Editing Wolf (SSBU)

{{disambig2|Wolf's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''|the character in other contexts|Wolf O'Donnell}}

|image = [[File:Wolf SSBU.png|250px]]

'''Wolf''' ({{ja|ウルフ|Urufu}}, ''Wolf'') is a playable fighter in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was officially revealed on June 12th, 2018 alongside the rest of the returning roster during the [[E3 2018]] Nintendo Direct. Wolf is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #44]], the last fighter number of the ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' [[veteran]]s.

Jay Ward, Wolf's English voice actor from ''Brawl'' and ''{{iw|lylatwiki|Starlink: Battle for Atlas}}'', reprises his role with new voice clips that mimic his portrayals from ''Starlink''. In the Japanese version, Wolf's ''Brawl'' voice actor, Mahito Ōba, has been succeeded by Kōsuke Takaguchi, who reprises his role from ''{{iw|lylatwiki|Star Fox 64 3D}}'' and ''{{iw|lylatwiki|Star Fox Zero}}'', and also voices {{SSBU|Falco}}.

 

Wolf is ranked 21st out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him in the A tier. This is a moderate improvement over his 14th out of 38 placement in ''Brawl''. Wolf is an all-around fighter with many different playstyles to choose from. He has a solid fundamental combo game with up throw and down throw as good combo starters. His moveset offers a lot of versatility, with his tilts functioning as safe pokes or kill options and his smash attacks as solid finishers. His aerials are all useful for both starting and extending combos, as well as edgeguarding. His back aerial, in particular, is one of the strongest in the game when sweetspotted and can be confirmed from a forward aerial. His specials are also crucial to his gameplan: his {{b|Blaster|Wolf}} is a strong projectile that can force approaches and apply chip damage from a distance, acting as his primary tool in neutral, [[Wolf Flash]] and [[Fire Wolf]] offer quick recovery to the stage and serve as powerful finishers, and his {{b|Reflector|Wolf}}  is effective for extending combos as well as serving as his primary defense against zoning. Wolf also has excellent air mobility, allowing him to chase his opponents in the air with ease.

 

 

Overall, Wolf has a solid fundamental gameplan for players to pick up. He functions like a glass cannon, being able to dish out damage with a strong neutral and advantage while having poor offstage survivability, struggling taking stocks from time to time, and being easy to juggle. Wolf has attained a lot of representation across the board through ''Ultimate'''s lifespan. He was among the most-played characters in the early metagame, with {{Sm|Zackray}} representing him greatly in the early metagame while several top players had a pocket or co-main Wolf. Despite a fair decline in the post-pandemic metagame, he is still relatively popular, piloted by loyal Wolf mains such as {{Sm|Atelier}}, {{Sm|Jakal}}, and {{Sm|Ouch!?}}.

Wolf must then be defeated on [[Lylat Cruise]] (the [[Ω form]] is used in World of Light).

Wolf's attributes and moveset give him a versatile gameplan, somewhere in the middle ground between {{SSBU|Fox}}'s focus on pressure and {{SSBU|Falco}}'s focus on [[punish]]es. This is reflected in his attributes: he has a slow [[dash]]ing speed (though his [[initial dash]] is quite fast), an above-average [[walk]]ing speed, the 11th fastest [[falling speed]], above-average [[air acceleration]], and high [[gravity]], most of which are not uncharacteristic of the ''Star Fox'' characters. Unlike the other "[[space animals]]", however, Wolf has the 6th fastest [[air speed]] in the game. This grants him mobility that is fairly average overall, but relatively balanced compared to Fox and Falco. Additionally, Wolf is also significantly [[Weight|heavier]] than them, as he is a middleweight (tied with the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, {{SSBU|Lucario}}, {{SSBU|Villager}}, {{SSBU|Mythra}}, and {{SSBU|Steve}}). Although Wolf's special moveset and vertical mobility are derived from his fellow ''Star Fox'' fighters, the similarities end there, with Wolf's being the most unique of the trio.

 

 

 

 

After Wolf has inflicted a sufficient amount of damage, he can then attempt to score a KO via his numerous KO options. The most reliable one is his back aerial: its quick [[autocancel]] and decent range allow it to be spaced safely, and it can KO relatively early if sweetspotted (at around 110% from center-stage), while still possessing respectable power with its sourspots. His side special, [[Wolf Flash]], can either meteor smash or [[semi-spike]] opponents at the end of the dash depending on which hitbox connects, both of which are incredibly powerful. Wolf's up special, [[Fire Wolf]], consists of looping hits and a deceptively strong final hitbox.

Other notable finishers are his [[forward smash]] and [[down smash]]: the former is safe on [[shield]] and potentially when whiffed thanks to it possessing deceptively low ending lag in spite of its high startup, whereas the latter posseses a powerful sweetspot that enables it to KO as low as 50% at the edge and makes it an effective [[2 frame punish]]. At higher percents, Wolf has several other moves (forward tilt, sweetspotted up tilt, dash attack, clean neutral aerial, up smash, and [[back throw]]) that each sport respectable KO potential in the event he is unable to land his primary KO options.

