Editing Ness (SSBU)

'''Ness''' ({{ja|ネス|Nesu}}, ''Ness'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was revealed along with all other previous veterans on June 12, 2018 and is classified as Fighter #10. As with the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', and {{for3ds}}, he is once again an unlockable character.

{{s|wikipedia|Makiko Ōmoto}}'s portrayal of Ness from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' were repurposed for ''Ultimate''. This makes ''Ultimate'' the only installment where Ness does not receive any new voice clips.

Ness has a unique moveset that features elements of various archetypes. While his three projectiles allow for some zoning, he truly excels at short distances, where he can overwhelm opponents with fast aerials, steady shield pressure, and punishing throws. Ness' overall mobility is rather one-sided: on the ground his [[walking speed]], [[initial dash]], and [[dash]] speed are below average, but his aerial movement shines thanks to his excellent [[air acceleration]], decent [[air speed]], and above-average [[jump]] height. Moreover, Ness' low [[gravity]] and low [[falling speed]] allow him to perform multiple aerials in one [[short hop]], and all of his aerials can be [[auto-canceling|auto-canceled]]. Despite his small stature, Ness is a middleweight, tied with {{SSBU|Lucas}}, {{SSBU|Mii Brawler}}, and {{SSBU|Inkling}}.

Ness enjoys a versatile set of special moves. His neutral special, [[PK Flash]], creates a large projectile that travels in an arc above Ness and gains strength the longer it is held. Because it has low ending lag and freezes opponents briefly when successful, PK Flash has utility as a combo starter and juggling tool. It also no longer sends Ness into [[helplessness]], making it useful for knocking opponents away from the ledge while Ness is offstage. Ness' side special, [[PK Fire]], forms a tiny projectile that travels horizontally a short distance and bursts into a pillar of flames on contact with an opponent, dealing multiple hits. The move is infamously spammable and can set up combos, condition opponents to jump, or simply rack up damage itself. Notably, when used in the air, PK Fire has a diagonal trajectory and decreased landing lag, bolstering its effectiveness on platforms. Ness' up special, [[PK Thunder]], is his third projectile and most unique special move. It creates a ball of electricity that travels upward from Ness' head and can be guided with the control stick, costing Ness his mobility while active, but granting him the ability to pressure deep offstage, juggle opponents repeatedly, or at times KO into the upper blast zone. Ness can also send the lightning into himself at any angle, launching him in that direction for an extremely powerful [[PK Thunder 2]] attack which doubles as Ness' primary recovery tool. Ness' down special, [[PSI Magnet]], creates a psychic field around Ness that absorbs energy-based attacks and heals Ness a proportionate amount of percent. This is particularly effective against characters such as {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, {{SSBU|Wolf}}, and {{SSBU|Snake}}, who often use energy-based projectiles in neutral. PSI Magnet also has newfound offensive utility in ''Ultimate'', as it now features an active hitbox with set knockback. The aerial hitbox can confirm into several of Ness' normal aerials, while the grounded hitbox places opponents in perfect range for a sweetspotted forward smash, making it practical in [[jab lock]] situations. PSI Magnet also alters the momentum of Ness' [[double jump]], a form of [[double jump cancel]]ling that makes for a unique aerial burst option and a stylish way to start or extend combos.  

Ness' strength is his amazing aerial game. All of his aerial attacks are disjointed, are useful for both comboing and KOing, and can autocancel from a short hop. His neutral aerial activates on frame 5 and functions well as a combo-breaker and out-of-shield option. It also sets up jab lock and tech chase situations at middle percents and has decent knockback at high percents, making it a viable edgeguarding and KO option. His forward aerial has a large disjoint and is quite active, making it excellent for starting combos, edgeguarding, and approaching. Ness' new multi-hit up aerial is strong and great for juggling, and its drag-down properties allow Ness to set up grabs, combos, and KOs. Ness' back aerial is very strong when sweetspotted, and his down aerial is a slow-but-powerful meteor smash that can edgeguard or start vertical combos.

Ness' grab and throw game is also outstanding and among the best in the cast. His grab is relatively fast, and all of his throws have useful applications. Ness' down throw is a solid combo starter that will often lead into multiple forward airs, and his forward throw has very high base knockback, allowing Ness to reliably set up edgeguarding situations or even KO opponents at very early percents on some stages. Ness' up throw, while not as practical, is a solid mix-up that can set up juggling with PK Thunder or PK Flash. Most notorious, however, is Ness' back throw, which remains the most consistent kill throw in the game.

