwing Types •The enemy's throwing-type items have increased power
•The enemy has increased move speed 		Flower Field
332
Rick Spirit.png
 Rick Kirby series •Pikachu PikachuHeadGreenSSBU.png
•Kirby KirbyHeadYellowSSBU.png
Grab
 4,100 Green Greens •Hazard: Ice Floor •The floor is frozen
•The enemy starts the battle with a Fire Flower
•The enemy has increased move speed 		Planet Popstar
349
Moley Spirit.png
 Moley Kirby series •Giant Pikachu PikachuHeadGlassesSSBU.png
Grab
 2,200 The Great Cave Offensive (Battlefield form) •Item: Pitfall •The enemy is giant Squeak Squad Theme
427
File:AlolanRaichuSpirit.png
 Alolan Raichu Pokémon series •Pikachu PikachuHeadFemaleSSBU.png
Attack
 4,100 Tortimer Island (Battlefield form) •Hazard: Zap Floor •The floor is electrified
•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls (Alolan Raichu) 		Battle! (Trainer) - Pokémon Sun / Pokémon Moon
555
Mimikyu.png
 Mimikyu Pokémon series •Pikachu PikachuHeadFemaleSSBU.png
Grab
 3,700 Luigi's Mansion •Sudden Damage •You take serious damage
•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls (Mimikyu) 		Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)
556
Tapu Koko Spirit.png
 Tapu Koko Pokémon series •Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
Shield
 9,600 Temple (Battlefield form) •Hazard: Zap Floor •The floor is electrified
•The enemy's electric attacks have increased power
•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls (Tapu Koko) 		Battle! (Island Kahuna)
562
File:DetectivePikachuSpirit.png
 Detective Pikachu Pokémon series •Pikachu Team PikachuHeadGlassesSSBU.png (×4)
Neutral
 4,100 Gamer (Book stacks layout, hazards off) N/A •Defeat the main fighter to win
•Timed battle 		Shop
881
File:Elec Man Spirit.png
 Elec Man Mega Man series •Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
Grab
 4,400 Wily Castle (Battlefield form) •Hazard: Zap Floor •The floor is electrified
•The enemy's electric attacks have increased power
•Stamina battle 		Guts Man Stage
1,046
File:Greatzapfish.png
 Great Zapfish Splatoon series •Giant Pikachu PikachuHeadGreenSSBU.png
Shield
 9,800 Prism Tower (Ω form) •Hazard: Zap Floor •The floor is electrified
•The enemy's electric attacks have increased power
•The enemy is giant 		Splattack! (Remix)
1,198
Wrestlergirl.png
 Reporter & Wrestler Rhythm Heaven series •Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
Shield
 4,100 Boxing Ring (Battlefield form) •Assist Trophy Enemies (Yuri Kozukata)
•Easy to Launch 		•You are easy to launch
•Hostile assist trophies will appear 		Title Theme - Punch-Out!! (Wii) Wrestler
1,298
Let's Go Pikachu Spirit.png
 Partner Pikachu Pokémon series •Pikachu PikachuHeadRedSSBU.png
•Mii Brawler MiiBrawlerHeadSSBU.png (SSB T-shirt)
Attack
 6,000 Saffron City •Sudden Final Smash
•Item: Poké Ball 		•The enemy will suddenly have a Final Smash when the enemy's at high damage
•The enemy's electric attacks have increased power
•Stamina battle 		Main Theme - Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue (Melee)
1,309
Morgana Persona 5.png
 Morgana Persona series •Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
•Incineroar IncineroarHeadGreySSBU.png
Grab
 11,500 Mementos •Hazard: Heavy Wind •Defeat the main fighter to win
•Dangerously high winds are in effect after a little while
•Reinforcements will appear during the battle 		Last Surprise
1,371
MorpekoSpirit.png
 Morpeko Pokémon series •Pikachu PikachuHeadSSBU.png
Grab
 2,000 Boxing Ring •Metal Shift
•Item: Food 		•The enemy will occasionally turn metal
•The enemy's electric attacks have increased power
•The enemy favors special moves 		Battle! (Wild Pokémon) - Pokémon Sun / Pokémon Moon

