Luigi (SSBU): Difference between revisions

'''Luigi''' ({{ja|ルイージ|Ruīji}}, ''Luigi'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was confirmed alongside {{SSBU|Yoshi}} and the rest of the returning roster on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018, with him and Yoshi being the last two veterans to be revealed. Like in his appearances prior to ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', he is [[unlockable]], instead of being available from the start. Luigi is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #09]].

As in ''SSB4'', {{iw|wikipedia|Charles Martinet}}'s portrayal of Luigi from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was repurposed for ''Ultimate''.

Luigi is a [[Weight|middleweight]] who is quite [[floaty]] and has attributes that deviate from most other characters in his weight class. Luigi sports fairly average [[walk]]ing speed, [[dash]]ing speed, and [[air acceleration]], a decent initial dash, below-average [[gravity]], slow [[falling speed]], low [[traction]], the 2nd slowest [[air speed]], and the 4th highest [[jump]]s in the game. As such, Luigi's mobility is fairly sluggish overall, especially in the air.

Luigi's greatest asset is his outstanding frame data, which is easily among the best of the cast. Because of this, similarly to [[Mario (SSBU)|his older brother]], Luigi can be very difficult to punish, as only two of his standard moves and five of his attacks overall have more than 9 frames of startup lag (forward smash, down aerial, [[Fireball]], [[Green Missile]], and [[Luigi Cyclone]]) and a multitude of moves that hit at or before frame 5, such as neutral attack, dash attack, neutral aerial, up aerial and all of his tilts while the vast majority of his moveset also has low ending lag, giving him among the fastest attack speed of the entire cast and an excellent punish game, which is complemented by the impressive utility of his overall moveset. Neutral attack's damage output and [[range]] are decent, and the first two hits can [[lock]]. Luigi's tilt attacks also have their own perks: forward tilt can be angled and is useful for spacing, up tilt has excellent combo and juggling potential, and down tilt is an incredibly quick and highly [[spam]]mable move that can combo into itself and many other moves while also being able to consistently perform [[2 frame punish]]es at the edge. Finally, Luigi's dash attack has quick startup, and with its reduced ending lag as well as its increased damage output and knockback, it is a much better move for approaching and attacking than in previous titles.

Luigi's smash attacks are among the fastest of their kind, have below-average ending lag, and are strong enough to be reliable finishers. As a result of these traits, they allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. Forward smash deals extra [[shield damage]], up smash is an effective anti-air attack due to rendering Luigi's head [[intangible]] while its hitboxes are active, and down smash is very useful for punishing rolls thanks to its minimal lag, respectable damage output, and long range. Both up smash and down smash also have set-up potential at low percentages if Luigi successfully covers the opponent's options afterward.

Luigi's aerial attacks are also very useful, having fast startup, lenient [[auto-cancel]] windows, quick [[interruptibility]] (except for neutral and back aerials) and low ending lag in general. In terms of autocanceling, he can auto-cancel all his aerials with a short hop, can auto-cancel all of them except for neutral aerial with a short hop fast fall and can use forward, up and down aerials twice in a single short hop. Lastly, he can use his forward and up aerials twice with a single short hop without suffering from landing lag. Neutral aerial is a [[sex kick]] and, like in previous installments, the only one that launches opponents vertically, which benefits its clean and late hitboxes: the former is a great combo breaker and deals high damage and good knockback, making it a reliable KO option at high percentages, and both are very useful combo starters when [[SHFF]]'d, with the latter working even up to high percentages. Forward aerial has the fastest duration of its kind and launches at the [[Sakurai angle]]; at low to medium percentages, these traits make it very reliable for [[approach]]ing or down throw-initiated combos into itself, neutral aerial and up aerial, as well as a reliable [[edge-guarding]] option at high percentages. Back aerial has the highest ending lag of Luigi's aerials by a noticeable margin, but other than fast startup, it has a powerful clean hitbox on Luigi's feet and decent range, which enable it to function as a safe and reliable KOing and edge-guarding option, or as an approach option via [[reverse aerial rush]]. Up aerial is useful for combos: it can either extend them or, thanks to having the lowest amount of landing lag out his aerials, use its clean hitbox to start them at low percentages when SHFF'd due to its clean hit dealing above-average damage for a combo move. Its generous auto-cancel window and very low ending lag also allow Luigi to use it twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it successfully, a trait it shares with his forward aerial and {{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s neutral aerial. Lastly, down aerial is safe to use and has a clean hitbox which is a fast meteor smash, coming out on frame 10 and with only 14 frames of ending lag, the lowest of any meteor smash. Due to his powerful aerials with generally low lag all around, Luigi has an outstanding air game.

