Editing Olimar (SSBU)

'''Olimar''' ({{ja|ピクミン＆オリマー|Pikumin & Orimā}}, ''Pikmin & Olimar'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was officially revealed on June 12th, 2018 alongside {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} and the rest of the returning roster. In addition, '''[[Alph]]''' ({{ja|ピクミン＆アルフ|Pikumin & Arufu}}, ''Pikmin & Alph'') resumes his role as an alternate character alongside Olimar. Olimar is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #40]]. As in his home series, {{b|Pikmin|species}} assists him in attacking his opponents, with a core playstyle revolving around managing and using his various combinations of Pikmin to his advantage.

As in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', Hajime Wakai's portrayals of the Pikmin from ''{{iw|pikipedia|Pikmin|game}}'' and ''{{iw|pikipedia|Pikmin 2}}'', and Atsuko Asahi's portrayals of the Winged Pikmin from ''{{iw|pikipedia|Pikmin 3}}'', were repurposed for ''Ultimate''.

Olimar is ranked 33rd out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him in the B+ tier. This is a slight drop to his tier placement in ''SSB4'', where he was ranked 21st out of 54, and is his worst placement in the series.

Olimar is a small, floaty, [[weight|lightweight]] character with overall slow mobility. He has the 33rd slowest [[dash]]ing speed, the 30th slowest [[walk]]ing speed (tied with {{SSBU|Bayonetta}}), 8th slowest [[air speed]], 32nd highest [[air acceleration]] (tied with {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}} and {{SSBU|Inkling}}, among others), very low [[gravity]] (the 4th lowest), low [[traction]] (tied with {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}} for the 10th lowest), below-average [[falling speed]], and above-average [[jump]]ing height. Due to these attributes, Olimar is susceptible to pressure from speedy characters (especially in the air), despite his minuscule size and low weight.

What differs Olimar from a majority of the cast is that his stronger attacks do not involve Olimar himself. Instead, [[Pikmin]] assist in Olimar's offensive prowess to perform attacks with [[disjointed hitbox]]es and/or function as [[projectile]]s to attack opponents from a distance during his [[smash attack]]s, most of his aerials, and [[side special move]]. Olimar begins the match with three Pikmin at the beginning of each battle, and can have up to three at all given points. Each Pikmin possess their own [[hit points]], and will die if sustaining too much damage or fall into the blast zone. Pikmin are obtained in a specific order: Red, Yellow, Blue, White and Purple, then back to Red. {{iw|pikipedia|Winged Pikmin}} also make an appearance via Olimar's [[up special move]], although Winged Pikmin lack hurtboxes and hit points like the other Pikmin.

[[Pikmin Pluck]], Olimar's [[neutral special move]], enables him to gain Pikmin when performed on a solid surface in the event he has less than 3 Pikmin available. It is burdened with considerable lag when performed in air, but is somewhat quick on the ground and is best versatile if spaced out. [[Pikmin Order]], Olimar's [[down special move]], can be perform to quickly lure all Pikmin back to Olimar's range. It is an extremely quick and efficient cycling tool for obtaining to a desired Pikmin that has previously been plucked. It also grants [[super armor]] during its first few frames, although this can be risky for usage as a strictly defense measure due to the super armor's minimal amount of frames. It will function as a combo-breaking move in dangerous situations as well.

[[Winged Pikmin]] are used for Olimar's up special move and grant him a very flexible, high maneuverable [[recovery]]. The Winged Pikmin can be traversed freely and reliably around the air, and their traveling duration can be canceled with an aerial attack. However, canceling the Winged Pikmin will immediately render Olimar [[helpless]]. Additionally, consecutive usage of the Winged Pikmin will tire them out, which results in their travel distance and maneuverability both deteriorating, similarly to [[Egg Throw]]. Although sporadic usage of the Winged Pikmin will prevent them from tiring out, their travel distance and will still deteriorate depending on Olimar's lineup of Pikmin: Red, Yellow and Blue Pikmin are of average weight, Purple Pikmin are the heaviest, and White Pikmin are the lightest.