However, Wolf does possess noticeable weaknesses, the most notable of which is his recovery. Wolf Flash and Fire Wolf are both linear and offer unremarkable travel distance compared to other recovery options. Unlike Fox and Falco, Wolf's side special renders him [[helpless]]; this essentially restricts him to using only one of his specials as a recovery option, which leaves him with a much shorter recovery distance overall. This also leaves Wolf highly vulnerable to [[gimp]]s and [[edgeguard]]ing, with meteor smashes in particular being deadly against him even at low percents, to the point where exploiting his recovery offsets the increased horizontal endurance his higher weight would otherwise provide.

Though he is not short of finishers, Wolf can frequently have difficulty landing his most powerful ones due to their slow startup (with back aerial and all his smash attacks having more than 12 frames of startup), his below-average dashing speed, and his lack of guaranteed setups into them. Although he possesses true setups into Wolf Flash, such as from his forward aerial or down throw at medium percents, they are very risky to pull off, as he can either end up offstage after its use and thus inadvertently [[self-destruct]] (since it renders him [[helpless]]) or miss the sweetspots and end up vulnerable due to its high landing lag. Lastly, Wolf is, like Fox and Falco, very susceptible to combos because of his high falling speed and gravity. However, Wolf's heavier weight and lack of sufficiently fast options to escape pressure (his fastest aerial attacks start on frame 7) make this weakness even more apparent compared to Fox and Falco.

Overall, Wolf is a non-traditional glass cannon. He sacrifices the power of other glass cannons like {{SSBU|Mewtwo}} and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}} for sheer versatility, due to his combination of an effective projectile for disrupting and forcing approaches, fast approach options of his own, and an abundance of combo and KO options, which allow him to keep up the pressure on his opponent even after winning the neutral game. As such, Wolf is able to adapt to nearly any playstyle. However, due to his vulnerability to combos, poor recovery, and trouble securing KOs, Wolf must also be well aware of his opponents, as a single mistake can cause him to sustain heavy damage from combos and end up in a position where he in turn can easily be KO'd.

Wolf has received some of the most noticeable changes of any returning [[veteran]], similarly to {{SSBU|Link}} and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}. In ''Brawl'', Wolf's moveset was rather unpolished compared to the rest of the cast, most likely due to his late inclusion, which Sakurai acknowledges was possible thanks to his popularity and similarities to the ''Star Fox'' cast. Likely because of this, most of Wolf's moveset has been significantly reworked to be more polished and further distinguish him from {{SSBU|Fox}}. This has led to a much larger overhaul in Wolf's moveset compared to other veterans, as several of his attacks either have altered or completely new animations alongside mechanical changes. As a result, Wolf has received a large mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition from ''Brawl'', but has been considerably buffed overall.

 

 

Wolf's entire moveset has been generally improved. He has a new [[neutral aerial]] that gives him a vastly more effective [[approach]] option, his [[forward aerial]] has become an excellent combo starter due to its reduced ending and landing lag, and his [[back aerial|back]] and [[up aerial]]s have had their knockback noticeably increased (most notably the former). [[Back throw]] now deals enough knockback to be a KO option at the edge, and [[up throw]] and [[down throw]] have useful combo starters at low percentages. [[Wolf Flash]] and [[Fire Wolf]] are far stronger, giving him two more powerful, albeit risky, KO options; the former in particular can now be aimed up or down, slightly improving his horizontal recovery and potentially making the clean hit easier to land. {{b|Reflector|Wolf}} has a stronger damage multiplier, which combined with its intact speed multiplier makes it the best of the three space animals.

Wolf also heavily benefits from the changes to gameplay mechanics. Aside from his faster mobility, the new [[air dodge]] mechanics, as well as the changes to [[hitstun canceling]], allow Wolf to combo and juggle his opponents for a longer period of time; he has gained not only several more ways to start combos, but also KO setups into his powerful [[back aerial]] and Wolf Flash. The drastic weakening of [[momentum canceling]] allows his moves to KO earlier and overall put his survivability more in line with the cast. The removal of [[edgehogging]] in favor of [[edgeguarding#ledge trump|ledge trumping]] and the removal of [[chain grab]]bing and [[meteor cancel]]ing also significantly improve his survivability; in particular, Wolf benefits from meteor canceling far more than any other returning veteran, as it puts his own survivability more in-line with the rest of the cast while making his down aerial and Wolf Flash more effective for KOing offstage.

However, Wolf has received a few significant nerfs as well. Some of his moves have received increased lag, such as his [[forward smash]], [[down smash]], and his renowned back aerial from ''Brawl'', in exchange for more power; the latter two are particularly noteworthy due to their previous speed and already decent power. Because of this, Wolf has a more difficult time scoring KOs without resorting to setups at medium percentages, as his finishers are much harder to land in general, forcing him to either time them precisely or lure the opponent into them.

Additionally, several of Wolf's moves have less range to varying degrees. His new forward smash does not move him a considerable distance forward, while his [[forward aerial]] has lost its deceptively large disjoint. His recovery has also worsened due to both Fire Wolf and Wolf Flash's travel distances being shortened; unlike {{SSBU|Fox}}'s or {{SSBU|Falco}}'s own side special, Wolf Flash also still leaves him helpless after the move, which makes him more susceptible to [[edgeguarding]] than in ''Brawl''. Wolf's neutral and forward aerials, while possessing greater combo ability and safety, are also weaker, while the former also has slower startup. Wolf's new down throw is now less effective for [[tech-chasing]] and setting up edgeguards because of its higher launch angle (though this is mitigated by Wolf's newfound combo game).

