Ness (SSBU)

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Ness in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	EarthBound
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	PK Starstorm

“	Ness has a variety of moves, from long-range attacks using psychic powers known as "PSI," to short-range attacks with his bat and yo-yo. Ness can also unleash PK Thunder, a guided attack that can launch him like a rocket or help him recover!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Ness (ネス, Ness) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was revealed along with all other previous fighters on June 12, 2018. Makiko Ōmoto reprises her role as Ness through archived voice recordings.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Complete Classic Mode for the first time.
• Awaken Ness in Adventure Mode: World of Light.

With the exception of the second method, Ness must then be defeated on Onett.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

NOTE: SmashWiki is not speculative. Please refrain from adding detailed data values derived from pre-release gameplay footage, such as the E3 demo. Such data (damage values, launch trajectories, frame data, etc.) are subject to change before the official release.

Ness was buffed substantially for his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Among his most notable buffs are his increased damage output, stronger up smash, and his down smash's greater edge-guarding potential. Additionally, his enhanced movement speed and varied zoning tools make him a more formidable opponent.

Aesthetics

• Ness' model features a more subdued color scheme, and some of the detailing on his clothes and weapons are more prominent, such as the stitching on his socks.
• Ness always faces the screen regardless of which direction he turns, causing his animations to be mirrored.
• The text on his yo-yo now reads "SUPER NINTENDO 2018 MOTHER". The yo-yo also produces trailing aftereffects when in motion.
• Many of his PSI moves now have their respective PSI graphics from EarthBound.
• Ness' eyes bulge and grow more circular when he is hit or frozen.
• Ness has a new idle animation where he bounces in place with his arms to the side.
• His air dodge now resembles its Melee iteration more closely.
• Ness' victory poses have been slightly altered:
  • When Ness poses with his bat, he swings his bat only once instead of multiple times.
  • Ness skips into the victory area instead of hopping in place.
  • He has a more astonished expression during his look-about victory pose.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Ness's jumpsquat animation now takes 3 frames to complete.
• Ness jumps higher.
• Ness dashes faster.
• Ness' air speed has increased.

Ground Attacks

• Neutral attack connects more reliably.
  • Neutral attack deals slightly less damage.
• Forward tilt deals more damage.
  • Forward tilt can trip opponents.
• Up tilt has a larger hitbox and more horizontal range.
• Dash attack has an altered animation with Ness pulling his hands to his hips to generate PSI.
• Up smash and down smash have regained the charging hitboxes they had prior to SSB4. The yo-yo can also hang below the ledge, improving Ness's edge-guarding abilities significantly.
• Up smash deals significantly more knockback.

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has reduced landing lag.
  • Neutral aerial has increased range.
  • Ness now emits PSI from his hands to indicate the move's increased range. It also produces a magical sound effect.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has reduced landing lag.
  • Forward aerial deals more damage.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has reduced landing lag.
  • Back aerial deals more damage.
• Up aerial is now a different move that has Ness waving his hand in an arc over his head while emitting PSI from his index finger, hitting 5 times.
  • The multi-hit nature of the move makes it much more punishable when hitting a shield.
  • Up aerial has less horizontal range.
  • Up aerial deals more damage when all hits connect.
• Down aerial:
  • Down air has reduced end lag and landing lag, and its animation is faster overall.
  • Down air autocancels sooner, allowing Ness to buffer the move out of a shorthop and suffer no lag. This grants the move combo potential and greatly improves its utility.
  • Down air now has proper knockback scaling in line with other spikes.

Throws/other attacks

• Ness now grabs and pummels his opponents using PSI with accompanying sound effects.
• Pummel deals slightly more damage.
  • Pummel is slower.
• Down throw deals more knockback, reducing its combo potential at mid-percents.

Special moves

• PK Flash:
  • PK Flash is more seafoam in color and emits its respective EarthBound graphic upon detonating.
  • PK Flash travels faster.
  • PK Flash can now can now travel through soft and semisoft platforms.
  • PK Flash no longer dissipates upon making contact with hard platforms and can instead be held on the ground until the move is fully charged.
  • PK Flash's explosion has more active frames.
  • PK Flash no longer causes helplessness when used in the air.
• PK Fire:
  • Ness now uses one hand to fire the projectile while emitting a red spark from his index finger. Diamond-shaped PSI energy also rises up within the fire pillar, resembling PK Fire's graphics from EarthBound.
  • PK Fire does more damage on its initial hit.
  • PK Fire has less end lag and landing lag.
  • The projectile's hitbox is larger, and the flame pillar engulfs opponents more reliably.
  • PK Fire pushes Ness back slightly when used on the ground, similar to Lucas's PK Fire.
• PK Thunder:
  • PK Thunder more closely resemble its appearance in EarthBound.
  • PK Thunder now has a window of intangibility during its startup frames.
  • PK Thunder now has an angle indicator when the ball of lighting moves close to Ness, allowing the player to see the trajectory Ness will travel during PK Thunder 2.
  • PK Thunder 2 travels further.
  • PK Thunder 2 has more intangibility frames during the move, significantly improving its safety against counterattacks.
  • PK Thunder 2 deals less knockback.
• PSI Magnet:
  • PSI Magnet more closely resembles its appearance in EarthBound and features a visible suction effect around the magnet.
  • PSI Magnet is larger.
  • PSI Magnet no longer halts Ness's horizontal momentum in the air.
  • PSI Magnet now has a weak hitbox on startup and deals damage to opponents who enter it. This lingering hitbox can destroy weak projectiles, improving its safety when used for absorption.
• PK Starstorm:
  • Ness' Final Smash, PK Starstorm, summons slower meteors that spread out over the stage, similar to its Brawl iteration. Paula and Poo now accompany Ness during the move. PK Starstorm particle effects from EarthBound accompany each meteor, and the Sound Stone's background pattern appears in the stage's background.

Role in World of Light

Ness was absent in the World of Light trailer, though he presumably became a spirit alongside the rest of the galaxy (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed its beams of light.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Ness idling on the Bridge of Eldin.

• 

  Performing his up smash on Kalos Pokémon League.

• 

  Performing PK Flash on Frigate Orpheon.

• 

  Throwing Fox on Tortimer Island.

• 

  Crouching next to Jeff in Onett.

• 

  Dashing in Smashville.

• 

  Dodging Bowser's Bowser Bomb with Ike on Gaur Plain.

• 

  Diddy Kong trying to steal Ness's banana on Moray Towers.

• 

  Ness crouching under a Bomber next to Ganondorf on Gaur Plain.

• 

  Ness striking Bowser Jr. with Death's Scythe on Yoshi's Story.

• 

  Expelled by a Super Launch Star on Yoshi's Island.

• 

  Frozen by Alolan Vulpix on Tortimer Island.

• 

  Taunting in Onett.

• 

  Ness being teleported away by Abra on Arena Ferox.

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

• Ness is the only one of the four original unlockable characters from Smash 64 to be playable in the E3 demo.
  • Ness is also the only one to appear on the box art. However, Captain Falcon is featured in the full group artwork.
• Ness's yo-yo reads "SUPER NINTENDO 2018" and "MOTHER", in reference to his console of origin, Ultimate's year of release, and his home series, respectively.
• Ultimate is the first Smash game where Ness does not receive any new voice clips.