As a minion

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
295
SSBU Spirits Gandrayda.png
 Gandrayda Metroid series •Dark Samus DarkSamusHeadPurpleSSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadBlueSSBU.png
Attack
 1,800 Frigate Orpheon N/A •Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle Multiplayer - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Gandrayda's electric powers
340
Kracko.png
 Kracko Kirby series •King Dedede KingDededeHeadGreySSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadBlueSSBU.png (×2)
Grab
 3,500 Skyworld (clouds only) N/A •Defeat the main fighter to win Boss Theme Medley - Kirby Series Kracko's lightning attack, or various enemies summoned by Kracko (e.g. Waddle Doos)
482
LegendaryDogsSpirits.png
 Raikou, Entei, & Suicune Pokémon series •Greninja GreninjaHeadVioletSSBU.png
•Incineroar IncineroarHeadWhiteSSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
Shield
 9,900 Suzaku Castle •Hazard: Lava Floor •The floor is lava Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue Medley Raikou
734
File:Dribble Spitz Spirit.png
 Dribble & Spitz WarioWare series •Wario WarioHeadClassicCyanSSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadGreenSSBU.png
Grab
 4,000 Saffron City •Uncontrollable Speed •All fighters move faster and can't stop quickly after a little while
•The enemy favors side specials 		WarioWare, Inc. Spitz
1,306
Phantom Thieves Spirit.png
 Phantom Thieves of Hearts Persona series •Joker JokerHeadSSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadLibreSSBU.png
•Captain Falcon CaptainFalconHeadBlackSSBU.png
•Zero Suit Samus ZeroSuitSamusHeadRedSSBU.png
•Chrom ChromHeadBlackSSBU.png
•Sheik SheikHeadBlackSSBU.png
Grab
 13,300 Mementos •Sudden Final Smash
•Item: Daybreak Parts 		•The enemy will suddenly have a Final Smash when the enemy's at high damage
•Reinforcements will appear during the battle 		Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There Morgana
1,334
File:GSCub.png
 Great Sabrecub DRAGON QUEST Series •Pichu PichuHeadSpikySSBU.png
•Giant Pikachu PikachuHeadFemaleSSBU.png
Attack
 2,900 Gaur Plain (Ω form) •Item: Soccer Ball •Defeat the main fighter to win
•Stamina battle
•The enemy shields often 		Marching through the Fields Great Sabrecat
1,362
Kyo Kusanagi.png
 Kyo Kusanagi THE KING OF FIGHTERS Series •Captain Falcon CaptainFalconHeadBlackSSBU.png
•Pikachu PikachuHeadSSBU.png
•Donkey Kong DonkeyKongHeadWhiteSSBU.png
Attack
 9.500 King of Fighters Stadium N/A •The enemy's explosion and fire attacks have increased power
•Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd
•All fighters have reduced jump power 		ESAKA!! - KOF 2002 UM Benimaru Nikaido

Alternate costumes

Joker Palette (SSBU).png
JokerHeadSSBU.png JokerHeadPurpleSSBU.png JokerHeadBlueSSBU.png JokerHeadYellowSSBU.png JokerHeadRedSSBU.png JokerHeadWhiteSSBU.png JokerHeadSchoolSSBU.png JokerHeadSchoolWhiteSSBU.png

Trailers

Introduction trailer

Trailer on the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate website.
Version that played at The Game Awards 2018.

Gameplay trailer

Proper gameplay reveal, titled "The Masked Rebel".