Despite ''Ultimate''{{'}}s new mechanics heavily benefiting Wolf, he has also seen a few nerfs from the changes to the mechanics, most notably the removal of [[DACUS]] which hinders his grounded approach. Lastly, Wolf is much [[weight|lighter]], worsening his survivability (especially horizontally, due to the changes to [[momentum canceling]]), while he remains an easy combo target due to his high falling speed and the changes to hitstun canceling.

Overall, Wolf's buffs have drastically altered his playstyle for the better, though he now possesses a higher learning curve. He is now able to take advantage of his less polarized moveset and has gained a varied combo game that makes up for the loss of his previous damage racking options in ''Brawl'', but his higher frailty means he must keep playing carefully to avoid opponents from taking advantage of him. Wolf's buffs and benefits from the revamped game engine eclipse his nerfs, and he is widely agreed to be significantly better than he was in ''Brawl'' and a fairly strong contender in competitive play.

Wolf received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but was nerfed slightly overall. In update 3.0.0, the sweetspot of his down smash's front hit, infamous among the community for its extreme power (especially near edges), was weakened slightly. {{b|Blaster|Wolf}} was also affected by the near-universal nerf to projectiles' shield damage outputs, while an exploit that allowed Wolf to reduce [[Wolf Flash]]'s landing lag with a directional air dodge was removed. These nerfs were negligible, however, as Wolf retained his strengths and continued to perform very well in tournaments.

Update 3.1.0 granted Wolf a few buffs and nerfs, although the latter were more impactful than the former. Blaster's ending lag was increased, which slightly worsened its renowned utility as a safe [[neutral]] tool that could counter approaches with relatively low risk. Down smash's front sweetspot was weakened slightly once again, while [[Fire Wolf]]'s final hitbox was shrunken noticeably to compensate for its looping hits' improved consistency. Conversely, neutral attack's hits connect together more reliably, and {{b|Reflector|Wolf}}'s overall lag was decreased by 1 frame. Lastly, update 7.0.0 enlarged Wolf's shield as part of a near-universal buff.

|neutralname=Snap Claw ({{ja|スナップクロー|Sunappo Kurō}}) / Follow Claw ({{ja|フォロークロー|Forō Kurō}}) / Wild Scratch ({{ja|ワイルドスクラッチ|Wairudo Sukuratchi}})

|neutraldesc=A left-handed inward slash, followed by a right-handed inward slash, followed by a right-handed outward slash. Fairly quick, coming out on frame 4, and can [[jab lock]] opponents. However, the last hit has short range compared to other neutral attacks, which can cause it to fail to connect from the previous hits at high percentages.

|ftiltname=Dual Burst ({{ja|デュアルバースト|Duaru Bāsuto}})

|ftiltdesc=A lunging, two-handed outward slash. Overall considered one of Wolf's best moves because of its consistent ability to [[2 frame punish]] opponents, as well as its utility in neutral. The first hit produces a large amount of [[freeze frame]]s. It can KO at around 115%-140% while near the edge of {{SSBU|Final Destination}} depending on the opponent, and even earlier as a 2 frame punish.

|utiltname=Kick Up ({{ja|キックアップ|Kikku Appu}})

|utiltdesc=A stretch kick. It has fast startup and high power when hitting with the sweetspot at Wolf's foot, KOing middleweights under 130% from ground level. It is especially useful to read edge jumps and to poke platforms, as the sweetspot will sometimes KO earlier than both the second hit of up smash and up aerial. However, unlike the majority of up tilts, its ending lag prevents it from being used to start combos.

|dtiltname=Low Kick ({{ja|ローキック|Rō Kikku}})

|dtiltdesc=A crouching, low-level roundhouse kick. The move has rather decent range and quick speed, which make it useful for poking, pressuring, and denying approaches. Can be used to 2 frame punish the opponent, but is generally overshadowed by forward tilt in that regard. It also has the chance to [[trip]] at low percentages, which can lead into a grab or other attacks. However, it is Wolf's least damaging tilt attack.

|dashname=Shooting Kick ({{ja|シューティングキック|Shūtingu Kikku}})

|dashdesc=A front kick. Has decent start-up, but most importantly, it propels Wolf forward a considerable distance. This allows it to function as a reliable burst option to punish landings and whiffed moves, as well as follow up from other attacks. Hitting opponents close to Wolf launches them upward, allowing for up tilt at 0% and aerial follow-ups at low percentages. Conversely, hitting them near his foot launches them horizontally. Depending on which hitbox is landed, the clean hit can KO under 150% from center stage, and under 120% while near the edge. It is also a reliable follow-up from down throw at low percentages. Due to its versatility, it is one of the most useful dash attacks in the game.

|fsmashname=Wolf Crash ({{ja|ウルフクラッシュ|Urufu Kurasshu}})

|fsmashdesc=A palm thrust. While it has slow startup (comes out on frame 20), it has notoriously low ending lag (interruptible on frame 42), making it to be relatively safe on shield and difficult to punish even if missed. It also has remarkable power, KOing middleweights at around 70% while near the edge of the stage. As a result, it is one of Wolf's safest KO options on the ground.