Ness' ground game, while limited compared to his air game, also has strengths. His forward tilt and dash attack are fast and strong enough to KO at high percents, and the latter has improved range. His up tilt is a good combo tool at low percents and can even KO at higher percents. His down tilt, which is very fast and highly spammable, can be used to two-frame, jab lock, pressure shields, confirm into a grab, or deal immense damage if the opponent is trapped at the ledge. His forward smash (baseball bat) has high start-up and ending lag, but deals very high damage and knockback, especially when sweetspotted with the tip of the bat. Excluding items, the bat is also the strongest [[reflection|reflector]] in the game, with a damage multiplier of 2.0 and a speed multiplier of 2.5. Ness' up and down smashes (yo-yo) have significantly improved knockback, deal damage while charging, and can hang below the stage, making them some of the best and easiest-to-use edgeguarding tools in the game.

Ness' strengths are balanced by notable weaknesses. Grounded PK Fire does good damage, but is punishable on shield and easily escapable with good [[DI]], making it generally less useful than its aerial counterpart. While Ness' hitboxes are large and powerful, he can still be outspaced or stuffed out by characters with even larger disjoints, especially swordfighters such as {{SSBU|Shulk}}, {{SSBU|Marth}}, and {{SSBU|Lucina}}. Moreover, Ness' below-average run and air speed, as well as his lack of a quick, long-ranged projectile, render him slightly vulnerable to [[camping]]. This is especially true if Ness' opponent utilizes projectiles that are not energy-based, such as {{SSBU|Link}}'s arrows and boomerang. Ness is also vulnerable to [[juggling]] given his floatiness and lack of reliable landing options, as well as the removal of multiple air dodges. Powerful, disjointed aerials such as {{SSBU|Palutena}}'s and {{SSBU|Ike}}'s up aerials are particularly effective against Ness. However, Ness' most glaring weakness remains his recovery. Despite traveling a good distance, his PK Thunder 2 is quite exploitable: if the attack makes contact with an opponent or projectile mid-flight, its distance will be halved, often resulting in a gimp. Furthermore, opponents with good timing can hit Ness with a powerful attack or fall into PK Thunder 1 before he can launch himself. Because of its enormous knockback, PK Thunder 2 is also susceptible to many [[counterattack|counters]], and opponents who time their counter correctly will almost always kill Ness. Conversely, opponents who mistime an edgeguard against Ness will often die for it.  

Overall, Ness is somewhat of a "glass cannon" character who excels in most offensive aspects of the game, including comboing, KOing, edgeguarding, ledgetrapping, and juggling, but suffers in certain defensive situations, especially when put offstage or high above his opponent. He also struggles against characters who can outrange his disjoints, though this is less of a problem than in previous games. As a result, Ness has a mixed matchup spread, with even or favorable matchups against many top-tier characters, including {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, {{SSBU|Snake}}, {{SSBU|Wolf}}, and {{SSBU|Joker}}, and poor matchups against others, particularly Lucina, Palutena, Shulk, and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}.

In ''SSB4'' Ness was considered a low high-tier character (28th out of 55 characters). Nevertheless, Ness has been heavily buffed in his transition to ''Ultimate''. His [[forward tilt]] is now a viable KO option, and his [[dash attack]] has increased knockback and range. His [[up tilt]] has decreased ending lag and is useful for starting combos, while his [[down tilt]] racks up damage much more effectively, especially near the ledge. Among Ness' most significant buffs are the changes to his yo-yo smash attacks ([[up smash]] and [[down smash]]), which not only regained their charging hitboxes, but now hang below the ledge to set up easy edgeguards against most characters. His up smash especially has dramatically improved knockback, making it a viable KO option for the first time. Many of Ness' other tools are more effective as well: his [[down aerial]] has more range, can once again be autocanceled from a short hop, and has a much stronger [[meteor smash]] effect; his new [[up aerial]] has drag-down properties, enabling him to set up combos; his [[PK Flash]] charges much more quickly and no longer causes [[helpless]]ness; his [[PK Fire]] has reduced lag (especially landing lag, making it far more useful when used in the air); his [[PK Thunder]] deals more damage; and his [[PSI Magnet]] now has a hitbox that helps Ness extend combos or set up kills.

