Editing Pac-Man (SSB4)

|ranking = 45

:{{Cquote|''PAC-MAN Hungers for Battle!''|cite=Introduction Tagline}}

'''Pac-Man''' ({{ja|パックマン|Pakkuman}}, ''Pakkuman''), stylized in-game as '''PAC-MAN''', is a [[newcomer]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. He was revealed on June 10th, 2014 during the [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] 2014 ''Super Smash Bros.'' roundtable, alongside the {{SSB4|Mii Fighter}}s.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDsmjbifWUk Play Nintendo - Super Smash Bros. Roundtable with Masahiro Sakurai]</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/476547936881369088 Pac-Man joins the battle! #SmashBros]</ref> Pac-Man is one of six third-party characters in ''SSB4'', alongside [[Capcom]]'s {{SSB4|Mega Man}} and {{SSB4|Ryu}}, [[Sega]]'s {{SSB4|Sonic}} and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}, and [[Square Enix]]'s {{SSB4|Cloud}}.

 

Although Pac-Man has been voiced by numerous actors in the past, Pac-Man has no voice actor in this game, and instead uses modified and recycled sounds from several [[Bandai Namco]] arcade games such as the 1980 ''Pac-Man'' game and ''Pac-Land''.

Pac-Man is ranked 45th out of 55 on the [[tier list]], placing him at the top of the F tier. Pac-Man's strengths lie in his unique item-oriented playstyle, which involves a capable camping and projectile game via the use of [[Bonus Fruit]] for a range of items, along with [[Pac-Jump]] and [[Fire Hydrant]] for stage control. These traits synchronize well with Pac-Man's regular moves, the overwhelming majority of which allow him to rack up damage effectively because of their low start-up lag and low base knockback. Pac-Man also boasts a great [[recovery]] thanks to [[Power Pellet]] and Pac-Jump covering great distances, both of which are further supplemented by his ability to [[wall jump]].

However, Pac-Man suffers from numerous flaws, which include mediocre mobility and average range. The aforementioned low base knockback of his moveset also significantly hinders his ability to KO effectively, which is further compounded by his strongest attacks having high overall lag. Finally, his most notable flaws include what is considered the most ineffective [[grab]] game among the cast, along with all his special moves being exploitable either via [[reflection]], direct usage by his opponents, or even [[gimp]]ing his recovery. This, in turn, gives Pac-Man particularly disadvantageous matchups against characters with projectile-nullifying abilities like {{SSB4|Fox}}, {{SSB4|Mario}}, but most notoriously, {{SSB4|Villager}} and {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}.

Overall, Pac-Man excels at [[mindgame]]s and damage racking, although he has a high learning curve because of his items requiring constant micromanagement. Pac-Man's weaknesses and learning curve have resulted in him being considered non-viable in the current metagame, as well as overall attaining a small playerbase throughout ''SSB4''{{'}}s lifespan, but he has nevertheless achieved a decent amount of success, such as {{Sm|Abadango}} in the early metagame, {{Sm|Tea}} towards the end of the game's competitive lifespan, and {{Sm|Sinji}} throughout the game's competitive lifespan.

[[Fire Hydrant]], when used in the air, functions similarly to [[Stone]], which makes it useful for covering landings or breaking combos. It is also Pac-Man's most powerful projectile when launched, which makes it a viable KO option from a distance. In addition to its offensive potential, Fire Hydrant has defensive potential, thanks to its shots of water possessing a [[Windbox#Pushing attacks|push]] effect. As a result, the water can be used to space, [[gimp]] poor recoveries, and even force opponents into Pac-Man's attacks. Apart from his projectiles, Pac-Man also possesses a slow, but potent, KO option in [[Power Pellet]], which functions both as a great recovery and [[mindgame]] option, as it can be aimed prematurely and made to curve in creative angles using his Fire Hydrant's push effect, and can also be confirmed off of [[Bonus Fruit]]'s Bell. [[Pac-Jump]] is an effective vertical recovery should all three trampoline jumps be used, and makes it safe to edge-guard off-stage, as Pac-Man will likely make it back onto the stage. It is also difficult to gimp, especially from an overhead perspective, thanks to Pac-Man's jumps having unblockable hitboxes, and can function as a great [[out of shield]] option when used properly.