|usmashname=Spinning Leg Scissors ({{ja|スピニングレッグシザース|Supiningu Reggu Shizāsu}})

|usmashdesc=A butterfly kick performed from a variation of the {{iw|Wikipedia|2000|b-boy move}} (a breakdancing move) followed by an upward scissor kick. It has the fastest startup of his smash attacks (coming out on frame 13). The first hit offers surprisingly long horizontal range which makes it a versatile out of shield option (albeit a bit slow, coming out at frame 13). It deals high damage when both hits connect, hits in front of and behind Wolf, and provides wide coverage above Wolf. Altogether, these traits make it useful to quickly punish opponents close to him and set up juggles. However, its KO potential is slightly below-average for a smash attack because of its second hit's below-average knockback. As a result, it will not KO middleweights reliably until around 130% when uncharged, whereas heavyweights will not be KO'd reliably even around 140%.

|dsmashname=Gust Slash ({{ja|ガストスラッシュ|Gasuto Surasshu}})

|dsmashdesc=A kneeling, one-handed slash in front of himself and then behind himself. Both hits have sweetspots at the tips of Wolf's claws, which launch at a [[semi-spike]] angle with higher power. The move has moderate startup (hitting on frame 14 at the front), but has very little ending lag for a smash attack (interruptible on frame 44), making it safe on shield if spaced. The move can reliably [[2 frame punish]] opponents, and the sweetspots are extremely powerful, with the front hit's sweetspot being among the strongest down smashes in the game, both KOing them near edges at around 60% and 70%, respectively. As a result, it is Wolf's most dangerous [[edge-guard]] tool, as well as a reliable finisher when reading an opponent's tech options out of forward throw or neutral aerial. Considered to be one of the best down smashes in the game.  

|nairname=Wolf Kick ({{ja|ウルフキック|Urufu Kikku}})

|nairdesc=A flying kick. Compared to other [[sex kick]] neutral aerials, it has slower startup (hitting on frame 7), but deals higher damage and knockback with its clean hit. It is one of Wolf's fastest aerials, tied with his forward and up aerials. Compared to them, it hits lower, has a longer duration, and covers a consistent area. Combined with its low landing lag (9 frames), this makes it very useful for air-to-ground transitioning, as well as starting combos at a variety of percentages, with the clean hit being more effective at low percentages and the late hit being more effective at high percentages. The clean hit is also a decent finisher near the edge, KOing at around 145%. Due to its versatility, it is Wolf's overall most useful aerial.

|fairname=Quick Slash ({{ja|クイックスラッシュ|Kuikku Surasshu}})

|fairdesc=A downward arcing slash. It is a staple of Wolf's neutral game, with its fast startup (tied with neutral and up aerial), wide vertical arc, and low landing lag (10 frames) making it a safe approach option, and combined with its 60° launch angle, allowing it to combo into a multitude of moves, such as jab, any tilt, or grab at low percentages, any aerial attack from low to mid percentages (including itself to extend combos), and even Wolf Flash as a KO setup at high percentages. However, it has poor edge-guarding potential due to its more vertical angle. It also deals the least damage and knockback out of Wolf's aerials, which is exacerbated further by [[stale-move negation]] due to its typically frequent usage in his neutral game.

|bairname=Behind Kick ({{ja|ビハインドキック|Behind Kick}})

|bairdesc=A back kick. It has noticeable startup (hitting on frame 13), ending lag (FAF 45), and landing lag (15 frames), making it Wolf's second-slowest aerial (behind down aerial). To compensate, its [[autocancel]] frames come out very quickly after the hitboxes (on frame 18), effectively giving it little to no ending lag with proper timing, allowing it to poke shields and bait opponents. It is also one of Wolf's main KO moves: it deals high damage and significant knockback if sweetspotted, KOing at around 110% from center stage and as early as 65% near the edge. The sourspot is much weaker but is still a reliable KO move near the edge.

|uairname=Air Slice ({{ja|エアスライス|Ea Suraisu}})

|uairdesc=An overhead arcing slash. Its fast startup, wide arc, low landing lag (10 frames) and vertical knockback allow it to juggle opponents very effectively. It can also set up combos into itself and other attacks from low to mid percents, though not as reliably as forward aerial. Additionally, it possesses enough knockback to KO starting from around 120%-130% near the top blast line.

|dairname=Meteor Crash ({{ja|メテオクラッシュ|Meteo Kurasshu}})

|dairdesc=A two-handed downward slash below himself. It has the most startup (hitting on frame 16), ending lag, and landing lag (19 frames) out of Wolf's aerials, making it particularly risky to use offstage due to Wolf's poor recovery. However, it meteor smashes opponents consistently throughout the move, instead of requiring to land a specific part of it like most other meteor smashing down aerials. This essentially turns it into a high risk, high reward edge-guarding option. Against grounded opponents, it can combo into a variety of attacks, even up to high percentages.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|grabdesc=Reaches out with his right arm. Wolf's grab range is short.

|pummelname=Grab Kneebutt ({{ja|つかみニーバット|Tsukami Nībatto}})

|pummeldesc=A knee strike. Average power and speed.

|fthrowname=Short Scratch ({{ja|ショートスクラッチ|Shōto Sukuratchi}})

|fthrowdesc=An inward slash. While it deals decent damage, it is extremely weak, not KOing opponents under 300% even at the edge, and its ending lag is too high for reliable follow-ups. However, its low launching angle makes it an extremely potent tech-chasing move at higher percentages.