Ness has also received indirect buffs via the universal changes in ''Ultimate'', especially the new [[air dodge]] mechanics and general buffs to aerial attacks. The return of directional air dodges benefits Ness tremendously, as Ness' directional air dodge travels further than that of any character (aside from {{SSBU|Lucas}}), providing a reliable [[recovery]] option aside from the notoriously exploitable PK Thunder 2. The removal of multiple air dodges also enables Ness to pressure opponents in the air with PK Thunder more consistently. Furthermore, Ness' already great aerial game is even better, as his forward, down, and up aerials deal more damage, and all of his aerials have drastically less landing lag, even compared to other characters. Most notable in this regard are Ness' neutral and down aerials, which have less than half their previous amount of landing lag.

However, Ness did receive some nerfs. His new up aerial has less horizontal range, decreased KO power, and requires landing all hits (which start from behind and move in an arc above Ness) to deal considerable damage, hindering Ness' ability to juggle opponents. His grab game has been toned down, as his slower, more standard [[pummel]] cannot rack up damage as effectively, and his [[down throw]] has more ending lag, hindering its combo potential past low percents. Lastly, the power of his yo-yo smash attacks now only increases by half as much when charged, and PK Flash, in exchange for its much faster charge, is significantly weaker when fully charged.

Overall, the buffs to Ness' neutral game, punish game, edgeguarding, and recovery outweigh the few nerfs he received. His main weaknesses, such as lack of range and an exploitable recovery, are still present, but generally to a lesser extent than in previous Smash games. Therefore, Ness' incarnation in ''Ultimate'' is typically considered his strongest in the Smash series. His tournament representation in ''Ultimate''{{'}}s early metagame has been stronger than in ''Smash 4'', with players such as {{Sm|FOW}}, {{Sm|BestNess}}, {{Sm|Gackt}}, and {{Sm|Awestin}} achieving strong results with the character. As such, Ness is commonly considered a high-tier character.

Ness has received a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s. Update 2.0.0 increased autocancel frames for up aerial matching the ending lag of the move and his down aerial deals more damage while keeping the knockback the same. Update 3.0.0, nerfed yo-yo charging smash attacks which was infamous for breaking shields easily. He also received buffs such as PK Flash having a larger hitbox, and physics changes to the yo-yo that improved its potential as an edge guarding tool. Update 3.1.0 reverted the yo-yo physics back to its pre-patch state, and his neutral attack connects more reliably.

*Ness possesses a special jump. When jumping in midair, Ness will ascend in a floatier, curved trajectory. The upward momentum of Ness' double jump can be affected through various actions if timed correctly, such as aerial attacks, air dodges or special moves. This trait is shared with {{SSBU|Mewtwo}} and {{SSBU|Lucas}}.

|neutralname= 

|ftiltname= 

|utiltname= 

|utiltdmg=7% (spark), 5% (body)

|utiltdesc=Jumps and attacks with an upward double palm thrust that produces a PSI spark from his hands. Has a sourspot located on his body that deals 5%. A decent anti-air and juggling tool.

|dtiltname= 

|dashname= 

|dashdesc= A double palm thrust that sends three PSI sparks out in front of him with the third spark knocking the opponent up into the air. The first spark deals more damage to aerial targets. Good to set up juggles and pressuring from afar. Difficult to punish on shield if only the last hit connects. The disjointed hitboxes go very far, giving it impressive range for a dash attack. The first hit is more damaging on opponents in the air.  

|fsmashname=Batter Up!

|fsmashdesc=Swings his bat. It can [[reflect]] incoming projectiles with a high multiplier and is one of the strongest forward smashes in the game, killing most characters around 50% by the ledge. However, its lag is considerable and makes it easy to punish up close.

|usmashname=Around the World

|usmashdesc=Sends his yo-yo forward and performs an "around-the-world", hitting first in front then above and behind. It has a hitbox while charging and can hang from the ledge, but can only be held for an additional half of a second instead of two, and has a max charge damage multiplier of 1.2×.

