Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Luigi (SSBU): Difference between revisions

From SmashWiki, the Super Smash Bros. wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 19 users not shown)
Line 17: Line 17:
As in ''SSB4'', {{iw|wikipedia|Charles Martinet}}'s portrayal of Luigi from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was repurposed for ''Ultimate''.<!--Do not add that this is the last Smash Bros. game where Charles Martinet voices Luigi. Besides the fact this isn't done for other characters' pages, Jigglypuff and Lucina still use their voice clips from Rachael Lillis and Laura Bailey respectively in the Smash series instead of their current actors, so it's still possible for Martinet's voice to be reused in future Smash games-->
As in ''SSB4'', {{iw|wikipedia|Charles Martinet}}'s portrayal of Luigi from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' was repurposed for ''Ultimate''.<!--Do not add that this is the last Smash Bros. game where Charles Martinet voices Luigi. Besides the fact this isn't done for other characters' pages, Jigglypuff and Lucina still use their voice clips from Rachael Lillis and Laura Bailey respectively in the Smash series instead of their current actors, so it's still possible for Martinet's voice to be reused in future Smash games-->


Luigi is ranked 39th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him at the end of B+ tier. This is a moderate drop from his high tier placement ''SSB4'', where he was ranked 18th out of 54 characters. Similarly to [[Mario (SSBU)|his brother]], Luigi has excellent frame data, with low [[startup]] and [[ending lag]] on the majority of his kit, making him a very difficult character to punish. He has an outstanding air game, with one of the best jumping abilities of the roster and strong aerials with fast startup, low ending lag (except neutral and back aerials) and landing lag, and lenient [[auto-cancel]] windows, with all of them being able to auto-cancel from a short hop, and he can autocancel all of them in a short hop fast fall except for neutral aerial. His forward and up aerials in particular have such low ending lag that he can use two forward aerials or two up aerials in a short hop and still autocancel them. Additionally, Luigi boasts incredible combo ability and solid KO power: his [[down throw]] is one of the best combo starters in the game, and allows him to either perform consistent [[zero-to-death]] combos on the vast majority of the roster or set up for a kill via [[Super Jump Punch]], [[Luigi Cyclone]], or a sweetspotted back aerial at high percentages. Finally, Luigi Cyclone's frame 1 [[invincibility]] when used in the air gives Luigi a reliable combo breaker.
Luigi is ranked 39th out of 82 on the current [[tier list]], placing him at the end of B+ tier. This is a moderate drop from his high tier placement ''SSB4'', where he was ranked 18th out of 54 characters. Similarly to his brother {{SSBU|Mario}}, Luigi has excellent frame data, with low [[startup]] and [[ending lag]] on the majority of his kit, making him a very difficult character to punish. He has an outstanding air game, with one of the best jumping abilities of the roster and strong aerials with fast startup, low ending lag (except neutral and back aerials) and landing lag, and lenient [[auto-cancel]] windows, with all of them being able to auto-cancel from a short hop, and he can autocancel all of them in a short hop fast fall except for his neutral aerial. His forward and up aerials in particular have such low ending lag that he can use two forward aerials or two up aerials in a short hop and still autocancel them. Additionally, Luigi boasts incredible combo ability and solid KO power: his [[down throw]] is one of the best combo starters in the game, and allows him to either perform consistent [[zero-to-death]] combos on the vast majority of the roster or set up for a KO via [[Super Jump Punch]], [[Luigi Cyclone]], or a sweetspotted back aerial at high percentages. Finally, Luigi Cyclone's frame 1 [[invincibility]] when used in the air gives Luigi a reliable combo breaker.