|bthrowname=Scratch Upper ({{ja|スクラッチアッパー|Sukuratchi Appā}})

|uthrowname=Throw Scratch ({{ja|スルースクラッチ|Surū Sukuratchi}})

|uthrowdesc=Brings the opponent above himself and slashes them upward. One of Wolf's most reliable combo starters along with down throw, and leads into a forward aerial or up aerial until around 10%-20%, which can then keep the opponent in a disadvantageous state.

|dthrowname=Bottom Down ({{ja|ボトムダウン|Botomu Daun}})

|dthrowdesc=A spinning {{iw|wikipedia|chokeslam}}. It launches opponents horizontally with low ending lag, allowing it to combo into a dash attack until around 15%-20%, or potentially set up [[tech-chase]]s if the opponent does not [[DI]] enough to act out of hitstun before hitting the ground. At around the 60%-100% range, it can also combo into Wolf Flash depending on character and DI (most notably works on floaty characters), though doing this close to an edge will cause Wolf to self-destruct in the process, making it a high risk, high reward combo.

|nsdmg=7% (bayonet), 6%/8%/7% (blast close-far)

|nsdesc=Shoots a purple, arrowhead-shaped energy blast from his {{iw|lylatwiki|Blaster}}. It is reliable at both disrupting and forcing approaches, thanks to its decent lag and the energy blast's moderately large size and [[transcendent priority]]. Unlike most projectiles, it also has great utility in close-quarters combat, thanks to the Blaster's bayonet possessing its own hitbox. As a result, the bayonet is capable of inflicting damage alongside the energy blast. Altogether, these traits make it the centerpiece of Wolf's neutral game, and it is widely considered to be one of the best projectiles in the game.

|ssdesc=Dashes quickly at a diagonal angle, leaving a claw-shaped trail behind, alongside another trail in front of himself at the end of the dash. It can be slightly aimed up or down, the latter which allows it to hit most grounded opponents. The dash itself is very weak, but at the end, it possesses two, much stronger hitboxes; one closer to Wolf's center that [[meteor smash]]es aerial opponents, and another more in front of him that [[semi-spike]]s both grounded and aerial ones. The meteor hitbox deals extremely high damage with enough knockback to KO opponents at around 10% at ground level offstage, while the semi-spike can KO at around 120% from center stage and 75% near edges; as a result, it is one of Wolf's strongest finishers. However, it renders him [[helpless]], and has high landing lag (30 frames), making it very risky to use and requiring Wolf to choose between it or Fire Wolf for recovery.

|usdmg=4% (hit 1), 2.5% (hits 2-4), 5% (grounded hit 5), 6% (aerial hit 5)

|usdesc=An energy-infused flying kick followed by a wheel kick. It propels Wolf in the chosen direction, though it is generally sub-par as a recovery option, due to its slow startup and short travel distance compared to other recovery options that can be aimed. The distance traveled is increased when traveling straight up over traveling at an angle. However, it works decently as an attack: it deals a high amount of damage if all of its hits connect, and its last hit can KO at around 150% from center stage and 95% at the edge, all of which make it a potent edgeguarding option when used correctly.

|dsdmg=4% (Reflector), 5% (reflection), 1.5× damage (reflected projectiles)

|dsdesc=Activates his Reflector to create an [[electric]]al force field around himself that [[reflect]]s incoming projectiles. Reflected projectiles deal more damage and travel at almost twice their original speed. Upon activation, the Reflector also grants Wolf brief [[intangibility]] (frames 5-8), and damages opponents in addition to launching them at a mostly vertical angle (65°), granting it some combo potential. There's also another hitbox that comes out once Wolf reflects a projectile that deals 5%. Unlike Fox's Reflector, Wolf's version does not stall him upon first use in the air.

|fsdmg= 3% (reticle), 35% (lasers), 10% (ending)

|fsdesc=Upon activation, Wolf shouts "Wolf Pack!" as a large red reticle appears in front of him that launches opponents and is immediately followed by a {{iw|lylatwiki|Wolfen}} flying from behind the screen where the reticle is located. Upon hitting an opponent, Wolf leaps upward to board his Wolfen and a cutscene begins with him joining the rest of {{iw|lylatwiki|Star Wolf}}. Wolf then says, "Grahaha! The hunt is on, boys!" (or "I've got you now, Star Fox!" if he hits {{SSBU|Fox}} or {{SSBU|Falco}}), as he and rest of Star Wolf fire their Wolfens' laser cannons at the trapped opponents. It deals a considerable amount of damage and launches the opponent horizontally after the cutscene ends.

*Ejects from a Wolfen.

*'''Down taunt''': Kneels down, slaps the ground with one hand, and makes a howling-esque noise.

SSBUWolfIdle1.gif|Wolf's first idle pose.

SSBUWolfIdle2.gif|Wolf's second idle pose.

*'''Left:''' Raises his right hand towards his face. He then moves his arms in alternating circular motions before bringing his left arm towards his right side. He then concludes by swinging out his left arm while raising his right, assuming a martial arts stance. This may be in reference to his idle stance in ''Brawl''.