His primary damage-racking move and an excellent move of utility revolves from his [[side special move], [[Pikmin Throw]]. Olimar tosses his Pikmin forward. The thrown Pikmin, excluding Purple Pikmin, cling to an opponent and deal elemental damage overtime by latching onto them. Purple Pikmin do not cling to opponents and instead deal a single strong hit while traveling through the air. If they don't land on a target, they become miniature, independent hurtboxes that run back toward Olimar. When clinging to the opponent, they can be nullified or damaged by certain moves, such as a down smash with wide coverage. However, this can be useful to an advantage, as the Pikmin can be useful for blocking certain incoming attacks and/or projectiles, such as [[Charge Shot]], even when clinging to {{SSBU|Samus}}. Pikmin Throw can also be useful for removing unnecessary or less useful Pikmin to obtained to a desired one if a different one requires to be plucked.  

Each Pikmin has different properties that both affect how they interact with moves and Olimar's inputs. Red Pikmin have average projectile-based range, deal the second-highest damage, have the [[flame]] effect, reduce knockback for throws, and are immune to fire-based attacks. Yellow Pikmin have an arcing path with slightly lower range, have the [[electric]] effect, have a larger hitbox (≈50% larger compared to the other Pikmin), and are immune to electric-based attacks. Blue Pikmin have average projectile-based range, increased power and damage for throws, have the [[water]] effect, and are immune to water-based attacks. White Pikmin have the longest projectile-based range, deal the least direct damage and knockback in exchange for the most clinging damage, and have the [[darkness]] effect. Purple Pikmin have the shortest projectile-based range, but deal the most damage and knockback and do not cling to opponents, instead functioning as a standard projectile with knockback instead.

[[Neutral attack]] is a {{iw|wikipedia|one-two combo}} that is quick overall, and is best suited for set-ups into down tilt, a grab, and Pikmin Throw at low percents or if performed for [[jab lock]]ing. [[Forward tilt]] is a wind-up punch that is laggy overall and his slowest tilt attack. However, it possesses respectable power that makes it useful for creating space and, more notably, it is his only non-Pikmin attack that can KO at reasonable percents. [[Up tilt]] is a simple spinning hop that is best suited as an anti-air move, yet can also set be followed up with an up aerial at low percents if the opponent fails to DI properly. [[Down tilt]] is Olimar's most useful tilt attack: it is a lunging tackle that can start combos at varying percents, [[2 frame punish]] opponents, function as a pseudo-crawl, and is his best [[spacing]] option in most scenarios thanks to its quick start-up.

Olimar's aerials have great utility despite his poor aerial mobility. His [[forward aerial|forward]] and [[back aerial]]s are great for edgeguarding thanks to their wide arc. His [[up aerial]] is effective for juggling and combos into itself and low to medium percents, whereas his [[down aerial]] can [[meteor smash]] in its earlier frames while still possessing a weaker lingering hitbox in its later frames, thus making it a solid tool for declining juggles. Furthermore, using Olimar's Pikmin-based aerials cycles through his Pikmin, which can be either a blessing or curse depending on the situation. Olimar's [[neutral aerial]] is his only aerial that does not involve Pikmin, and thus has much less range in comparison. However, it still has some utility as a niche combo tool and landing option.  

Olimar's throws are disproportionately powerful for a character of his size, specifically while using Blue Pikmin. [[Up throw]] is a reliable KO option above approximately 130% with Blue Pikmin (possessing incredible base knockback) and can potentially set up juggling scenarios, while [[down throw]] reliably combos into forward aerial at low to medium percents and Pikmin Throw at higher percents, meaning that he can receive considerable amounts of damage off of a grab. Both [[forward throw|forward]] and [[back throw]]s can KO at edges at about 130%, and also can set up edgeguards and edge-traps. Blue Pikmin, of note, drastically increase the knockback and damage of throws. White Pikmin increase the range of the grab itself, whereas Purple Pikmin lower his grabbing range. Red Pikmin cause throws to deal reduced knockback, making them (particularly down throw) more useful for combos starting from a grab.