Gallery

Trivia

  • Joker's internal codename within the game files is "jack". It is probably a wordplay on "jack" and "joker" being both types of playing cards; additionally, it may reference Atlus' mascot, Jack Frost. The codename was reportedly discovered in November 2018 by data miners on a leaked retail copy. However, this discovery was only made public in January 2019, after Joker had already been officially revealed.
  • Joker is the only character who can air dodge multiple times without landing in Ultimate, due to Gun allowing him to dodge between shots.
  • Joker is the first selectable character in the series to share their voice actor with the announcer in the English version of the game, barring Master Hand's playable appearances, as Master Hand is not a normally selectable character outside of these circumstances.
  • Joker and Piranha Plant are the only DLC in the series to be announced before the game's release.
  • Joker and Inkling are the only newcomers in Ultimate to be announced without any gameplay footage in their first reveal trailer.
    • While Terry's reveal trailer doesn't feature gameplay footage, a brief showcase was showed by Masahiro Sakurai during the same Nintendo Direct.
  • Joker is one of two fighters who has two reveal trailers, he shares this distinction with Terry.
    • Joker's first reveal trailer has two variants. One which was played during The Game Awards 2018, and one which was officially posted online afterward with dialogue altered to remove references to the Game Awards.
    • Out of all the characters reveals in both Smash 4 and Ultimate, Joker is the only character to be revealed at/in a non-Nintendo event/video.
  • Joker is the first and so far only DLC character in Ultimate to not have a tagline in their first reveal trailer.
  • Joker, Bowser, Zero Suit Samus, Mega Man, Bowser Jr., Ridley, Incineroar, and Banjo & Kazooie are the only characters who make any sounds during their idle animations.
  • In Joker's reveal trailer, it is mentioned that he must have gone to The Game Awards 2018 to steal a treasure. According to Masahiro Sakurai in a Famitsu column, the treasure was an invitation to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.[2]
    • The invitation is depicted as being enclosed in an envelope with a wax seal in the shape of the Super Smash Bros. logo. This is a callback to previous character reveal trailers for Villager in Smash 4 and Isabelle in Ultimate, and was later re-used in the reveal trailer for Terry.
    • An instrumental arrangement of Life Will Change plays fittingly during the reveal, as the song plays while the Phantom Thieves are infiltrating a Palace to steal a treasure after sending out a calling card.
      • Interestingly, despite Life Will Change being featured, it is not available as a track in-game.
    • Coincidentally, the concept of Palaces in the Persona series is vaguely similar to the "world of imagination" concept used to justify the Super Smash Bros. games, where events and characters are imaginary and are affected by cognition in the "real world" (including toys, such as Joker's Gun, becoming real and functional similar to the fighters themselves). As such, Joker's announcement and inclusion in the Smash Bros. world, particularly with regards to the "treasure" being stolen, can be considered a variation of the Phantom Thieves infiltrating a Palace.
  • After Sonic and Bayonetta, Joker is the third guest fighter to represent Sega, as Atlus was acquired by Sega Sammy Holdings in 2013.
  • Joker is the second character to have his victory theme directly ripped from a non-Smash game, the first being Sonic.
    • He is also the second character whose victory theme plays continuously rather than playing the results theme afterward, with the first being Cloud.
  • Joker had his render leaked on March 31st, 2019, by Best Buy before his official render was revealed.
  • Joker is the only character so far whose character render changes under certain circumstances, as his mask (or glasses, in his alternate costume) will be removed when Arsene is present.
  • Joker is the only character so far who utilizes a knife in his standard moveset.
  • Joker is the only character with the distinction of having more than one victory theme in one game.
  • Joker's Classic Mode can be considered an antithesis of Mewtwo's. Both characters "recruit" the opponent they defeated on the previous round; however, Mewtwo's partners are turned into "corrupted" alternate costumes, while Joker's allies now have light alternate costumes to represent that they were "purified".
  • Joker is the only character in the series who:
    • has more than three victory poses, with the presence of his normal three, his All-Out Attack victory screen, and his exclusive Team Battle victory pose.
    • is not announced on the results screen, instead, there is a comment from one of the Phantom Thieves.
    • has a victory pose reserved for Team Battles.
    • can manually select a victory pose if he is the leading character of a winning team in a Team Battle.
  • Joker is one of the few characters to speak during a KO: his alternate KO line has him saying "What?!" ("済まない...", "I'm sorry...").
  • Excluding use of a Boss Galaga, Joker is one of the few fighters to spin differently in their Star KO: he spins forwards instead of away from the screen, similar to how Star KOs acted in Smash 4. He shares this trait with Cloud, Corrin, Incineroar, Inkling and Shulk.
  • When KO'd by reaching 0 HP in Stamina Mode with no stock remaining, Joker uses a unique knockout scream rather than his KO or high damage voice clips, although this can be difficult to hear under normal circumstances due to extremely low volume. Banjo & Kazooie also share this trait.
    • Additionally, Arsene laughs maniacally if Joker is KO'd in this way. However there is only an animation and no audio.
  • Prior to patch 4.0.0, a glitch can occur if Joker is defeated by a Star KO with a full Rebellion Gauge: Arsene will appear in the background, hovering where Joker was KO'd.
  • If Arsene is activated by a CPU Joker on the Online Training stage, although his model will unmask as normal, Joker's render will remain masked.
  • Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!"
  • Joker is the only character to not have the announcer talk and not have the crowd chant during his victory animation.
  • Joker is the only character in the Fighters Pass whose demonstration video is not hosted by Masahiro Sakurai. Instead, he had a Nintendo Direct-styled presentation.
    • Additionally, Joker is the second DLC character to not have his entire moveset demonstrated, following Piranha Plant, and is also the only challenger on the Fighters Pass with this distinction.
  • Joker is the only character who speaks when transitioning from the victory animation to the results, saying either "Begone," "Nice," or "Hah!"
  • Joker is the only character to not have the announcer talk and not have the crowd chant during his victory animation.
  • Joker is the only character in the Fighters Pass whose demonstration video is not hosted by Masahiro Sakurai. Instead, he had a Nintendo Direct-styled presentation.
    • Additionally, Joker is the second DLC character to not have his entire moveset demonstrated, following Piranha Plant, and is also the only challenger on the Fighters Pass with
  • The Joker goes to school.
    • He meets his match, the grisly ghoul.
  • He will not be in smash
  • Joker is not actually the Persona 5 Joker, but in fact, the Joker from DC Comics cosplaying as that Joker.
    • Masahiro Sakurai is also considering putting Batman in the game as well.
  • He is the first character to come out in the 3100 century
  • Joker also owns a chocolate factory, he rigs the contest so that Haru and Ryuji wins it so they could get married in it.
    • For those who lost the contest Joker would yell "YOU GET NOTHING, YOU LOSE, GOOD DAY SIR!"