*'''Up:''' Performs two alternating slashes and then a wheel kick, saying "You're good, but I'm better." ({{ja|貴様を倒すのはこの俺様だ！|Kisama wo taosu no wa kono oresama da!}}, ''You will be defeated by the very me!''). After the kick, Wolf assumes a low-postured stance in which he raises his right arm behind himself while he holds out his left while smirking.

*'''Right:''' While facing away from the camera, Wolf raises his right arm. He then turns quickly toward the camera, gesturing towards the screen with his claws. During the entirety of the pose, he scoffs and says "Weaklings, the lot of you." ({{ja|弱者どもめ。|Jakusha domo me.}}, ''Such weak ones.'')

[[File:StarFoxUniverseTheme.ogg|thumb|This victory theme is based upon the main theme of ''{{iw|lylatwiki|Star Fox 64}}'', most specifically the title theme. It is also reminiscent of the music that would play when a mission was completed or accomplished.]]

==In [[competitive play]]==

===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 -->

''See also: [[:Category:Wolf players (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|Atelier|Japan}} - One of the first successful Wolf players, thanks his victory at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 3}} and his 7th-place finish at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}}. Although he later picked up {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} as a co-main, he remains a prominent Wolf player and has been one of the best Wolf players since 2022, placing 7th at both {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 9}} (where he primarily played Wolf) and {{Trn|Umebura SP 9}} (with only Wolf).

*{{Sm|Jakal|USA}} - One of the best Wolf players in the world since 2021. His most notable accomplishment was finishing 2nd at {{Trn|Crown the Third}} defeating {{Sm|Sparg0}}, {{Sm|MkLeo}}, and {{Sm|Shuton}}, the best Wolf placement since the early months of ''Ultimate''. Outside of Crown the Third, his best results also include 5th at both {{Trn|Super Smash Con: Fall Fest}} and {{Trn|MAJOR UPSET}}.

*{{Sm|Larry Lurr|USA}} - Began playing Wolf alongside {{SSBU|Falco}} in mid-2019 and was one of the best Wolf players in North America from then until early-2022. With Wolf, he most notably double-eliminated {{Sm|MkLeo}} to place 2nd at {{Trn|G4 Smash Ultimate Invitational}}, and placed 9th at both {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}} and {{Trn|Thunder Smash 3: Clash of the Pandas}}, defeating {{Sm|VoiD}} in the former and {{Sm|Marss}} in the latter.

*{{Sm|Masha|Japan}} - A hidden boss in Japan up until 2022, with his most notable accomplishment as a hidden boss being placing 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}. Since then, he has been considered one of the best Wolf players in the world, placing 7th at both {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 9}} and {{Trn|JAPAN 24}} as well as 9th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 11}}, and frequently placing top 8 at superregionals, most notably winning {{Trn|Chūbu Smash Chronicle 2}}.

*{{Sm|Oryon|France}} - First known for defeating {{Sm|Abadango}} to place 4th at {{Trn|Stunfest 2019}}, and has since become Europe's premier Wolf player, with notable placements such as 4th at {{Trn|ICARUS 2023}}, 7th at {{Trn|King Con}}, and 9th at {{Trn|Albion 4}}, and a notable win over {{Sm|Tea}} at {{Trn|L'Odyssée - Chant I}}. He has also seen some success outside of Europe, with his best placements being 13th at {{Trn|GENESIS 8}} and 25th at {{Trn|GENESIS X}}.

*{{Sm|Ouch!?|Canada}} - First known for his dominance in the [[Pacific Northwest]] region which began the same year. He gained further recognition after placing 3rd at {{Trn|Battle of BC 4}}, with a massive Loser's run that saw him eliminate {{Sm|Riddles}}, {{Sm|Shuton}}, and {{Sm|Kome}}. He has since established himself as one of the best Wolf players in the world, placing 7th at {{Trn|Battle of BC 6}} and 9th at both {{Trn|Mainstage 2022}} and {{Trn|GENESIS 9}}.

*{{Sm|Zackray|Japan}} - The best Wolf player of all time, and Wolf's primary representative during the early metagame, using him to win {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}} and place 2nd at {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}}, 5th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}, and 7th at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}. His victory at Umebura SP 2 remains the only major win for a player who primarily played Wolf. Following {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}}, he began playing other characters over Wolf, and ultimately dropped the character by the end of 2019.

For most of competitive ''Ultimate'', Wolf was considered an incredibly popular pick in competitive play. This was especially true in the game's first few months, where players recogonized that Wolf's buffs from ''[[Brawl]]'', which gave him a powerful projectile courtesy of his Blaster, effective combos due to his modified physics, and a notorious [[edgeguard]]ing tool in his down smash, allowed him to dictate the flow of battle through use of his Blaster, overall speed, and combo ability. As such, Wolf was arguably the most popular character in the early metagame, ranking 1st for January-June 2019 and 2nd for July-December 2019 for character representation by [[OrionRank]], and was regularly one of the most used characters at majors, including being the most used character in {{Trn|Pound 2019}}'s top 128<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2019/apr/21/wolf-pack-came-out-full-force-super-smash-bros-ultimate-during-pound-2019-here-are-top-128-character-usage-stats/|title=The Wolf pack came out in full force for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate during Pound 2019, here are the top 128 character usage stats}}</ref> and the third-most used character in {{Trn|EVO 2019}}'s top 256.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2019/aug/04/super-smash-bros-ultimate-usage-stats-evo-2019/|title=Yoshi, Fox, and Wolf were the three most used characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate top 256 at EVO 2019}}</ref> Spearheading Wolf's huge playerbase was {{Sm|Zackray}}, who regularly finished top 8 at majors and even won {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}}, the only major win from a player who primarily played Wolf. In addition, several top players also had pocket Wolves that they used on occasion, including {{Sm|MkLeo}} and {{Sm|Tweek}}, the two best players in the world at that time. Tweek especially used both {{SSBU|Wario}} and Wolf to win {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}}. Wolf's strengths and popularity led many to consider him as one of the best characters in the game.