Possessing relatively long range for a character of his size also makes Olimar great at camping out and approaching hand-to-hand combatants, such as {{SSBU|Captain Falcon}} or {{SSBU|Wario}}, and further accentuate his strong punishment game. All of Olimar's aforementioned qualities give him a strong damage-racking capability to complement his zoning focused playstyle.

However, Olimar does have some noticeable weaknesses to counterbalance his strengths. Arguably the most exploitable one includes his defenselessness without [[Pikmin]]. Although Pikmin can be [[Pikmin Pluck|plucked]] rather immediately, Pikmin can exclusively be plucked when Olimar remains on the ground and the opponent still has the advantage to punish Olimar if he fails to secure his space before obtaining more Pikmin. In addition, without Pikmin in his lineup, Olimar's [[smash attack]]s, [[aerial]]s (excluding neutral aerial), [[grab]]s and side special will have no effects, which drastically impairs his [[neutral game]] because of them being his most effective attacks. This also leaves Olimar with a total of six physical moves that deal damage: his neutral attack, tilt attacks, dash attack, and neutral aerial. These particular moves also have considerably less range and provide niche/situational utility compared to his Pikmin-based attacks. Among these six moves, only forward tilt has KO potential, although the move itself is burdened with noticeable lag.

Therefore, Olimar is at his greatest disadvantage if the opponent manages to keep him airborne and within his space due to the minimal range and limited scope of his physical attacks. As a result, it is crucial that Olimar has at least one Pikmin with him at all times. Conversely, the effectiveness of Olimar's [[recovery]] becomes noticeably worse when he does have Pikmin in his lineup; as a result, he potentially has to resort to casting them aside if it improves his chances of recovering safely, and thus sacrificing himself of major defenses.

 

 

Overall, Olimar is a versatile zoner who has an unorthodox manner of fighting involving the management of Pikmin. Due to his poor disadvantage and his requirement for careful cycling and management of his Pikmin, he generally cannot afford to be reckless in his play. Although the micromanagement of Pikmin and a playstyle reminiscent of {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}} collectively give Olimar a high learning curve, Olimar is proven to be a threat that should not be underestimated when the management of his Pikmin is fully mastered.

Olimar's grab game has been noticeably buffed as well. His [[grab]] has much more range, which can now be extended depending on the amount of Pikmin he has with him, and all of his throws deal more damage on average. As mentioned before, Blue Pikmin's increased throw-strength means Olimar now possesses some of the most dangerous KOing throws in the game, with up throw, in particular, having the potential to become even stronger than the likes of {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}, {{SSBU|Charizard}} or {{SSBU|Incineroar}}. Olimar's other notable buffs include to [[up smash]], which has less ending lag to the point it has gained combo potential at low percents, (heightening Olimar's [[out of shield]] game), and [[Pikmin Pluck]], which is faster overall. Finally, in terms of universal changes to ''Ultimate''{{'}}s engine, Olimar's mobility, while still below-average, has been improved via faster [[dash]]ing and [[air speed]]s. [[Dash-canceling]]'s expanded utility improves Olimar's ability to safely approach in tandem with his improved mobility. Furthermore, the alterations to [[air dodging]] mechanics have further enhanced Olimar's formidable [[edgeguarding]] and ledge-trapping game without compromising himself due to his excellent and maneuverable recovery.

However, Olimar received some notable nerfs. To compensate for their strengthened attributes, Pikmin are even easier to KO in general; they have slightly toned down [[hit points]], are now left vulnerable to attacks if Olimar gets hit with a move with sufficient power, they can be hit by moves that Olimar already [[shield]]ed or [[perfect shield]]ed, and deceased Pikmin temporarily become the active Pikmin in Olimar's squad upon their death. The former two changes make it more difficult for Olimar to maintain the endurance of his Pikmin, forcing to replenish them more often, while the latter two changes worsen Olimar's consistency for punishing opponents.