Luigi has an excellent grab game, but unlike in past installments, he has a [[tether grab]] due to using the {{iw|mariowiki|Poltergust G-00}}'s {{iw|mariowiki|Suction Shot}} to grab an opponent. As a result, Luigi can grab opponents from a decent distance, preventing the necessity for him to get up close to do so. It also provides Luigi with a [[grab aerial]], in which the Suction Shot's plunger functions as a projectile that deals minor damage and knockback. This grants Luigi an additional edge-guarding option and situational combo move that, unlike most projectiles, cannot be absorbed or reflected. Like Mario, Luigi has an average pummel, which can deal multiple hits before being followed up with any of his useful throws. Forward throw deals respectable damage and is useful for repositioning opponents or setting up edge-guards against them at higher percentages. Back throw also deals respectable damage and great knockback, allowing it to KO at a mere 120%, or even earlier with [[rage]]. Unlike Mario's back throw, it also lacks a noticeably long animation, which makes it harder for the opponent to survive with [[DI]]. Up throw deals average damage and knockback, and possesses follow-up potential into forward or up aerials at mid percentages. It also possesses a collateral hitbox to harm bystanders. Lastly, down throw is Luigi's primary combo starter and is one of his most useful attacks: it deals average knockback, has low ending lag, and launches at a vertical angle, which collectively enable it to lead into potent and highly damaging combos, even being able to lead into potential [[zero-to-death]]s. Down throw can combo into moves such as up tilt, up smash, all of Luigi's aerials, Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone, due to its aforementioned traits, and functions as an excellent KO setup tool, being able to lead into Super Jump Punch, back aerial, or Luigi Cyclone at high percents. Although situational, down throw also has a collateral hitbox before the throw that can hit bystanders, similarly to up throw.

As a pseudo-[[clone]] of Mario, Luigi has two special moves that are derived from his older brother, yet his versions deviate in noticeable ways. [[Fireball]] is a [[projectile]] that is useful for pressuring, hindering an opponent's approach, or setting up an attack. Unlike Mario's Fireball, Luigi's is unaffected by gravity and moves up and down, which makes it somewhat less effective at hindering an opponent's [[recovery]] attempt, but allows it to cover a consistent area horizontally and vertically. Compared to Mario's version, Luigi's Fireballs also have a clean hit that deals more damage and they have less ending lag, allowing him to throw another one just one frame before the clean hit ceases. [[Super Jump Punch]] has fast startup like Mario's, but propels him vertically instead of diagonally. By extension, it consists of a sweetspot and sourspot, instead of multiple hitboxes like Mario's. Its sweetspot boasts devastating power, which makes it a very potent punishment option, yet it is very risky because of its high ending lag and sourspot that is mostly useless outside of being a niche gimping tool.

Aside from these, Luigi's other special moves are completely distinct from Mario's. [[Green Missile]] deals damage and covers horizontal distance, both of which can be increased thanks to its ability to be [[charge]]d, giving KO potential to the fully charged version. However, it also has a one-in-ten [[random]] chance of misfiring; in this case, it becomes even stronger than the fully charged version, and travels much further. Lastly, [[Luigi Cyclone]] grants Luigi some [[invincibility]] frames on startup, enabling him to break out of combos or contest opposing attacks effectively. It also functions as a KOing option near the upper [[blast line]], and is a guaranteed follow-up out of down throw even at high percentages, which can function as a reliable KO combo on platforms.

However, Luigi has some notable disadvantages. He has fairly sluggish mobility, with his extremely slow air speed and floaty physics making it difficult for him to land onstage, especially against faster characters, thus possessing a subpar approach and a weakness to [[juggling]]. His range, while better than Mario's, is still below-average and thus leaves him fairly susceptible to getting outspaced by characters with long range, such as {{SSBU|Lucina}} and {{SSBU|Shulk}}. Compared to Mario, Luigi's lack of a [[reflect]]or also makes it more difficult for him to deal with [[projectile camping]] (especially against characters such as {{SSBU|Link}}, {{SSBU|Samus}}, and {{SSBU|Simon}}) when combined with his awkward mobility.

Additionally, Luigi's poor aerial mobility hinders his ability to approach with his aerial attacks, as well as his recovery. On top of this, his recovery, although long-distanced, is linear, slow, predictable and fairly susceptible to [[gimp]]ing. Luigi Cyclone barely grants any additional height compared to previous games, which leaves him reliant on [[Super Jump Punch]] and [[Green Missile]] for recovering; the former travels directly upward only, and the latter has noticeable lag, cannot [[Edge sweet spot|sweetspot edges]], and relies on either charging or its random misfire chance to cover a serviceable horizontal distance.

Overall, Luigi is a very solid character, though he often tends to run hot-and-cold, unlike his brother. His extremely fast frame data, strong air game, and devastating combos make him a force to be reckoned with, provided his opponents make careless mistakes. Luigi's overall combo game, KO potential, and advantage state are easily superior to his brother's, having many different set-ups that can deal absurdly high damage within seconds, and then score KOs immediately thereafter. However, Luigi's short range - along with his mediocre grounded mobility, abysmal aerial mobility, and predictable side and up specials - force him to fight at close-quarters all the time, hindering both his approach and recovery. Because of this, a mastery of Luigi's recovery mixups and powerful combo game is crucial to achieving success with him.

Luigi has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate'', but has been nerfed slightly overall. While Luigi received numerous buffs and changes that improve his strengths and benefit him, he has also suffered from a few major nerfs; both points are also compounded by the universal changes to the game's engine, which were a mixed bag for him.