However, Luigi still has several noticeable weaknesses. His overall mobility is sluggish, with his [[air speed]] being one of the slowest in the game. Luigi's pitifully slow air speed is an especially painful hindrance, as it makes him susceptible to [[juggling]]. Both of these weaknesses leave Luigi with a poor disadvantage state. Along with his only average grounded mobility at best, his ground game is also further brought down by his below average range, which when combined with his aforementioned debilitating airspeed and the lack of a reflector, makes it very difficult for him to fight against [[camping]]. In addition, Luigi's recovery, while long-distanced, is very predictable and linear, as [[Green Missile]] doesn't leave him [[helpless]] but only grants him horizontal distance with noticeable ending lag, while Super Jump Punch only travels straight upwards with no horizontal gain, and it also possesses very high landing lag, making him vulnerable to punishes if he fails to grab the ledge. Finally, Luigi Cyclone has lost all of its recovery and gimping potential, as the move's very high ending lag and reduced distance cause him to lose what little recovery distance he got before he can act, removing one of Luigi's strongest options off-stage.  
However, Luigi still has several noticeable weaknesses. His overall mobility is sluggish, with his [[air speed]] being one of the slowest in the game. Luigi's pitifully slow air speed is an especially painful hindrance, as it makes him susceptible to [[juggling]]. Both of these weaknesses leave Luigi with a poor disadvantage state. Along with his only average grounded mobility at best, his ground game is also further brought down by his below average range, which, when combined with his aforementioned debilitating air speed and the lack of a reflector, makes it very difficult for him to fight against [[camping]]. In addition, Luigi's recovery, while long-distanced, is very predictable and linear, as [[Green Missile]] doesn't leave him [[helpless]] but only grants him horizontal distance with noticeable ending lag, while Super Jump Punch only travels straight upwards with no horizontal gain, and it also possesses very high landing lag, making him vulnerable to punishes if he fails to grab the ledge. Finally, Luigi Cyclone has lost all of its recovery and gimping potential, as the move's very high ending lag and reduced distance cause him to lose what little recovery distance he got before he can act, removing one of Luigi's strongest options off-stage.  


Overall, Luigi is a polarizing character who, in the right situation, can setups for quick and unexpected KOs, but on the other hand, his weaknesses can allow opponents to take advantage of his poor mobility and predictable recovery. This has allowed him to foster a good-sized playerbase spearheaded by players such as {{Sm|Luugi}}, {{Sm|Raru}}, and, prior to his ban, {{Sm|Elegant}}.
Overall, Luigi is a polarizing character who, in the right situation, can perform setups for quick and unexpected KOs, but on the other hand, his weaknesses can allow opponents to take advantage of his poor mobility and predictable recovery. Although the character’s representation early on was sub par due to his rather poor disadvantage, it has since improved noticeably as his strengths became more noticeable in the competitive scene, as a result, this has allowed him to foster a good-sized playerbase spearheaded by players such as {{Sm|Luugi}}, {{Sm|Raru}}, and, prior to his ban, {{Sm|Elegant}}. Due to his top notch advantage state, strong results from his players in major tournaments and Raru winning a few majors and supermajors, there have been calls to reevaluate Luigi’s current position on the tier list, with many saying that he  should be ranked higher.


==How to unlock==
==How to unlock==
Line 31: Line 31:


==Attributes==
==Attributes==
Luigi is a [[Weight|middleweight]] whose attributes deviate from most other characters in his weight class. Luigi sports fairly average [[walk]]ing speed, [[dash]]ing speed, and [[air acceleration]], a decent initial dashing speed, below-average [[gravity]], slow [[falling speed]], low [[traction]], the 2nd slowest [[air speed]], and among the best jumping prowess in the roster, with the fourth highest [[jump]] and the tenth highest [[double jump]]. As a result, Luigi is quite [[floaty]] and his mobility is fairly sluggish overall, especially in the air.
Luigi is a [[middleweight]] whose attributes deviate from most other characters in his weight class. Luigi sports fairly average [[walk]]ing speed, [[dash]]ing speed, and [[air acceleration]], a decent initial dashing speed, below-average [[gravity]], slow [[falling speed]], low [[traction]], the 2nd slowest [[air speed]], and among the best jumping prowess in the roster, with the fourth highest [[jump]] and the tenth highest [[double jump]]. As a result, Luigi is quite [[floaty]] and his mobility is fairly sluggish overall, especially in the air.