|dsmashname=Walk the Dog

|dsmashdesc=Sends his yo-yo backward and performs the "walk-the-dog" with it, hitting first behind then in front. It has a hitbox while charging and can hang from the ledge, but can only be held for an additional half of a second instead of two, and has a max charge damage multiplier of 1.2×. Might have troubles linking correctly if the opponent is at the furthest point of the back hit.

|nairname= 

|fairname= 

|bairname= 

|uairname= 

|uairdesc=Waves his finger in an arc above his head while generating PSI sparkles, hitting up to 5 times. Autocancels from a short hop. A great combo tool, as its linking hits and last hit's vertical angle combine to make it a great combo extender. It can also KO well near the upper blast line at high percentages since the final hit has extremely high knockback scaling. Overall great power.  

 

|dairname= 

|dairdesc=Twirls before kicking down into the air, producing a PSI spark. The clean hit can [[meteor smash]], and can be used to start combos on-stage fairly reliably if landed against grounded opponents. Autocancels from a short hop. Ness' slowest aerial, coming out on frame 20.

|grabname= 

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=Attacks the opponent with a discharge of PSI energy.

|fthrowname=PK Throw

|bthrowname=Reverse PK Throw

|uthrowname= 

|uthrowdmg=10%

|dthrowname= 

Ness teleports onto the stage with PSI Teleport, ending in an explosion leaving him covered in soot which he then shakes off his body.

*Look to his right, then to his left.

SSBUNessIdle1.gif|Ness' first idle pose

SSBUNessIdle2.gif|Ness' second idle pose

==In competitive play==

Upon the release of ''Ultimate'', Ness was considered an upper-mid to low high-tier character, roughly on par with his ''[[Smash 4]]'' counterpart. Despite his improved recovery and various buffs, Ness remained limited by the popularity of swordfighters, who can effectively stuff out Ness' trademark aerials. Furthermore, the loss of the ability to airdodge multiple times before landing and the smaller hitbox of Ness' up air led players to believe that landing would be more challenging for Ness than in ''Smash 4''.  

However, Ness' results in the early metagame of ''Ultimate'' have been stronger than in ''Smash 4''. The overall mechanics of ''Ultimate'' and the changes to Ness' aerials and specials have greatly bolstered Ness' neutral, advantage, recovery, and movement options. In addition, many of Ness' hardest matchups from ''Smash 4'' (most notably {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}}, {{SSBU|Cloud}}, and {{SSBU|Corrin}}) were nerfed and are considered far less troublesome.

Ness' position in the current metagame remains up for debate. Although top players such as {{Sm|Dabuz}} and {{Sm|Jtails}} still regard Ness merely as a mid-tier character, he has fairly strong representation in tournaments and appears to enjoy even or slightly favorable matchups against some of ''Ultimate''{{'}}s best characters: {{Sm|ESAM}} considers Ness one of only two losing matchups in the game for {{SSBU|Pikachu}}, and {{Sm|MkLeo}} prefers to face Ness with a secondary rather than his signature {{SSBU|Joker}}. Overall, Ness is a potent but balanced character at high level, with his overwhelming offensive kit and edgeguarding prowess offset by his limited recovery and landing options. Ness is not usually seen as a top-tier character, but has achieved results on par with a high-tier and had two representatives on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]]: {{Sm|Gackt}} from Japan and {{Sm|BestNess}} from the United States. {{Sm|FOW}}, {{Sm|S1}}, and {{Sm|Awestin}} have also achieved strong results with Ness in their respective regions.  

Notably, Ness is often considered an even stronger character in ''Ultimate'''s online mode, as the presence of increased [[Wi-Fi lag|input lag]] ostensibly benefits him more than other characters, making his already fast aerials even safer and his recovery more difficult to challenge. These perceived advantages, while traditionally dismissed as meaningless in high-level competition, gained unforeseen significance as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on competitive Smash|COVID-19 pandemic]], which has temporarily relegated all major tournaments to an online format. Ness' strong online results include impressive first-place finishes by {{Sm|BestNess}} at {{Trn|The Quarantine Series: Minor Tournament 1}} and {{Trn|The Box}}, the latter of which featured a $10,000 prize pool and the largest bracket of any Smash tournament (online or offline) to date.

<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot.-->

''Numbers in parentheses denote a smasher's placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.''