Luigi's direct nerfs have affected his playstyle quite noticeably. Particularly, [[Luigi Cyclone]] travels much less vertical distance via [[button mash]]ing, removing all of its usefulness for [[recovery]], as even with very fast mashing, Luigi barely gets any additional distance at the end of the move. Alongside the addition of windboxes to it, this also removes its ability to [[gimp]] opponents and KO them at virtually any percentage if timed correctly, which was a crucial technique to his success in ''SSB4''. Another notable example comes from his new grabs: although they still have only moderate ending lag for their range, they possess much more startup, and are more prone to punishment due to the ability to cancel [[spot dodge]]s earlier into attacks. This makes them much riskier to use and harder to land, especially since their increased startup removes many guaranteed setups into them and severely weakens Luigi's ability to [[shield grab]], consequently limiting his defensive game and the usage of his pivotal down throw.

In terms of indirect nerfs, the changes to [[air dodging]] have both helped and hindered Luigi, but hurt him overall: due to his floatiness, the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows him to use one for recovery in a pinch. However, due to his below-average gravity, his air dodges have drastically more ending lag relative to the rest of the cast, thus making them more punishable, and recovery mix-ups with them are almost unfeasible due to the ability to only use one before landing. When combined with his [[air speed]] remaining the second worst in the game, as well as the severe distance nerf to Luigi Cyclone, his recovery is much more linear and easier to intercept, causing Luigi to become much more prone to [[edgeguarding]] and early offstage KOs, despite Super Jump Punch and fully charged Green Missile granting slightly more distance.

However, Luigi has also received several buffs, with said buffs being of greater quantity than his nerfs. In particular, some of his least useful moves in ''SSB4'' have been significantly improved: [[down tilt]] can be interrupted twice as fast and deals less knockback, allowing it to poke opponents much more safely and increasing its combo potential, while his [[dash attack]] has considerably decreased ending lag, connects more consistently, and has increased power, making it much safer and more reliable as a burst option while its higher power gives it utility as a potential KO option near the edge at high percentages. Additionally, his existing KO options have been improved overall: [[forward smash]] has higher knockback and a lower trajectory across all angles, [[up smash]], [[down aerial]], and [[Luigi Cyclone]] have increased knockback, [[down smash]]'s sweetspots are easier to land, [[back throw]] has a new animation with a much faster release that makes it much harder to DI and allow it to KO at the ledge more consistently, and his [[Super Jump Punch]]'s signature sweetspot can KO at even lower percentages. Further complementing these changes, Luigi's already excellent combo game has been improved as well: he has gained a new [[up tilt]] with less ending lag and more range in front of and above him, his [[up aerial]] has less ending lag, and his [[down throw]], already one of his best moves, leads to deadlier combos due to its lower ending lag and Luigi's faster [[jumpsquat]], having more consistent KO setups and even potential [[zero-to-death]]s. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone has received far more utility overall despite its usage for recovery being removed: it deals greater damage with more knockback, pulls opponents in more consistently thanks to its new [[windbox]]es, has increased range, and grants [[invincibility]] on startup (especially prevalent in the air, which grants it as soon as frame 1), improving both its offensive and defensive capabilities, and with the addition of the Poltergust G-00 to Luigi's moveset, not only do his [[grab]]s have more range, but he has also gained a [[grab aerial]], firing a plunger that can start and extend combos and even edgeguard opponents.

Luigi also benefits from some of the universal changes. Like the rest of the veterans, Luigi has had decreased [[landing lag]] in all his aerial attacks, a faster [[jumpsquat]] (now having a 3 frame jumpsquat like the rest of the cast), and his mobility enhanced in most areas, but most importantly, his infamously low [[traction]] has been greatly increased, which somewhat alleviates his problems with [[approach]]ing and significantly improves his out of shield options. The increased [[shieldstun]] on grounded moves in comparison to ''SSB4'' makes Luigi harder to punish on some of his moves, notably his newly improved down tilt. In addition, unlike most characters, Luigi has increased [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]], making him less vulnerable to juggling while the latter increases his jump speed, allowing him to more easily take advantage of his buffed down throw and combo game when combined with his faster jumpsquat.

Overall, Luigi has become even more polarizing than in ''SSB4'': while his combo and KO capabilities have been improved, ''Ultimate''{{'}}s game engine and nerfs to crucial aspects of his toolkit have made it harder for him to take advantage of his strengths and render him easier to KO due to his worsened recovery. Luigi has achieved decent tournament success in ''Ultimate'' so far, with respectable representation from players such as {{Sm|Elegant}} and {{Sm|SMB}}, though as a whole, his tournament results are not as dominating as they were in ''SSB4''. This has lead to a positive reception of Luigi, although his reception has been slightly more mixed: several top players, such as {{sm|Dabuz}}, {{sm|Mew2King}}, {{sm|ESAM}}, {{sm|VoiD}}, {{sm|Samsora}}, and {{sm|ZeRo}}, view him as either an upper mid tier character or a high tier character. As for now, Luigi's true viability remains uncertain, although he is still considered a viable choice.