Olimar's [[down throw]] launches opponents at a more horizontal angle, making follow-ups less reliable. In exchange for longer range, Olimar's grabs tend to have more ending lag, making them riskier to throw out. His [[recovery]] also became less abusable as a result of the traveling distance and maneuverability of his up special, [[Winged Pikmin]], being further reduced with consecutive usage, as well as its regeneration-time being slower. Despite his quicker mobility, Olimar now possesses one of the slowest [[initial dash]]es in ''Ultimate'', due to other fighters' initial dashes receiving far more substantial buffs than his, while the improvement to Olimar's initial dash was only extremely marginal in a similar vein to {{SSBU|Ike}}'s dashing speed. Finally, his hurtbox is larger vertically despite being smaller horizontally, making it easier to hit Olimar.

Overall, Olimar's oppressive damage output and camping abilities have been improved further, though this comes in exchange for Pikmin's fragility becoming even more pronounced than before and Olimar himself being more susceptible to punishment. He has also received some noticeable nerfs in game updates, which have notably affected his viability. While these nerfs aren't enough to outweigh his buffs, and Olimar is considered to be improved in comparison to in ''SSB4'', he performs similarly effective in relation to the returning cast.  

Olimar received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was massively nerfed overall. Update {{SSBU|2.0.0}} fixed an infamous glitch which allowed Pikmin to double the strength of the spirit multiplier, causing attacks with his Pikmin to deal massive amounts of damage under the right circumstances. However, he received a glitch in this same update that caused all of his smash attacks to no longer increase in damage while being charged. While this glitch was fixed in update {{SSBU|3.0.0}}, this update also introduced another glitch that causes reflected Pikmin to inflict damage onto himself after they have returned to him, leading to the possibility of unintentional self-destructs caused by Olimar using moves that boast a great amount of KO power. The changes made to the shield mechanics in this same update also harmed him by making his smash attacks less safe on perfect shield. In addition, like with many other projectiles, his forward smash and Pikmin Throw now deal less shield damage, although the amount of shieldstun went unchanged.

Update {{SSBU|3.1.0}} was, by far, the update that nerfed Olimar the most. The size of Olimar's hurtbox has been enlarged, making him easier to hit even while shielding. His forward and up smashes had their ending lag increased, with the former smash attack also having its clean hitbox harder to land due to its duration being shortened. This same updated also noticeably reduced the [[Winged Pikmin]]'s overall travel distance when they are used consecutively, hampering his recovery. However, update {{SSBU|4.0.0}} undid update 3.1.0.'s nerf to his clean forward smash's duration.

Like many other characters, Olimar's shield was enlarged in update {{SSBU|7.0.0}}, which compensated his larger hurtbox by both fully covering him and making him less vulnerable to [[shield stab]]bing. Update {{SSBU|8.0.0}} buffed [[End of Day]]'s KO potential and range. Prior to update 10.0.0, if Olimar tried to use an aerial attack out of Winged Pikmin after using forward smash or Pikmin Throw, the move would act as if there were no Pikmin. This glitch had plagued Olimar since ''SSB4'' and was finally fixed in 10.0.0, indirectly buffing Olimar.

Due to Olimar's strongest traits being toned down, he is considered to be significantly worse than he was at the launch of ''Ultimate''. Though {{Sm|Dabuz}} initially claimed he would drop Olimar in reponse to the nerfs, he eventually went back on this claim and continues to use him in bracket with excellent results. {{Sm|Shuton}} has also continued to dominate the Japanese scene with Olimar, but {{Sm|Myran}} has seen a notable decline in results after the updates that nerfed Olimar. Overall, Dabuz and Shuton's continued success with Olimar indicates that he remains a viable character in the right hands, even in spite of his nerfs.

|dashdesc=A cartwheel. It can function as a mix-up, as it is able to combo into up aerial at 0%-10%. However, its second hit's very low damage output, high base knockback, and low knockback growth collectively make it unable to combo past very low percents, or KO at reasonable percents. Although sporadic, it is also possible for the first hit to inadvertently fail at connecting into the second hit.

|fairdesc=Grabs a Pikmin by its stem and swings it downward in front of himself. Due to its range, and speed, it is one of Olimar's best moves for walling and aerial combat as the Pikmin used acts as a sword for the duration of this move, giving this move great range relative to Olimar's size. Due to its low landing lag, it is also very good for combos at lower percents, as well as being safe on shield if spaced well. In addition, it can also KO if used with Red or Purple Pikmin. Lastly, it is a very reliable follow-up from down throw, and is useful for edgeguarding.