*{{Sm|ATATA|USA}} - A very strong Ness player from the Midwest. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Midwest Arena 2: Doubles Masters}}, 2nd at Second City Smash 3, and 5th at {{Trn|Midwest Arena}}. He has defeated {{Sm|MuteAce}}, {{Sm|8BitMan}}, {{Sm|Daybreak}}, and {{Sm|Ned}}. Ranked 1st on the [[Chicago Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate|Chicago Ultimate Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Awestin|USA}} - One of the best Ultimate players in Texas, as well as one of the best Ness players in the world. Consistently places 1st in large tournaments in his region, especially the {{Trn|Shockwave}} series. Placed 1st at {{Trn|No Fun Allowed 3}} and 4th at {{Trn|Ultimatum}} and has wins over top players such as {{Sm|BestNess}}, {{Sm|Dakpo}}, {{Sm|ESAM}}, {{Sm|Fatality}}, {{Sm|Lima}}, {{Sm|MVD}}, {{Sm|SDX}}, {{Sm|CaptainZack}}, {{Sm|tamim}}, {{Sm|Trela}}, and {{Sm|Magister}}.

*{{Sm|BestNess|USA}} (#43) - The best Ness player in the United States and one of the best Ness players in the world. Placed 5th at {{Trn|Super Splat Bros}} (in conjunction with {{SSBU|Wii Fit Trainer}}), 9th at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}, 17th at both {{Trn|Shine 2019}} and {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}, and 25th at {{Trn|GENESIS 7}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Dark Wizzy}}, {{Sm|Elegant}}, {{Sm|Goblin}}, {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|LeoN}}, {{Sm|Light|p=Connecticut}}, {{Sm|Pandarian}}, {{Sm|Raito}}, {{Sm|VoiD}}, and {{Sm|WaDi}}. Also performs very well online, consistently placing within the top eight at large Wi-Fi tournaments and winning {{Trn|The Box}}, the largest tournament in Smash history based on number of entrants.

*{{Sm|FOW|USA}} - One of the best Ness players in the world. Consistently places 1st in Las Vegas tournaments, placed 1st at {{Trn|LVL UP EXPO 2020}}, 2nd at {{Trn|LVL Up Expo 2019}}, and 25th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}. Ranked 1st on the [[Las Vegas Power Rankings]]. Has taken sets off of {{Sm|Mr.R}}, {{Sm|Nicko}}, {{Sm|Tsu}}, yeti, BestNess, Dakpo, and {{Sm|K9sbruce}}.

*{{Sm|Fsann|Japan}} - One of the best Ness players in Japan. Placed 25th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}} and 33rd at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Kirihara}}, {{Sm|Logix}}, {{Sm|MASA}}, and {{Sm|Kuroitsu}}.

*{{Sm|Gackt|Japan}} (#29) - The best Ness player in Japan and the highest-ranked Ness player in the world. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 2}}, 5th at both {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}} and {{Trn|Umebura SP 4}}, 13th at {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}}, and 9th at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Cosmos}}, {{Sm|Etsuji}}, {{Sm|kameme}}, {{Sm|KEN}}, {{Sm|Kome}}, {{Sm|Lea}}, {{Sm|ProtoBanham}}, {{Sm|Raito}}, {{Sm|T}}, {{Sm|Tea}}, {{Sm|Tsu}}, {{Sm|VoiD}}, and {{Sm|Umeki}}.

*{{Sm|Luco|Australia}} - The best Ness player in Australia. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Phantom 2019}}, 3rd at {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 11}}, 4th at {{Trn|BigWinChampionship 2}}, and 13th at {{Trn|Phantom 2020}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Jdizzle}}, {{Sm|Extra}}, {{Sm|DD}}, and {{Sm|AT LOWES}}.

*{{Sm|Lumbre|USA}} - The best Ness player in [[SoCal]]. Placed 49th at both {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}} and {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}}. Has wins over {{Sm|VoiD}}, {{Sm|Lui$}}, {{Sm|Nitro}}, {{Sm|Eim}}, {{Sm|Charliedaking}}, {{Sm|KiraFlax}}, {{Sm|falln}}, and {{Sm|MrConCon}}. Formerly ranked 10th on the [[SoCal Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|MASA|Japan}} - Co-mains Ness with Falco and is one of the best Ness player in Japan. Placed 33rd at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}} and 49th at {{Trn|Umebura SP 6}}. Has wins over {{Sm|ZAKI}}, {{Sm|FILIP}}, and {{Sm|Ke-ya}}.