Luigi received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update {{SSBU|1.1.0}} decreased his up aerial's ending lag, which improved its combo potential and restored its ability to auto-cancel with a short hop like in ''SSB'' and ''Brawl''. Update {{SSBU|2.0.0}} granted Luigi a handful of buffs, with the most notable being a noticeable increase to [[Luigi Cyclone]]'s knockback. Thanks to this buff, Luigi Cyclone now functions as a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages when used on platforms. Aside from this, Luigi received a few quality of life buffs: his up smash's knockback was increased, [[Green Missile]]'s ending lag was decreased, and both his standing and pivot grabs gained 1 more active frame apiece. However, this update harmed Luigi more so than helped him by removing his down aerial's ability to [[meteor smash]] grounded opponents, which reverted it to how it functioned in ''SSB4''. This nerfed most of its combo potential, particularly in regard to its consistency at performing [[zero-to-death]] combos.

As part of update {{SSBU|3.0.0}}'s near-universal nerf to [[projectile]]s, [[Fireball]]'s [[shield damage]] output was decreased. Update {{SSBU|3.1.0}} improved his grab aerial's range by repositioning its plunger, and slightly improved his neutral attack's consistency. However, an adjustment to the timing of Luigi Cyclone's [[invincibility]] resulted in its utility being worsened slightly. Lastly, update {{SSBU|10.1.0}} noticeably improved his dash attack's consistency by decreasing its looping hits' knockback and adjusting its penultimate hit's angles. When coupled with the damage output buff it received in the transition to ''Ultimate'', Luigi's dash attack has become more reliable as both a burst option and a risky, yet viable KO option.

Overall, Luigi fares mildly better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate''. Although down aerial's combo potential was worsened noticeably, his combo game remains potent thanks to his inherent strengths, up aerial's improved combo potential, and Luigi Cyclone's improved KO potential.

**It can also be used a [[grab aerial]], but not as a [[tether recovery]].

|neutraldesc=A {{iw|wikipedia|one-two combo}} followed by a [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Hip attack|hip thrust]]. It hits on frame 2 and its last hit slightly moves Luigi forward, making it a safe option at close range. The first two hits can also be used for jab locking opponents. The first two hits are based on the {{iw|mariowiki|Punch}} + Punch + {{iw|mariowiki|Kick}} combo from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}''.

|ftiltdesc=A hook kick. Despite having a different animation compared to {{SSBU|Mario}}'s, it can be angled like his and has similar properties. Thanks to its higher damage output, it can function as a situational KO option near an edge at very high percentages. Just like Luigi's other tilts, it comes out on frame 5. Good spacing option despite having less range and more ending lag than Mario's. However, it is outperformed by other stronger and more versatile spacing tools.

|utiltdesc=An uppercut. It is a potent combo starter, leading into itself at low percentages and all of Luigi's aerials at medium to high percents. Due to its generous hitbox and low lag, it is one of Luigi's better [[juggling]] options. Compared to Mario's, it deals more damage, has more frontal range and less ending lag, but its much lower base knockback makes it less safe at very low percentages.

|dtiltdesc=A crouching, low-angle back kick. It has short range, and deals low damage and knockback. However, its very minimal lag allows it to be quickly used in succession to combo into itself and whittle down shields if the opponent is close enough to Luigi, as he can act as soon as he puts his foot back to the ground. It can also combo into several moves at a variety of percentages, and is an excellent ledge trapping tool, as its extremely low lag makes it highly spammable, being able to 2-frame quite effectively and pressure the opponent's ledge options.  

|dashdesc=A flurry of childish punches. It has been considerably improved from previous games, having significantly less ending lag and dealing both more damage and knockback, to the point that it can function as a situational KO option near an edge at very high percentages. Due to it coming out on frame 4, it also remains one of the fastest dash attacks in the game in terms of start-up alongside {{SSBU|Ivysaur}} and {{SSBU|Fox}}'s dash attacks. Since Luigi dashes forward, it has long range, but it is very punishable if whiffed.

|fsmashdesc=A knifehand thrust. Luigi's most powerful smash attack, thanks to its respectable damage output, very high knockback scaling on all angles, and considerable shield damage. It is his slowest grounded attack, but it is one of the fastest forward smashes, coming out on frame 12, with relatively low ending lag for a smash attack (28 frames). When combined with its high shield damage output, it is hard to punish. However, it has short range, making it difficult to land.

|usmashdesc=An upward arcing headbutt. It is quite fast for a smash attack due to it coming out on frame 9, making it one of Luigi's fastest KO options, and launches opponents at a vertical angle towards him. Like Mario and {{SSBU|Dr. Mario}}'s up smashes, it renders his head [[intangible]] throughout its duration. Unlike theirs, however, it consists of a sweetspot and a sourspot that deals 2% less damage, the latter which is located closer to Luigi, but it is out-prioritized by the sweetspot and is very unlikely to hit unless the opponent is practically touching him. Compared to Mario's version, it launches at a lower angle, but actually KOs earlier due to its higher knockback overall, the hitbox lasts for one more frame, giving it more frontal range and a longer period of intangibility, and the animation ends one frame earlier. Its combination of very fast interruptibility, the intangibility on Luigi's head and respectable power make it very hard to punish, especially out of shield.