Despite his popularity, as time went on, Wolf's weaknesses became more apparent: his linear recovery left him vulnerable to edgeguards and gimping, while his falling speed left him vulnerable to combos. In addition, subsequent patches nerfed his down smash's knockback, which further hurt Wolf's KO ability, as his other best KO options often had high starting lag. Initially, this led several of his best players to drop him, most notably Zackray; however, other Wolf players were still able to fill that void, such as {{Sm|Atelier}}, {{Sm|Jakal}}, and {{Sm|Ouch!?}}, and as such, Wolf's representation remained in the top 10 for the following few years. However, none of these players were able to reach the top-level consistency that Zackray had; in fact, Atelier and Jakal themselves were notoriously inconsistent in competitive play. As such, opinions on Wolf would mellow out significantly as time went on, with more and more players believing he was overrated. This was reflected in Wolf's ranking on the first tier list, where he was ranked 11th in the upper half of S- tier. Although he remained a top tier, he was no longer considered one of the best characters in the game.

Following the second tier list, Wolf's position in the metagame weakened even more, with his best players remaining inconsistent and his playerbase becoming stagnant. Wolf's decline during this time was the most apparent by the end of 2023, where for the first time ever Wolf's representation was not among the top 10, instead ranking 15th for July-December 2023. In addition, despite having four players who mained Wolf on [[LumiRank 2023]]'s top 100, not a single one of them was ranked in the top 50. This decline led to Wolf dropping 10 spots on the second tier list to 21st, now ranking in the bottom half of A tier and tied for the second-largest drop from the first tier list.

Wolf's opponents, like himself, are veterans who were absent from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. The boss of this route is [[Galleom]], who was also absent from ''Smash 4''. Notably, Young Link and Pichu were also absent from ''Brawl''.

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

|1||{{CharHead|Ice Climbers|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Summit]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Ice Climber|Ice Climber (Melee)}}''||

|2||{{CharHead|Young Link|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Great Bay]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Overworld Theme - The Legend of Zelda (Melee)}}''||

|3||{{CharHead|Pichu|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Pokémon Stadium]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Pokémon Gold / Pokémon Silver Medley}}''||

|4||{{CharHead|Squirtle|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Pokémon Stadium 2]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Pokémon Gym/Evolution - Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue}}''||Squirtle's {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} is absent.

|5||{{CharHead|Ivysaur|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Spear Pillar]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Battle! (Dialga/Palkia) / Spear Pillar}}''||Ivysaur's Pokémon Trainer is absent.

|6||{{CharHead|Snake|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Shadow Moses Island]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Metal Gear|Theme of Tara}}''||

|Final||[[Galleom]]||[[Base]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Boss Battle - Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}''||

Although Wolf does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (except for {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light.

Wolf was one of the many fighters that fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat. He is unlocked in the [[Mysterious Dimension]] in [[The Dark Realm]]. The player must defeat the [[Andross]] [[List of spirits (Star Fox series)#Andross (Star Fox 64 3D)|(Star Fox 64 3D)]] spirit, which is the answer to a given question ("Who among these spirits is a scientist?"), to reveal a path leading to a wrecked airplane. His unlock battle is on the plane's tail, just to the left of the [[Krystal]] [[List of spirits (Star Fox series)#Krystal|spirit]].

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

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

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

!Name

!Type

!Power

!Stage

!Music

|44

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

|Wolf

|{{SpiritType|Attack}} <center>{{color|#dc1029|Attack}}</center>

|11,800

|[[Lylat Cruise]] ([[Ω form]])

|''{{SSBUMusicLink|Star Fox|Star Wolf (Brawl)}}''

{{clr}}

Wolf's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing {{SSBU|Classic Mode}}. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Wolf has been unlocked. Unlocking Wolf in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in ''Ultimate''.

SSBU spirit Wolf O'Donnell.png|384. '''''Wolf O'Donnell'''''

|{{SpiritTableName|Panther Caroso|link=y|size=64}}

|''Star Fox'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Wolfen|link=y|size=64}}

|''Star Fox'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Cubone|size=64}}

|''Pokémon'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Grab}}

|•Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle<br>•''The enemy starts the battle with a Boomerang''

|{{SpiritTableName|Houndoom|size=64}}

|''Pokémon'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Absol|size=64}}

|''Pokémon'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Zoroark|link=y|size=64}}

|''Pokémon'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Wolf}} {{Head|Wolf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}<br>•{{SSBU|Lucario}} {{Head|Lucario|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Grey}}×3