|bairdesc=Grabs a Pikmin by its stem and swings it upward behind himself. It is Olimar's most damaging aerial. Due to its low landing lag, it is also very good for combos at lower percents, as well as being safe on shield if spaced well. This move has great range for a character of Olimar's size, due to the Pikmin used acting similarly to a disjointed hitbox for the duration of this move. It can also KO at reasonable percents if any non-White Pikmin are used. However, it has the highest start-up lag out of Olimar's aerials, though the startup is still reasonable compared to most other back aerials of its kind.

|uairdesc=Grabs a Pikmin by its stem and twirls it upward. The move comes out decently fast and lasts for a very long time, as well as the move having transcendent priority, making it very hard to out-space this move making it very good for juggling and combos, at lower percents it can chain into itself or other aerials bar down aerial.  It is tied with down aerial as his second most damaging aerial, and is a viable KOing option with any non-White Pikmin. However, it has a noticeable amount of landing lag.

|dairdesc=Grabs a Pikmin by its stem and swings it downward. It is tied with up aerial as his second most damaging aerial. This move gives Olimar a very good way to escape juggling due to the long lasting hitbox and the amount of downwards range that it gives Olimar, the Pikmin act as a pseudo disjoint in this move as well as all of Olimar's other Pikmin involved aerials, making it very hard to challenge the move during its active hitbox frames. The move can also KO at higher percents if used with Red or Purple Pikmin. It is also a [[meteor smash]], but only against aerial opponents and during its first frame. In addition, the move's very long lasting hitbox can also two frame punish at edges. However, it has a noticeable amount of landing lag.

|grabdesc=Points forward to command the lead Pikmin to grab the opponent, with the other Pikmin following. The Pikmin function as [[Grab#Tether grabs|disjointed grabs]], and overall grab range varies depending on both the number of Pikmin present, and the lead Pikmin. White Pikmin have the longest range, followed by Red, Yellow and Blue (which are all tied for 2nd), and Purple (with the shortest range). With 3 Pikmin present, and the lead being a White Pikmin, this grab has the longest range in the game. Decently fast for its range. It resembles the group move from the ''Pikmin'' series.

|pummeldesc=A [[wikipedia:Knifehand strike|knifehand thrust]]. Faster, but weaker than his previous pummel.

|usdesc=Two {{iw|pikipedia|Winged Pikmin}} carry the user around. Winged Pikmin's effectiveness is dependent on both the amount of Pikmin that are alive and close, and the frequency of its usage. In regard to frequency, it takes ≈3 seconds (180 frames) for Winged Pikmin to be able to travel the same distance again after the conclusion of the initial usage. Aerial attacks can also be used while being carried, similarly to [[Robo Burner]]. However, doing so will render him [[helpless]] immediately after the conclusion of the attack.

*Exits the Hocotate Ship and then plucks three Pikmin, after which the Hocotate Ship disappears in a puff of smoke.

*'''Left:''' Performs a toe touching exercise while a {{s|pikipedia|Yellow Pikmin}} rests on the ground and a {{s|pikipedia|Red Pikmin}} looks around, waving its arms, and occasionally jumping.

*{{Sm|Dabuz|USA}} - The second-best Olimar player of all-time, playing the character as a co-main or secondary for his {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}}, and was a top 10 player from 2019 to mid-2022. He came close to winning many majors while using Olimar, including {{Trn|Albion 4}}, {{Trn|Low Tide City 2021}}, and {{Trn|Crown 2}}.

*{{Sm|Myran|USA}} - One of the best Olimar players in the early metagame, ranking 13th on the [[Spring 2019 PGRU]] thanks to high major placements such as 2nd at {{Trn|Pound 2019}} and 3rd at {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}. His performance has since declined following Olimar's nerfs in update 3.1.0, although he still seen some strong runs on occasion, including 5th at {{Trn|GENESIS 8}} and 7th at {{Trn|CEO 2021}}.