|dsmashdesc=A modified version of the {{iw|mariowiki|Sweep Kick}} from ''Super Mario 64''. It hits on both sides of himself. It is Luigi's fastest smash attack due to it coming out on frame 6, but it is also his weakest. In an opposite fashion to his up smash, both hits possess sweet spots located closer to Luigi, with the sour spots covering the rest of his legs. Unlike in ''SSB4'', its front hit is drastically better at KOing, thanks to it launching the opponent at a fairly low diagonal angle in the direction Luigi is facing instead of behind him.

|nairdesc=A flying kick. It has the fastest start-up out of Luigi's aerials due to it coming out on frame 3, making it very useful for breaking out of combos. It also launches at a vertical angle, allowing it to start combos when [[SHFF]]'d, especially with its late hit. The clean hit possesses an above-average damage output and high knockback, giving it decent KO power, especially near the upper blast lines. Just like his other aerials, it can auto-cancel in a short hop, although it is his only aerial that cannot auto-cancel in a short hop fast fall.

|fairdesc=A downward knifehand strike. It is very fast thanks to it coming out on frame 7 and being interruptible just 13 frames after the hitbox ceases (frame 24), tying it with {{SSBU|Pac-Man}}'s forward aerial for the fastest in the game. It is a reliable follow-up from down throw at low to medium percentages, and is useful for edge-guarding and approaching due to its extremely low ending lag, with the fastest interruptibility of its type. It auto-cancels at frame 21, and combined with its lack of ending lag, it can auto-cancel in a short hop fast fall and can be used twice in a short hop without landing lag. Its hitbox is positioned on Luigi's hand and arm, but also has another, smaller hitbox on his shoulder that covers slightly around his body.

|bairdesc=A dropkick. It has decent range, the highest of Luigi's aerial attacks. The clean hit's sweetspot is located on Luigi's feet and deals high damage and great knockback, making it one of Luigi's best KOing options. Conversely, the clean hit's sourspot and the late hit deal much less damage and knockback. It has minimal start-up due to it coming out on frame 6, but has 33 frames of ending lag, the highest of Luigi's aerials. It can auto-cancel both in a short hop and in a short hop fast fall, although in the latter's case, it requires strict timing.

|uairdesc=A bicycle kick. It is useful for combos like Mario's up aerial, due to its very low ending lag and landing lag, while dealing above-average damage for a combo move. However, it launches at a lower angle than Mario's; this makes it less effective for [[Combo|ladder]] combos and juggling past low percentages, yet more effective for horizontal combos. It also comes out one frame later than Mario's, on frame 5 instead of 4, but has less ending lag. However, it possesses a substantially smaller hitbox. Just like his forward aerial, Luigi can use his up aerial twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it due to its lenient auto-cancel window and low ending lag.

|dairdesc=A corkscrew double foot stomp. It comes out on frame 10, has low ending and landing lag, auto-cancels in a short hop fast fall, and has a clean hit that meteor smashes with respectable power. Altogether, these traits make it a fast yet safe edge-guarding option and a versatile move overall. It also has the lowest ending lag of any meteor smash in the game, with only 14 frames of lag. However, the clean hit only affects the hitbox on Luigi's feet and only lasts one frame, whereas the late hit is less rewarding due to launching opponents horizontally away from Luigi, although this still makes it effective for edge-guarding. Prior to update 2.0.0, the clean hit could affect both grounded and aerial opponents, which allowed it to start combos at a wide variety of percentages, even possessing KO set-ups into Super Jump Punch. From the update onward, it only affects aerial opponents, removing most of its potential as a combo starter; however, it can still function as a valuable combo extender from a down throw or neutral aerial, launching opponents back to the ground and into more follow-ups. It resembles the {{iw|mariowiki|Drill Stomp}}.

|zairdesc=[[mariowiki:Suction Shot|Fires a plunger]] from the {{iw|mariowiki|Poltergust G-00}} from ''Luigi's Mansion 3''. It behaves unusually from other grab aerials in that it cannot be used as a tether recovery, and the plunger alongside its string detach from the Poltergust G-00 after being fired forward, behaving as a projectile that is affected by gravity and cannot be [[reflect]]ed or [[absorb]]ed, which makes it useful for edge-guarding. The plunger falls down until either landing on the ground or traveling a set distance, disappearing afterward, and does not restrict Luigi from using his grab while active. Unlike other grab aerials, this move has much higher landing lag (20 frames), but if Luigi lands before firing the plunger, it can come out and hit opponents during landing lag, allowing it to combo into several ground attacks at close enough range. These attributes make it a good projectile overall.

|grabdesc=Fires a plunger from his Poltergust G-00. Has high range due to being a tether grab, however unlike most tether grabs, it has fairly low ending lag as Luigi is able to act out of it before the plunger disappears.

|pummelname=Poltergust Shock ({{ja|オバキュームショック|Obakyūmu Shokku}}

|pummeldesc=Squeezes the opponent with the Poltergust G-00. Much quicker than his previous pummel, but does less damage.

|fthrowdesc={{iw|mariowiki|Slam}}s the opponent forward with the Poltergust G-00. Luigi's second most damaging throw, but has limited utility outside of dealing damage and setting up edge-guards at high percentages. It can KO middleweights at around 162% at the ledge of Final Destination.