Despite their perks, all of Pac-Man's special moves can be used against him. Bonus Fruit's objects are [[item]]s that can only exist once at a time, hence opponents can grab them out of the air, nullifying one of Pac-Man's only projectiles so long as they hold onto it. So long as Bonus Fruit is nullified, Pac-Man is disadvantaged at spacing, KOing and mindgames, while a competent opponent can use his own Bonus Fruit against him. This significantly hinders Pac-Man's matchups against characters who are able to reflect projectiles, with two particularly notable examples: {{SSB4|Villager}} can [[Pocket]] Bonus Fruit for long periods and thus strongly hinder his offense, whereas {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}} can use [[Gravitational Pull]] to completely nullify both of his projectiles and render him absolutely helpless at zoning.

Pac-Man benefits from his [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Freaky Fruit deals less damage, but each fruit and object has its own erratic pattern and thus can provide even greater mix-ups. Lazy Fruit is slower and deals less damage, but the fruits and objects take longer to disappear, which enables them to be usable more than once and provide different mix-ups. Distant Power Pellet is much more maneuverable which allows Pac-Man to mix up his recovery more easily at the cost of less damage and knockback. Enticing Power Pellet travels less distance but produces a windbox which can be used to gimp recovering opponents and is much more powerful. Power Pac-Jump functions like a traditional recovery move in that it only provides one jump, but it immediately launches Pac-Man very high and enables him to hit multiple times while ascending, making it suitable for offensive playstyles. Meteor Trampoline decreases in height after each jump, but the fourth jump can [[bury]] grounded opponents and, true to its name, [[meteor smash]] airborne ones, as its name implies. On-Fire Hydrant does not shoot out as far, but it shoots fireballs instead of water, shoots three times instead of twice, takes less damage to launch, and the hydrant itself deals more damage. Finally Dire Hydrant explodes when it touches a surface, opponent, or after a set distance which makes it less risky to use since opponents cannot launch the hydrant, the explosion improves the move's horizontal range, and because Pac-Man jumps higher when he deploys the hydrant it can be used to dodge projectiles.

Overall, while Pac-Man excels at mindgames and damage racking, his moveset's overall low base knockback and poor range makes it difficult for him to KO opponents. As a result, he is dependent on utilizing traps and zoning in order to continually deal damage and set up a KO, such as collectively using his air game, Bonus Fruit, and varied recovery to edge-guard. While Pac-Man's special moves grant him a uniquely versatile moveset, they can also hinder him in battle, as one careless move can decide the momentum of not only himself, but even the entire match.

*{{nerf|Up smash's ending lag increased|frame 38|50.}}

*{{nerf|[[Bonus Fruit]]'s Galaxian deals less damage|11%|9%.}}

*{{buff|[[Power Pellet]] heals more damage|1%|2%.}}

*{{buff|[[Fire Hydrant]] takes more damage to be launched|12%|13%.}}

*{{buff|Forward smash has more knockback scaling (97 (clean)/100 (late) → 99/102).}}

*{{buff|Up smash's second hit has more knockback scaling (95 (clean)/90 (late) → 97/92).}}

*{{buff|Down smash has more knockback scaling (84 (clean)/90 (late) → 86/92).}}

*{{buff|Back aerial's clean hit has more knockback scaling (98 → 100).}}

|dashdesc=Transforms into his wedge form and chomps thrice while sliding forward. It has a [[windbox]] that hits on frame 3, which makes it the second fastest dash attack in the game, being surpassed only by {{SSB4|Little Mac}}'s. When coupled with its very minimal ending lag, it can easily combo into his forward, up, and neutral aerials, or used as a [[cross-up]] to escape pressure.

|fairdesc=A roundhouse kick. It has very minimal start-up and ending lag. When coupled with its almost nonexistent base knockback, it is useful for damage racking and can [[lock]] at low percentages, although the latter requires Pac-Mac to use it just before landing or with the aid of platforms. Easily combos into itself, and can lead into a neutral aerial as a KO or gimping option offstage. Thanks to Pac-Man's above average air acceleration, this move is also a useful spacing option, as he can retreat while using it. However, it is unsuitable for approaching because of its very low power and minimal range.

|dairdesc=A series of [[Stomp (archetype)|stomps]], similar to {{SSB4|Lucas}}' down aerial. Although it has minimal start-up lag, it is Pac-Man's overall least useful aerial attack, due to its initial hits not keeping the opponent properly trapped, while it only deals average knockback and has the second highest amount of landing lag out of his aerials. As with up aerial, it causes Pac-Man to float slightly, although the effect is much more subtle.

|grabdesc=Emits [[Boss Galaga]]'s tractor beam from his hand. While it has above average range, it consists of a series of three hitboxes with short delays in between with no grabboxes when the beam extends fully and retreats. This, along with its significant start-up and ending lag, makes it notoriously punishable and often considered the worst grab in the game.