Luigi's greatest asset is his outstanding frame data, which is easily among the fastest in the game. Because of this, similarly to [[Mario (SSBU)|his older brother]], Luigi can be very difficult to punish; only two of his standard moves and five of his attacks overall have more than 9 frames of startup lag (forward smash, down aerial, [[Fireball]], [[Green Missile]], and [[Luigi Cyclone]]), a multitude of his moves hit on or before frame 5 (such as neutral attack, dash attack, neutral aerial, up aerial and his tilts), and the vast majority of his moveset has low ending lag, granting him incredible attack speed and an excellent punish game; both points are complemented by the utility of his overall moveset. Neutral attack's damage output and [[range]] are average at best, yet its two hits can [[lock]]. Its first hit also comes out on frame 2, which makes the move a fairly useful option for warding off nearby opponents. Luigi's tilt attacks also have their own perks: forward tilt can be angled and is useful for spacing, up tilt has excellent combo and juggling potential, and down tilt is an incredibly quick and highly [[spam]]mable move that can combo into itself and a few other moves while also being able to consistently perform [[2 frame punish]]es at the edge. Lastly, Luigi's dash attack has quick startup; when coupled with its reduced ending lag, increased damage output and higher knockback, it is a much better move for approaching and attacking than in previous installments.
Luigi's greatest asset is his outstanding frame data, which is easily among the fastest in the game. Because of this, similarly to his older brother {{SSBU|Mario}}, Luigi can be very difficult to punish; only two of his standard moves and five of his attacks overall have more than 9 frames of startup lag (forward smash, down aerial, [[Fireball]], [[Green Missile]], and [[Luigi Cyclone]]), a multitude of his moves hit on or before frame 5 (such as his neutral attack, dash attack, neutral aerial, up aerial, and his tilts), and the vast majority of his moveset has low ending lag, granting him incredible attack speed and an excellent punish game; both points are complemented by the utility of his overall moveset. His neutral attack's damage output and [[range]] are average at best, yet its two hits can [[lock]]. Its first hit also comes out on frame 2, which makes the move a fairly useful option for warding off nearby opponents. Luigi's tilt attacks also have their own perks: his forward tilt can be angled and is useful for spacing, his up tilt has excellent combo and juggling potential, and his down tilt is an incredibly quick and highly [[spam]]mable move that can combo into itself and a few other moves while also being able to consistently perform [[2 frame punish]]es at the edge. Lastly, Luigi's dash attack has quick startup; when coupled with its reduced ending lag, increased damage output and higher knockback, it is a much better move for approaching and attacking than in previous installments.


Luigi's smash attacks are among the fastest of their kind, have below-average ending lag, and are strong enough to be reliable finishers. As a result of these traits, they allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. Forward smash deals extra [[shield damage]], up smash is an effective anti-air attack due to rendering Luigi's head [[intangible]] while its hitboxes are active as well as functioning as an effective [[out of shield]] option, and down smash is very useful for punishing rolls thanks to its minimal lag, respectable damage output, and long range, with its back hit being an especially good finisher. Both up smash and down smash also have set-up potential at low percentages if Luigi successfully covers the opponent's options afterward.
Luigi's smash attacks are among the fastest of their kind, have below-average ending lag, and are strong enough to be reliable finishers. As a result of these traits, they allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. His forward smash deals extra [[shield damage]], his up smash is an effective anti-air attack due to rendering his head [[intangible]] while its hitboxes are active as well as functioning as an effective [[out of shield]] option, and his down smash is very useful for punishing rolls thanks to its minimal lag, respectable damage output, and long range, with its back hit being an especially good finisher. Both Luigi's up and down smashes also have set-up potential at low percentages if he successfully covers the opponent's options afterward.