|bthrowdesc=Turns around to slam the opponent behind himself with the Poltergust G-00. It is Luigi's most damaging and strongest throw, as well as one of the strongest back throws in ''Ultimate'', being able to reliably KO middleweights under 120% at an edge.

|uthrowdesc=Swings the Poltergust G-00 upward. It can combo into a forward aerial or up aerial at low to medium percentages, and possesses a collateral hitbox that launches bystanders upwards alongside the thrown opponent. However, it is a less versatile combo starter compared to down throw. It can KO middleweights at around 189% on Final Destination.

|dthrowdesc=Shoves the opponent under himself and {{iw|mariowiki|Ground Pound}}s them. It is Luigi's most useful attack and one of the most effective combo starters in the game, thanks to its average knockback, low ending lag and mostly vertical angle. It can combo into several moves, including an up tilt or up smash at low percentages, and any of Luigi's aerials or Luigi Cyclone at low and up to high percentages, as well as an aerial sweetspotted Super Jump Punch. Its most effective follow-up at low percentages is a sweet spotted down aerial, followed up by a neutral aerial into another sweet spot down aerial, before finally ending with an up aerial into a Super Jump Punch for a [[zero-to-death combo]] that works on a wide variety of characters. At high percentages, it has several potential KO setups, including an aerial Super Jump Punch, a back aerial near the edge, and Luigi Cyclone with platforms or subpar [[DI]]. It has a collateral hitbox before the throw at frames 18-28 that can hit bystanders, and due to the throw's low ending lag, Luigi can act as soon as he touches the ground.

|floorfdesc=Performs a modified version of the Sweep Kick before getting up.

|floorbdesc=Performs a breakdancing kick before getting up.

|floortdesc=Performs a wheel kick while getting up.

|nsdesc=Throws a {{iw|mariowiki|Green Fireball}}. It is fairly [[spam]]mable, which enables it to pressure opponents from afar and hinder approaches. Compared to Mario's Fireball, Luigi's version has less ending lag and has a clean hit that deals more damage, with Luigi being able to throw another fireball when the clean hit ceases. Unlike Mario's version, the fireball also unaffected by gravity, which gives it more vertical range, but makes it less suitable for edge-guarding.

|ssdmg=≈6.16% (uncharged), ≈21% (fully charged), 25% (misfired)

|ssdesc=Crouches and then shoots himself forward to perform a flying [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks|battering ram]]. It takes more than a full second to fully charge, but deals impressive damage upon doing so. Upon reaching full charge, it has KO potential and can be held for some time before being automatically canceled. It also has a 10% chance to misfire, which deals considerably more damage and knockback, KOing opponents at around 60% from the center of {{SSBU|Final Destination}}; this is known as Overzealous Green Missile. A misfired Green Missile, also grants intangibility on frames 18-22, and always travels the same distance regardless of the charge. However, its considerable ending lag makes it punishable whether it is used for offense or recovering, which makes [[read]]s very important in order to use it effectively.

|usdesc=A jumping uppercut. Its grounded sweetspot emits a [[ping]] sound and triggers a Special Zoom upon hitting, and boasts excellent damage output with impressive knockback, KOing opponents from 37%-67% depending on weight from ground level. Its aerial sweetspot is larger, yet deals less damage and knockback (though it is still powerful), and does not have the special effects of the grounded sweetspot. Both versions also grant intangibility for three frames, starting frame 8 on the ground and frame 6 in the air. However, it is very punishable because of its considerable landing lag, while its abysmally weak sourspot lacks KO potential and is very unsafe.

|dsdesc=Rapidly spins around as a vortex generates around himself, trapping the opponent and damaging them with a series of [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Clothesline|discus clotheslines]] and [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks#Spinning back fist|spinning backfists]] before assuming a [[wikipedia:Spreadeagle (position)|spread-eagle position]] to launch them. It allows Luigi to move horizontally on the ground, as well as maintain his aerial position by mashing the special move button, although both abilities are considerably weaker than in previous games. It also grants Luigi [[invincibility]] during startup (frames 4-8 while grounded and 1-7 in midair), and has [[windbox]]es around Luigi to pull opponents into the attack, making it a potent combo breaker that, compared to his neutral aerial, is more effective but slightly less rewarding. As of update 2.0.0, the final hit has respectable power: the grounded version KOs middleweights at around 160%, whereas the aerial version is a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages. It should also be noted that Luigi Cyclone now requires consistent mashing for all hits to connect.

|fsdesc=Wields the {{iw|mariowiki|Poltergust G-00}} to vacuum nearby opponents into it before powerfully ejecting them diagonally. Opponents will accumulate more damage the earlier they are vacuumed in. It has decent range, and is capable of vacuuming opponents from a variety of angles.

|dtauntdesc=Bashfully kicks to the ground. Its high fixed knockback value makes it a very potent meteor smash, allowing it to potentially OHKO an edge-hanging opponent. The grounded meteor smash mechanics of ''Ultimate'' also make it surprisingly potent as a combo starter onstage, as it can no longer be teched. However, it is held back by pitiful reach and slow start-up lag.