|uthrowdesc=Tosses the opponent straight upward. If Pac-Man is pushed upwards by the Fire Hydrant's water it can combo into an up aerial, but otherwise it lacks combo potential and is not very damaging. It can still be used as a kill throw starting at about 200%.

|dthrowdesc=Pins the opponent to the ground and transforms into his wedge form to chomp them. It has decent combo potential, most notably into Bonus Fruit's key at 0% and up to medium percentages, although it can also combo into his dash attack or [[Power Pellet]] at low percentages. At low to medium percentages, if the opponent fails to tech the down throw, Pac-Man can also lock them with a short hopped forward aerial and thus perform another set-up. If Pac-Man is being pushed by the Fire Hydrant's water it can true combo into a forward or neutral aerial, though this can be hard to pull off.

|usdefdesc=Transforms into his wedge form and produces a trampoline to bounce off of. Extremely fast, coming out at frame 4. Subsequent bounces grant more height, but the fourth bounce breaks the trampoline and renders the attempted user [[helpless]]. Pac-Man himself can hit opponents while ascending, and since the trampoline instantly forcing opponents to jump once touched, it is an effective grounded combo breaker. When used on-stage, the trampoline can be used for mindgames and set-ups. In team battles, it is notable for being potentially game breaking, as two Pac-Men could infinitely bounce off each others trampolines past the upper blast line, similarly to the [[Luigi Ladder]]. The trampoline originates from {{uvm3|Mappy}}.

|dsdefdesc=Drops a fire hydrant below himself that shoots water. When it receives enough damage (13%), it is launched as a powerful projectile that travels in the trajectory of the move that launched it. The launched hydrant can be used to hit opponents, or potentially Pac-Man himself if it is sent flying by an opponent. While flying, it is powerful enough to KO middleweights at 147% while near the edge. If placed on a steep enough slope, it will tumble down the slope until it disappears. The water does not deal damage, but has a [[push]] effect that can allow for mindgames, mix-ups, and even [[gimp]]s. Due to it functioning as a constantly active hitbox, the hydrant can actually be [[counterattack]]ed and [[Pocket]]ed while it is stationary.

|dsc1desc=The fire hydrant shoots fireballs instead of water, which can harm opponents and Pac-Man himself. The flames do not fly out as far, but are shot three times instead of twice. The hydrant itself deals more damage, but has less knockback, and requires less damage to be launched compared to Fire Hydrant.

|dsc2desc=The fire hydrant explodes on impact with an opponent, surface, or after a set distance. The explosion does not harm Pac-Man, but it has low knockback and lacks Fire Hydrant's versatility. Pac-Man jumps higher compared to the other down specials when he drops the fire hydrant, which gives him a way to dodge projectiles if timed right.

|desc-up=Performs the "[[Namco Roulette]]", which produces sprites of classic Namco items, characters and enemies, similarly to [[Bonus Fruit]]. It is the only taunt in the game with variable visual and sound effects.

''See also: [[:Category:Pac-Man players (SSB4)]]''

*{{Sm|Abadango|Japan}} - The best Pac-Man player in the world in the early metagame, placing highly at major such as 4th at {{Trn|EVO 2015}} and 17th at {{Trn|Umebura F.A.T.}} He has since dropped Pac-Man for other characters.

*{{Sm|Ginko|Japan}} - One of the best Pac-Man players in Japan, co-maining Pac-Man alongside {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} and notably placing 13th at {{Trn|Umebura F.A.T.}} and 33rd at both {{Trn|Umebura S.A.T.}} and {{Trn|Umebura Japan Major 2017}}.

*{{Sm|Sinji|USA}} - The best Pac-Man player of all-time and the only solo Pac-Man player ranked on the [[PGR 100]], where he was ranked 85th. He regularly placed between 17th and 33rd at majors between 2017 and 2018.

*{{Sm|Tea|Japan}} - One of the best Pac-Man players in 2018 who gained more recognition at a national level after placing 2nd at {{Trn|SoCal Regionals 2018}} defeating {{Sm|Raito}} and {{Sm|falln}} as well as 3rd at {{Trn|Umebura Smash 4 Final}}, the latter being the highest placement for a Pac-Man player at a major.

When ''SSB4'' was initially released, Pac-Man was perceived positively due to [[Fire Hydrant]] allowing for stage control, [[Bonus Fruit]] being useful for spacing and mix-ups, and both [[Power Pellet]] and [[Pac-Jump]] granting him a long-distanced recovery. When these traits were coupled with the revelation of Pac-Man's advanced [[footstool]] set-ups, many thought that he could be a very viable character when mastered, thanks to players such as {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Ginko}}, and {{Sm|Tea}} showcasing these strengths in competitive play during the early metagame.