*{{Sm|Tsubotsubo|Japan}} - The third-best Olimar players in Japan, playing the character alongside {{SSBU|Joker}}. He first came to prominence in late-2021, with strong placements such as 7th at {{Trn|Wave 2}}, 13th at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 8}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Pound 2022}}, ultimately ranking 91st on the [[OrionRank Mid-Year 2022]]. However, his performance had always been inconsistent and he has yet to be ranked globally since.

In the early metagame, Olimar was widely considered a contender for the best character in ''Ultimate'', alongside others like {{SSBU|Peach}} and {{SSBU|Pichu}}. Olimar boasted several strengths, including stronger throws, a quick [[Pikmin Pluck]], and less lag on his smash attacks, especially his up smash. This, along with Olimar's increased speed, made him a rather campy character, overwhelming the opponent with his Pikmin and recover them quickly when they are killed. As a result of these strengths, players such as {{Sm|Dabuz}}, {{Sm|Shuton}}, and {{Sm|Myran}} performed spectacularly with Olimar and consistently placed in top 8 at several tournaments.

Subsequent updates, especially patch 3.0.0 and 3.1.0, impaired Olimar both directly and indirectly. These patches nerfed Olimar's smash attacks and made them less safe on shield, while [[Pikmin Throw]] dealt less shield damage. The nerfs led to a decline in Olimar's playerbase, with Myran's results becoming weaker and Dabuz picking up {{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}} as a secondary. Although Shuton continued to perform well with solo-Olimar up and into the online metagame, the introduction of new DLC characters harmed Olimar even further as several DLC characters that had tools to deal with Olimar became more prominent in the metagame. As such, Shuton eventually picked up {{SSBU|Pyra}} and {{SSBU|Mythra}} as a co-main and began using the character more in tournament. All of these events led to opinions on Olimar to decline significantly, which was reflected in the first tier list where he was ranked 28th; although he was a high tier, it was a far cry from his position in the early metagame.

The post-online metagame saw the rise of several new Olimar players, most notably {{Sm|Noi}} and {{Sm|Tsubotsubo}} in Japan. However, these Olimar players often had co-mains or secondaries that they also used, in this case {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} and {{SSBU|Joker}}, respectively, while the new solo-Olimar players, most notably {{Sm|MFA}} and {{Sm|Candle}}, were either less consistent or had a smaller presence on a national scale. With this and the rise of other characters initially ranked below Olimar, the second tier list saw Olimar sliding down to 33rd, now ranking in the B+ tier.

|3||{{CharHead|Kirby|SSBU|hsize=20px}} and {{CharHead|King Dedede|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||{{SSB|Dream Land}}||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Planet Popstar}}''||This battle is a free-for-all, and Kirby and King Dedede will primarily target each other.

SSBUWebsiteOlimar2.jpg|With flowered {{SSBU|Mario}}, {{SSBU|Pac-Man}}, and {{SSBU|Sonic}} on [[Gaur Plain]].

SSBUWebsiteOlimar5.jpg|[[Idling]] with a flowered {{SSBU|Luigi}} on [[Distant Planet]].

SSBUWebsiteMewtwo6.jpg|3 Pikmin with {{SSBU|Mewtwo}} on [[Onett]].

SSBUWebsiteSummit2.jpg|Olimar getting attacked by the giant fish on [[Summit]].

SSBUWebsite20.jpg|In his green costume on [[Temple]] rolling around with a Red Pikmin.

*Olimar's (and Alph's) official artwork resembles {{s|pikipedia|Brittany}}'s pose in her ''Pikmin 3'' artwork (the same one used for her spirit), albeit flipped.

*Olimar is the only fighter to have an alternate costume of a different character beyond a gender swap in the same pose as his default costume, excluding the Mii Fighters.

*Olimar's helmet can be detached from his head under certain circumstances. This is particularly noticeable during [[Gates of Hell]]'s animation if the game is slowed down.

*Since update 2.0.0, if Olimar's Pikmin latch onto something and it changes size with them still latched on, they will change their size too. This is most noticeable with Mother Brain, though Super and Poison Mushrooms will also do this, as long as they are applied by the character the Pikmin are latched onto.

*Excluding DLC fighters, Olimar is the playable character featured in the least amount of spirit battles, only appearing in 5.