===[[Announcer]] call===

{{audio|Needs announcer calls from other languages.}}

Luigi English Announcer SSB4-SSBU.wav|English/Japanese/Chinese

*A green {{iw|mariowiki|Warp Pipe}} appears, and Luigi leaps out of it while nervously saying "Let's-a go!" and sporting a frightened expression that is very similar to his expression on the cover of ''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion}}''.

LuigiOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Luigi's on-screen appearance

*'''Up taunt''': Performs five quick poses, one after the other. When switching from pose to pose he says, "Hoh, hah, hee, heh, hoo!"

:#Flashes a V-Sign.

:#Holds his finger under his nose, his eyes looking at the player. This pose is, in some respects, similar to his ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time}}'' artwork.

:#Crouches down to the floor with his back turned to the player.

:#Assumes a fearful position with his hands on his cheeks, mimicking his artwork from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion}}''.

*'''Side taunt''': [[Wikipedia:Planking (fad)|Planks]] while saying "Pow pow!" Due to it moving Luigi forward into the [[Hitbox#Hitboxes in three dimensions|z-axis]] and lowering his hurtbox, some attacks may actually miss him as a result.

*'''Down taunt''': Bashfully kicks the ground while sighing. One of the only taunts in the game to inflict damage; it deals 2% and [[meteor smash]]es opponents with high [[set knockback]], making it a surprisingly reliable combo starter onstage, and allowing it to [[one-hit KO]] opponents offstage or hanging on edges. It is similar to the animation Luigi performs when he loses a {{iw|mariowiki|minigame}} in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Party 2}}''.

SSBULuigiIdle1.gif|Luigi's first idle pose

SSBULuigiIdle2.gif|Luigi's second idle pose

*'''Up:''' With his back to the screen and his hands on his hips, Luigi nods his head twice. Then, he turns around and makes gun motions with his fingers, saying "Bang, bang!" He continues to alternate between pointing his fingers and nose to the right and left.

Despite Luigi's perception, however, several Luigi mains such as {{Sm|Elegant}}, {{Sm|Navy}}, and {{Sm|Scot}} managed to produce many strong results as the metagame progressed. This, along with the several buffs he was given in his transition, helped improve Luigi's perception in the community as the buffs were far more significant than previously thought.

As offline competitive play has returned, Luigi's results have gotten much stronger, with his best player Elegant placing top 8 at several major tournaments, including a 3rd place finish at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}}. {{Sm|Kiyarash}}, an up-and-coming Luigi main in the Wi-Fi era, has begun achieving success with the character offline as well. Thanks to his playerbase, Luigi is now mostly perceived as an upper mid tier to lower high tier character, although some players believe he should be ranked even higher.

===Most historically significant players===

<!--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 -->

''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.''

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

 

*{{Sm|Elegant|USA}} (#32) - The best Luigi player in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Overextend}}, {{Trn|Standoff 2019}}, and {{Trn|2GG: SoCal Chronicles 2020}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}}, 4th at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}} and {{Trn|Riptide}}, and 13th at {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}} with wins over {{Sm|Light}}, {{Sm|Shuton}}, {{Sm|ESAM}}, {{Sm|Tweek}}, and {{Sm|Samsora}}.

*{{Sm|F-A-!-A|Germany}} - One of the best Luigi players in Europe. Placed 7th at {{Trn|Calyptus Cup X: Powwer Up}} and 9th at both {{Trn|DoKomi 2019}} and {{Trn|Lightning: Strikes Twice}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|PurpleDebo}}, {{Sm|Purple~H}}, and {{Sm|Young Eevey}}.

*{{Sm|Honk|Germany}} - One of the best Luigi players in Europe. Placed 9th at both {{Trn|Smash Contest: DoKomi 2020}} and {{Trn|Calyptus Cup X: Powwer Up}}, as well as 13th at {{Trn|Unismash 7: Ultimate Birthday}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|DarkThunder}}, {{Sm|otek}}, and {{Sm|yetey}}.

*{{Sm|Kiyarash|United States}} - The best online Luigi in the United States. Placed 2nd at both {{Trn|Get On My Line 2021}} and {{Trn|SWT: NA Southwest Ultimate Online Qualifier}}, 4th at both {{Trn|Steal the Show 4 @ Smashcade}} and {{Trn|Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE}}, 6th at {{Trn|SWT: NA West Ultimate Regional Finals}}, and 9th at {{Trn|Super Smash Galaxy}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Scend}}, {{Sm|ShinyMark}}, and {{Sm|Yez}}. Currently ranked 35th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]].

*{{Sm|Landon|Canada}} - The best Luigi player in Canada. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Rising Stars at EGLX 2019}} and 7th at {{Trn|Frostfire 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Blacktwins}}, {{sm|jw}}, and {{Sm|Mew2King}}.