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls (Zoroark)<br>•Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Battle! (Reshiram / Zekrom)}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Bio Rex|iw=fzerowiki|size=64}}

|''F-Zero'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Gangrel|iw=fireemblem|size=64}}

|''Fire Emblem'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Sonic the Werehog|size=64}}

|''Sonic The Hedgehog'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Mumkhar|size=64}}

|''Xenoblade Chronicles'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Wolf}} {{Head|Wolf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}} (140 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Xenoblade Chronicles|You Will Know Our Names}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Gangster, Lady, & Policeman|size=64}}

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Werewolf|size=64}}

|''Castlevania'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Toy Poodle|size=64}}

|''Nintendogs'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Wolf}} {{Head|Wolf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Orange}}×3<br>•Ally: {{SSBU|Duck Hunt}} {{Head|Duck Hunt|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Black}}

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|•Assist Trophy Enemies ([[Nintendog]])

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Other|Bathtime Theme}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Iori Yagami|link=y|size=64}}

|''THE KING OF FIGHTERS'' Series

|•{{SSBU|Wolf}} {{Head|Wolf|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}} (140 HP) {{Head|Wolf|g=SSBU|s=20px}} (60 HP)

|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}

|[[Reset Bomb Forest]] (forest)

|•Jump Power ↓

|•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd<br>•All fighters have reduced jump power

|[https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Orochi_Iori Orochi Iori] (red costume)

|{{SpiritTableName|Leon Powalski|link=y|size=64}}

|''Star Fox'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Attack}}

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Star Fox|Star Wolf's Theme / Sector Z (for 3DS / Wii U)}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Pigma Dengar|link=y|size=64}}

|''Star Fox'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Shield}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Geo Stelar & Omega-Xis|customname=[https://megaman.fandom.com/wiki/Geo_Stelar Geo Stelar] & [https://megaman.fandom.com/wiki/Omega-Xis Omega-Xis]|size=64}}

|''Mega Man Star Force'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Zacian & Zamazenta|size=64}}

|''Pokémon'' Series

|{{SpiritType|Neutral}}

|[[Spear Pillar]] ([[Ω form]])

|•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Killing Edge]]<br>''•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Back Shield]]''

|[[Summit]] ([[Battlefield form]])

===Fighter Showcase Video===

*Early gameplay footage of Wolf in ''Ultimate'' contains a few inconsistencies between his official render and his in-game model. The soles of his boots are blue in his official render while they were red in his in-game model, the straps behind his right shin guard were white instead of black, and his jacket and gloves were a dark purple color instead of light purple.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62uBiZfw9w0&t=0m13s]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B4w2Tsy9PE&t=0m4s]</ref>

**Oddly, in his showcase video, the inconsistencies only appear in the final part of the video, when he attacks Fox.

**They are also present in {{SSBU|Fox}}, {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}, and {{SSBU|Corrin}}'s character showcase videos.

**Additionally, the inconsistencies are used for his model in the first five screenshots of his character page on the ''Ultimate'' official website.

***Wolf (in English) is also the only ''Star Fox'' character in ''Ultimate'' (in either English or Japanese) whose voice actor reprises his role from a previous ''Smash'' game, as his, Fox, and Falco's Japanese voice actors were all changed in ''Ultimate'' from previous games.

*Prior to update 8.0.0, Wolf's unique voice clip when winning against Fox ("Playtime's over, Star Fox!") was not present in the [[Sound Test]]. Fox, {{SSBU|Simon}}, {{SSBU|Palutena}}, and {{SSBU|Lucina}} also shared this distinction.

*There's been a change in Wolf's in-game model that's not present on either his official artwork or amiibo. Additional straps were added to his shin guards that match the color of the bands on his gloves.

*There is an animation error with Wolf's forward teching animation; his left foot will be twisted the other way when rolling.

**The same thing happens for exactly 1 frame during the roundhouse kick segment of his up-inputted victory pose.

*Wolf, {{SSBU|Marth}}, {{SSBU|Lucina}}, {{SSBU|Young Link}}, {{SSBU|Roy}}, and {{SSBU|Chrom}} are the only characters that use their crouching animation from their previous ''Super Smash Bros.'' game when holding a small item (in Chrom's case, he uses Roy's previous crouching animation).

*If Fox is present in the match, the lasers fired from Wolf's Blaster generate a black smoke effect when hitting an opponent, an item, or a wall, much like the lasers fired from Fox's Blaster.

*Wolf's [https://www.nintendo.com/amiibo/detail/wolf-amiibo-super-smash-bros-series/ description] from the North American [[amiibo]] website is based on his trophy description from ''Smash 4''.

*Interestingly, Wolf's up taunt finishes faster when facing left if uninterrupted. A similar situation occurs with both {{SSBU|Hero}} (up and down taunts) and {{SSBU|Kazuya}} (up taunt).

*While Wolf's design in ''Ultimate'' was based on his appearance in ''Star Fox Zero'', his outfit is entirely original, most likely because he lacks any full-body appearance in-game, with both his headshot while speaking and the view of him in the cockpit of his Wolfen only showing his head and a small part of his outfit.

**However, the design of his outfit in ''Ultimate'' does not appear to match with the small amount of his outfit that is visible in ''Star Fox Zero''.

*Masahiro Sakurai showed an early version of Wolf's taking damage animation in a [[YouTube]] video, notably with a different facial expression that was changed to be more exaggerated.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHL7Ex-RH8 Facial Animations <nowiki>[Animation]</nowiki>]</ref>