However, Pac-Man's flaws would quickly become more apparent and, in a turn for the worse, more significant than most would think. Many found out that Pac-Man had a significantly high learning curve, below average damage output compared to most of the cast, and that his special moves were double-edged swords due to being susceptible to being used against him. He also had lackluster fundamental advantages as well, such as his laggy smash attacks, unimpressive KO potential due to his moveset's overall low base knockback, and abysmal grab game. Lastly, his reliance on projectiles gives him infamously difficult matchups against characters that are capable of negating them, such as {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}} and {{SSB4|Villager}}, both of whom are common at high-level play. Altogether, these aspects would lead many to believe that Pac-Man was not as viable as originally thought, and would culminate with him being ranked 29th on the first ''4BR'' [[tier list]].

Following the release of the first tier list, Pac-Man's tournament results sharply declined due to a less consistent playerbase and Abadango's switch to more viable characters. This further hurt Pac-Man's viability, leading to a drop to 38th on the second tier list, then to 45th on the third tier list. These drops also solidified him as a low-tier character that was unviable in the metagame, with some believing Pac-Man was potentially one of the worst characters in the game.

Countering that perception, however, were solid results from dedicated mains. {{Sm|Sinji}} notably became a consistent threat at majors in 2017, which prevented Pac-Man from dropping further, and he remained at 45th place on the fourth and final tier list. In addition, 2018 saw Tea attend more events, resulting in strong results such as 2nd at {{Trn|SoCal Regionals 2018}} and 3rd at {{Trn|Umebura Smash 4 Final}}. Due to these positive developments, several players began arguing that Pac-Man was better than previously perceived, although with the end of the game's competitive lifespan in 2018, Pac-Man's true viability remains a mystery.

{{Trophy/Fighter

|name=PAC-MAN

|desc-ntsc=The yellow, circular hero of the game PAC-MAN, which is recognized as the "Most Successful Coin-Operated Arcade Game" by Guinness World Records. In Smash Bros., he uses several moves inspired by the original PAC-MAN. Wakawaka your foes by charging up the Power Pellet move and aiming at them.

|desc-pal=The yellow, circular hero of the game PAC-MAN, which is recognised as the "Most Successful Coin-Operated Arcade Game" by Guinness World Records. In this game, some of his attacks are based on the original PAC-MAN. Charge up his Power Pellet move, then aim it right at an opponent to wakawaka them extra hard.

{{Trophy/Fighter

|name=PAC-MAN (Alt.)

|image-3ds=PacManAltTrophy3DS.png

|desc-ntsc=PAC-MAN's Fire Hydrant down special pushes opponents away with blasts of water. You can drop the hydrant on top of your opponents to damage them, but they can also attack it to damage you if you're standing on it! His Pac-Jump up special spawns a trampoline he can jump on three times—the third jump is especially high!

|desc-pal=PAC-MAN's Fire Hydrant down special pushes opponents away with blasts of water. You can drop the hydrant on top of your opponents to damage them, but they can also attack it and hit you with it to cause damage! His Pac-Jump up special spawns a trampoline he can jump on three times, and the third jump is especially high!

|name=Super PAC-MAN

|name-ntsc=SUPER PAC-MAN

|name-pal=Super PAC-MAN

|image=SuperPacManTrophyWiiU.png

|desc-ntsc=PAC-MAN's Final Smash turns him into this huge form that appeared in SUPER PAC-MAN. In this form, PAC-MAN eats his foes to deal damage to them and reduce them to just a pair of eyes. He can move freely in all four directions, loop around the screen, and... obtain a score of up to 7,650 points!

|desc-pal=PAC-MAN's Final Smash turns him into this huge form that first appeared in the arcade game also called Super PAC-MAN. In this form, PAC-MAN can eat his foes to deal damage to them and reduce them to just a pair of eyes. He can move freely in all four directions, loop around the screen, and...obtain a score of up to 7,650 points!

*Pac-Man is the only character to have a taunt that is different between both versions of ''Smash 4'' as his [[Namco Roulette]] [[Taunt]] has exclusive sprites for both games.

*Pac-Man is one of only two third-party characters (the other being {{SSB4|Mega Man}}) who does not speak in-game, despite having been voiced in his own series.

 

[[Category:Pac-Man (SSB4)| ]]

[[Category:Third-party characters]]

[[Category:Bandai Namco]]