*{{Sm|Lunamado|Japan}} - Co-mains Luigi and {{SSBU|Bowser}} and is one of the best Luigi players in Japan. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 16}}, 4th at {{Trn|KVOxTSB 2019}}, 5th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}, 7th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 18}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}. Currently ranked 50th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Navy|Japan}} - One of the best Luigi players in Japan, but has been inactive since 2019. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}}, 5th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 4}} and 17th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 3}}, {{Trn|Sumabato SP 8}}, {{Trn|Sumabato SP 11}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Etsuji}}, {{Sm|Gackt}}, and {{Sm|Shuton}}. Currently ranked 46th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Scot|USA}} - One of the best Luigi players in the United States. Placed 7th at {{Trn|MONZA Ignition Speed Festival}}, 9th at both {{Trn|Overclocked Ultimate}} and {{Trn|Return to Subspace 2}}, 17th at {{Trn|Glitch 7 - Minus World}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}}, {{Sm|Puppeh}}, and  {{Sm|Raffi-X}}. Currently ranked 4th on the [[Connecticut Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|WaKa|Mexico}} - The best Luigi player in Mexico. Online, placed 3rd at {{Trn|The Online Olympus II}}, 5th at both {{Trn|Maruchan Gaming Series}} and {{Trn|Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE}}, and 7th at {{Trn|Super Galaxy Gambit x Collision}}. Currently ranked 12th on the [[Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7]]. Offline placed 2nd at {{Trn|Abierto Ciudad Victoria}}, 4th at {{Trn|Smash Revolution Sessions 00}}, and 9th at both {{Trn|BIT MASTER MTY 8}} and {{Trn|SWT: Central America Ultimate Regional Finals}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Sparg0}}, {{Sm|Goblin}}, and {{Sm|Skyjay}}. Currently ranked 10th on the [[Mexican Power Rankings]].

All of Luigi's opponents are creepy or scary characters, or a character using a scary alternate costume. His boss, [[Dracula]], fits in with the theme, as he is a vampire and references the fact that Luigi prominently appears in {{SSBU|Simon}} and {{SSBU|Richter}}'s reveal trailer.

|1||{{CharHead|Toon Link|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Black}} (x4)||[[Luigi's Mansion]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)}}''||Despite all enemies sharing the same costume, their models weren't brightened nor darkened to differentiate them.

|4||{{CharHead|Mii Brawler|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (x3), {{CharHead|Mii Swordfighter|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (x2), and {{CharHead|Mii Gunner|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Luigi's Mansion ([[Battlefield form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)}}''||Horde Battle.<br>{{SSBU|Mii Fighter}} costume combinations:

|6||{{CharHead|Little Mac|SSBU|hsize=20px|color=Green}}, then Giant {{CharHead|Mr. Game & Watch|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Luigi's Mansion ([[Ω form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|On the Hunt - Gloomy Manor Ver.- (Instrumental)}}''||Mr. Game & Watch is not announced in the loading screen. Items do not appear.

{{clear}}

|{{s|mariowiki|Mr. L}}

*''{{s|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion 3}}'' was teased before it was officially announced through Simon's trailer, as Luigi can be seen using the new Poltergust G-00 from the aforementioned game.

*Luigi can be seen performing Green Missile in [[:File:SSBU Panoramic.png|the panoramic artwork]] for ''Ultimate'', similar to his pose in a [[:File:SSBMCast.jpg|group artwork]] for ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.

*Luigi is the first and only veteran in the series to have his standard grab be changed into a [[tether grab]] between installments.

*In a promo screenshot for the game depicting Luigi in his [[Waluigi]]-inspired costume, the "L" on his cap was green, but in the final game, it is purple, like in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''.

*Luigi is one of two characters to represent an upcoming game at the time of the game's release through his moveset.

**The other character with this distinction is {{SSBU|Yoshi}} through his ''{{iw|mariowiki|Yoshi's Crafted World}}'' alternate costume.

*Prior to 3.1.0., Luigi's pipe during his on-screen appearance does not appear to have any lighting effects, unlike Mario's.

*Luigi is the only ''Super Smash Bros.'' veteran to be unlocked in the Dark Realm in Adventure Mode, and the only one to be unlocked in a sub-area.

*In the ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' Direct of November 1, 2018, Sakurai noted during the part where he described {{SSBU|Ken}} that Luigi is the original Echo Fighter, as he was initially introduced as a simple palette swap of Mario in 1983's ''{{iw|supermariowiki|Mario Bros.|game}}'' with identical abilities. Likewise, Luigi was originally a full clone of Mario in ''SSB'', though he has since been heavily de-cloned to the point of becoming a pseudo-clone as of ''Ultimate''.

**Interestingly, however, it is still possible to cancel {{SSBU|Snake}}'s taunts despite them also possessing a hitbox.

*Through unlocking through versus mode and awakening all fighters in World of Light, Luigi is the last ''SSB'' veteran to be unlocked. However, via Mario's unlock tree in {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}, Luigi may be the first ''SSB'' veteran to be unlocked.

*If Luigi is currently under the effects of a [[Superspicy Curry]] or the [[curse]] from [[Eiha / Eigaon]], there is a glitch which results in his curry expression overlapping his angry expression if he performs either his forward aerial or charges up his Green Missile.

*If Luigi gets countered by [[Blade Counter]] while facing left, he will be forced to show his back<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Zeckemyro/status/1377845964216664065|title=Luigi being forced to show his back}}</ref> due to Blade Counter forcing him to use the wrong grab release animation.

*There is a minor sound effect oversight regarding Green Missile where the popping sound effect plays after Luigi has already removed his head from the wall. This is due the animation being sped up from last game without the sound effect being modified to match the animation.