*{{Sm|PeW|France}} - One of the best Ness players in Europe. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Le Colossel de M3R}}, 5th at both {{Trn|Elysium: Yggdrasil}} and {{Trn|Ultimate WANTED 1}}, 9th at {{Trn|Stunfest 2019}}, 17th at {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}, 25th at {{Trn|Ultimate Fighting Arena 2019}}, and 65th at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}. He is ranked 19th on the [[European Smash Rankings]] and has wins over {{Sm|Flow}}, {{Sm|Homika}}, {{Sm|Tarik}}, {{Sm|Ogey}}, {{Sm|Otakuni}}, and {{Sm|Maeda}}.

*{{Sm|PkChris|USA}} - The best Ness player in the tri-state area. Placed 17th at {{Trn|Smash at The Paramount}} and 33rd at both {{Trn|Pound 2019}} and {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}. He has defeated players such as {{Sm|Dabuz}}, {{Sm|Suarez}}, {{Sm|Mr E}}, {{Sm|ZD}}, {{Sm|Wizzrobe}}, {{Sm|Ralphie}}, {{Sm|Phantom|p=Connecticut}}, and {{Sm|Stocktaker69}}.

*{{Sm|PSI Force|Philippines}} - The best Ness player in the Philippines. Placed 1st at {{Trn|Smash That Ash}}, 2nd at {{Trn|Gamebookr's Mid-Year Smash Tournament}}, 3rd at {{Trn|REV Major 2019}}, and 4th at {{Trn|SEA Major 2019}}. Ranked 1st on the [[Filipino Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|S1|Netherlands}} - The best Ness player in Europe and #6 on the [[European Smash Rankings]]. Placed 5th at both {{Trn|Elysium: Yggdrasil}} and {{Trn|Valhalla III}}, 7th at {{Trn|Albion 4}}, and 9th at both {{Trn|Tech Republic IV}} and {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}. Has wins over {{Sm|quiK}}, {{Sm|Space}}, {{Sm|Mr. R}}, and {{Sm|Meru}}.

*{{Sm|taranito|Japan}} - Placed 17th at both {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}. Has wins over {{Sm|Songn}}, {{Sm|Gackt}}, and {{Sm|akasa}}.

*{{Sm|Jtails|USA}} - Placed 5th at {{Trn|Don't Park on the Grass 2018}} and 49th at {{Trn|MomoCon 2019}}. Banned from competitive smash.

*{{Sm|Poppt1|Australia}} - Placed 1st at {{Trn|BigWinSmash Ultimate Showdown 2}} and 9th at {{Trn|Battle Arena Melbourne 11}} before dropping Ness for {{SSBU|Lucina}}.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

|1||Ness {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}||[[Magicant]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Magicant (for 3DS / Wii U)}}''||The opponent has his 5th alternate costume equipped, referencing Ness' younger self that he encounters in Magicant. If the player is using the 5th alternate costume, default Ness {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px}} will appear as the enemy instead.

|2||{{SSBU|Lucas}} {{Head|Lucas|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[New Pork City]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|You Call This a Utopia?!}}''||

|3||{{SSBU|R.O.B.}} {{Head|R.O.B.|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Purple}} (x3)||[[Fourside]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Fourside}}''||A reference to the Sentry Robots fought in the {{s|wikibound|Monotoli Building}}.

|4||{{SSBU|Sheik}} {{Head|Sheik|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Gerudo Valley]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Bein' Friends}}''||A reference to {{s|wikibound|Dusty Dunes Desert}}.

|5||{{SSBU|Toon Link}} {{Head|Toon Link|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}} (x2)||[[Luigi's Mansion]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Unfounded Revenge / Smashing Song of Praise}}''||A reference to the zombies fought in {{s|wikibound|Threed}}. When used, the only Assist Trophy summoned will be [[Jeff]].

|6||{{SSBU|Villager}} {{Head|Villager|g=SSBU|s=20px}} and {{SSBU|Isabelle}} {{Head|Isabelle|g=SSBU|s=20px}}||[[Onett]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Onett Theme / Winters Theme}}''||A reference to the {{s|wikibound|Sharks}} and the dogs fought in Onett. When used, the only Assist Trophy summoned will be {{b|Starman|EarthBound}}.

