Greninja (SSBU)

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Greninja in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Pokémon
Other playable appearance	in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Secret Ninja Attack

“	A ninja-like fighter that battles with moves like the Water Shuriken. Greninja can use a log for clever counterattacks, and this Pokémon can even stick to walls. During its Final Smash, it turns into Ash-Greninja...!?	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Greninja (ゲッコウガ, Gekkouga) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Greninja is classified as fighter #50.

Greninja is once again voiced by Billy Bob Thompson, through recycled voice clips from Smash 4.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Greninja being the 58th character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Donkey Kong or any character in his unlock tree, being the sixth character unlocked after Sheik.
• Have Greninja join the player's party in World of Light.

With the exception of the third method, Greninja must then be defeated on Kalos Pokémon League.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Aesthetics

• Greninja's model features a slightly more subdued color scheme.
• Every move that once used water katanas now use water kunais, similar to when Ash's Greninja uses Cut in the Pokémon anime.
• Greninja's tongue has less physics-based movement than the previous game.
• Greninja has altered animations for its sidestep, roll, and airdodge animations; it now disappears in a slight gust of wind with leaves scattering, similarly to when Substitute is successful.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Greninja's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete (down from 4).
• Greninja dashes significantly faster (2.08 → 2.288).
• Greninja walks slightly faster (1.43 → 1.502).
• Greninja's air speed is faster (1.18 → 1.239).
• Greninja has a lower weight (94 → 88), now weighing less than Peach. This worsens its survivability but also makes it less susceptible to combos.
• The ability to tech footstools greatly hinders Greninja's combo options.

Ground attacks

• Neutral infinite is considerably faster.
• Down tilt has a new animation - a downward sweep with its hand.
  • Down tilt launches at a more upward angle, improving its combo potential.
  • Down tilt can be acted out of 3 frames earlier.
• Dash attack has an altered animation, with Greninja stopping halfway through the spin.
  • Dash attack does more damage.
  • Dash attack can be acted out of 1 frame earlier.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag.
• Neutral aerial can be acted out of 12 frames earlier, which also reduces the potential of Greninja self-destructing when using it off-stage.
• Forward aerial deals much more knockback.
• Down aerial has more ending lag when it hits, slightly hindering its combo potential.
  • Landing down aerial no longer makes Greninja lose its double jump.

Throws/other attacks

• Forward throw deals more damage and knockback.
• Back throw:
  • Greninja has a new back throw animation, in which it turns around and throws with both hands.
  • Back throw's new animation is faster, making it harder to DI properly.
  • Back throw has reduced base knockback.

Special moves

• Water Shuriken:
  • Water Shurikens appear visually sharper.
  • Water Shuriken has slightly increased range.
• Shadow Sneak:
  • During Shadow Sneak, the shadow's eyes flash red just before release, making it easier to predict the attack.
  • Shadow Sneak's attack features a new animation - a forward kick. Additionally, Greninja now cloaks itself in a whirlwind before disappearing.
  • Shadow Sneak activates slightly faster.
• Substitute:
  • Substitute activates faster, making it harder to avoid the attack.
  • Substitute now grants Greninja invincibility during the actual attack.
  • Substitute's counter window is longer, making it easier to pull off.
  • Substitute now slows down the opponent, making the counter-attack connect much more consistently.
  • Substitute has more vibrant particles when activated.
• Hydro Pump:
  • Hydro Pump now has an arrow pointing in the direction of travel, similar to Pikachu's up-special, Quick Attack.
  • Hydro Pump can now be ledge-cancelled.
  • Hitting Greninja out of Hydro Pump no longer makes it lose its double jump.
• Final Smash:
• Greninja now turns into Ash-Greninja during Secret Ninja Attack.
• Greninja and its opponents are no longer silhouetted during Secret Ninja Attack.

Update history

1.2.0 Template:UpdateList/1.2.0

• A visual glitch with Greninja's screen KO has been fixed.

Role in World of Light

Greninja was among the fighters that were summoned to fight the army of Master Hands.

During the opening cutscene, Greninja was present on the cliffside when Galeem unleashed his beams of light. Greninja leaped into the air to avoid one of the beams, which hit Lucario instead. Greninja was hit shortly after and vaporized, getting imprisoned by Galeem afterward along with the other fighters, sans Kirby. A puppet fighter cloned from Greninja is later seen alongside ones cloned from Fox, Samus, Link and other fighters.

Greninja is later seen among several other fighters, making their last stand against Galeem and Dharkon. It also shows up in the bad ending where Galeem emerges victorious against Dharkon, witnessing Galeem engulf the world in light.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Artwork of all playable Pokémon characters and Poké Ball Pokémon, as posted by the official Pokémon Twitter account.

• 

  Greninja's fighter card.

• 

  Greninja coming to a halt on Kalos Pokémon League.

• 

  Charging Water Shuriken next to Ryu on Suzaku Castle.

• 

  Jumping on Battlefield.

• 

  Performing its neutral aerial with Leviathan on Midgar.

• 

  With its Substitute Doll on Wuhu Island after tripping.

• 

  Performing Shadow Sneak on Luigi's Mansion.

• 

  Struck by Lucario on Pokémon Stadium 2.

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

• Greninja's new character portrait resembles its air dodge animation.
• Coincidentally, Greninja's fighter number, 50, is the same as the number of its costume in Super Mario Maker.
• In the Pokémon series, Ash-Greninja is only obtainable as a male. The fact that Greninja transforms into Ash-Greninja for its Final Smash, Secret Ninja Attack, seems to imply that Greninja is a male in Ultimate.