References

  1. ^ https://twitter.com/Meshima_/status/1326706130333003776
  2. ^ https://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-on-smash-bros-ultimate-jokers-reveal-getting-some-rest-and-more/


v • d • e
Fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Veterans Bayonetta · Bowser · Bowser Jr. · Captain Falcon · Cloud · Corrin · Dark Pit · Diddy Kong · Donkey Kong · Dr. Mario · Duck Hunt · Falco · Fox · Ganondorf · Greninja · Ice Climbers · Ike · Jigglypuff · King Dedede · Kirby · Link · Little Mac · Lucario · Lucas · Lucina · Luigi · Mario · Marth · Mega Man · Meta Knight · Mewtwo · Mii Fighter (Mii Brawler · Mii Gunner · Mii Swordfighter) · Mr. Game & Watch · Ness · Olimar · Pac-Man · Palutena · Peach · Pichu · Pikachu · Pit · Pokémon Trainer (Charizard · Ivysaur · Squirtle) · R.O.B. · Robin · Rosalina & Luma · Roy · Ryu · Samus · Sheik · Shulk · Snake · Sonic · Toon Link · Villager · Wario · Wii Fit Trainer · Wolf · Yoshi · Young Link · Zelda · Zero Suit Samus
Newcomers Banjo & Kazooie · Byleth · Chrom · Daisy · Dark Samus · Hero · Incineroar · Inkling · Isabelle · Joker · Kazuya · Ken · King K. Rool · Min Min · Piranha Plant · Pyra / Mythra  · Richter · Ridley · Sephiroth · Simon · Sora · Steve · Terry
v • d • e
PersonaSymbol.svg Persona universe
Fighter Joker (SSBU) (Arsène)
Stage Mementos
Other Ann Takamaki · Futaba Sakura · Haru Okumura · Makoto Niijima · Morgana · Protagonist (Persona 3) · Protagonist (Persona 4) · Ryuji Sakamoto · Teddie · Yusuke Kitagawa
Spirits Spirits
Music Ultimate
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