Although Ness has been absent from the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"

! style="width:5%;"|No.

! style="width:5%;"|Image

! Name

! Type

! Power

! Stage

! Music

| 10

| [[File:Ness SSBU.png|center|64x64px]]

| {{SSBU|Ness}}

| [[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]] <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>

| 7,500

| [[Magicant]] ([[Ω form]])

| ''{{SSBUMusicLink|EarthBound|Magicant (for 3DS / Wii U)}}''

{{-}}

Ness' Fighter Spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]]. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Ness in World of Light allows the player to preview the spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a Fighter Spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each Fighter Spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

NessSpirit.png|563. '''''Ness'''''

==In Spirit battles==

|{{anchor|Slugger & Green Glove}}Slugger & Green Glove

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Ninten}}Ninten

|•{{SSBU|Ness}} Team (×4) ({{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}{{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}{{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Green}}{{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}})

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Starman}}{{b|Starman|EarthBound}}

|•Metal {{SSBU|Ness}} {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Ramblin' Evil Mushroom}}[[Ramblin' Evil Mushroom]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|[[File:Nico Fire Spirit.png|center|64x64px]]

|{{anchor|Nico Fire}}Nico Fire

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Wii Sports Resort}}

|{{anchor|Pitcher & Batter}}Pitcher & Batter

|•{{SSBU|Ness}} {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}<br>•{{SSBU|Lucas}} {{Head|Lucas|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} (×2)

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Baseball (Training)}}

|{{anchor|Ana}}Ana

|•{{SSBU|Villager}} {{Head|Villager|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Pink}}<br>•{{SSBU|Ness}} {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeGrab.png|20px|center|Grab]]

|{{anchor|Flying Man}}[[Flying Man]]

|•{{SSBU|Mii Brawler}} Team {{Head|Mii Brawler|g=SSBU|s=20px}} (Moveset [[Flashing Mach Punch|2]][[Onslaught|1]][[Helicopter Kick|2]][[Feint Jump|2]], Flying Man Hat, Flying Man Outfit) (×5)<br>•{{SSBU|Ness}} {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeAttack.png|20px|center|Attack]]

|{{anchor|Paula}}[[Paula]]

|•{{SSBU|Villager}} {{Head|Villager|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Pink}}<br>•{{SSBU|Ness}} {{Head|Ness|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=White}}

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Ness's Father}}[[wikibound:Ness's family|Ness's Father]]

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{anchor|Girl from Hajimari no Mori}}Girl from Hajimari no Mori

|''Hajimori no Mori''

|[[File:SpiritTypeShield.png|20px|center|Shield]]

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Nintendo|Yūyūki Medley}}

SSBUWebsiteNess1.jpg|Ness [[idling]] on the [[Bridge of Eldin]].  

===Character Showcase Video===

*Although most characters from the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' are [[Fighter number|numbered]] by their debut game's original release date, Captain Falcon and Ness can be considered an exception; ''F-Zero'' was originally released in 1990, four years before ''EarthBound''. Additionally, in ''Super Smash Bros.'', Captain Falcon will always be fought first if the unlock conditions for both him and Ness are met simultaneously. However, it is also possible that Ness is numbered per the 1989 release date of ''EarthBound Beginnings'', which is also how he is ordered in ''Brawl''{{'}}s [[All-Star Mode#Super Smash Bros. Brawl|All-Star Mode]].

*''Ultimate'' marks the first time since ''Melee'' where Ness' artwork depicts him holding his baseball bat.

*Ness's "PK Freeze!" voice clip is the only clip from ''SSB4'' to not return in ''Ultimate'', due to custom specials being absent.

*''Ultimate'' is the first ''Smash'' game in which Ness has a greater number of aerials which use PSI than Lucas, being 5 to 4 as opposed to 2 and 3 to 3 in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'' respectively.

*Ness is one of the only two unlockable characters in ''Ultimate'' who can be the first character unlocked in more than one way. These being through VS. Matches and through {{SSBU|Kirby}}'s Classic Mode. The other character who shares this distinction is {{SSBU|Villager}}.