Despite his extremely poor air speed, Luigi has a fantastic set of aerial attacks, courtesy of them possessing fast startup, lenient [[auto-cancel]] windows, quick [[interruptibility]] (except for neutral and back aerials) and low ending lag in general. In terms of auto-canceling, he can auto-cancel all of his aerials with a short hop, can auto-cancel all of them except neutral aerial with a short hop fast fall, and can use forward, up and down aerials twice with a single short hop. Lastly, he can use his forward and up aerials twice with a single short hop without suffering from landing lag. Neutral aerial is the only [[sex kick]] that consistently launches an opponent vertically, which grants it a few notable perks: the clean hitbox deals high damage and respectable knockback, making it a great combo breaker and even a situational KO option while near the upper [[blast line]] at high percentages, while both it and especially the late hitbox are very useful combo starters when used with a [[short hop]]. Forward aerial has the lowest ending lag of its kind and launches at the [[Sakurai angle]]; at low to medium percentages, these traits make it very reliable for [[approach]]ing, down throw-initiated combos into itself, neutral aerial and up aerial, as well as a reliable [[edge-guarding]] option at high percentages. Back aerial has the highest ending lag of Luigi's aerials by a noticeable margin, but its minimal startup, decent range and powerful clean hitbox on his feet collectively enable it to function as a safe and reliable option for KOing, edge-guarding and (when used via a [[reverse aerial rush]]) approaching. Up aerial is useful for combos: it can either extend them or, thanks to having the lowest amount of landing lag out his aerials, use its clean hitbox to start them at low percentages when SHFF'd due to its clean hit dealing above-average damage for a combo move. Its generous auto-cancel window and very low ending lag also allow Luigi to use it twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it successfully, a trait it shares with his forward aerial and {{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s neutral aerial. Lastly, down aerial is safe to use and has a clean hitbox which is a fast meteor smash, coming out on frame 10 and with only 18 frames of ending lag, the lowest of any meteor smash. Due to his powerful aerials with generally low lag all around, Luigi has an outstanding air game.  
Despite his extremely poor air speed, Luigi has a fantastic set of aerial attacks, courtesy of them possessing fast startup, lenient [[auto-cancel]] windows, quick [[interruptibility]] (except for neutral and back aerials) and low ending lag in general. In terms of auto-canceling, he can auto-cancel all of his aerials with a short hop, can auto-cancel all of them except neutral aerial with a short hop fast fall, and can use his forward, up and down aerials twice with a single short hop. Lastly, he can use his forward and up aerials twice with a single short hop without suffering from landing lag. Luigi's neutral aerial is the only [[sex kick]] that consistently launches an opponent vertically, which grants it a few notable perks: the clean hitbox deals high damage and respectable knockback, making it a great combo breaker and even a situational KO option while near the upper [[blast line]] at high percentages, while both it and especially the late hitbox are very useful combo starters when used with a [[short hop]]. His forward aerial has the lowest ending lag of its kind, and launches at the [[Sakurai angle]]; at low to medium percentages, these traits make it very reliable for [[approach]]ing, down throw-initiated combos into itself, his neutral aerial, and his up aerial, as well as a reliable [[edge-guarding]] option at high percentages. Luigi's back aerial has the highest ending lag of his aerials by a noticeable margin, but its minimal startup, decent range and powerful clean hitbox on his feet collectively enable it to function as a safe and reliable option for KOing, edge-guarding and (when used via a [[reverse aerial rush]]) approaching. His up aerial is useful for combos: it can either extend them or, thanks to having the lowest amount of landing lag out his aerials, use its clean hitbox to start them at low percentages when SHFF'd due to its clean hit dealing above-average damage for a combo move. Its generous auto-cancel window and very low ending lag also allow Luigi to use it twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it successfully, a trait it shares with his forward aerial and {{SSBU|Little Mac}}'s neutral aerial. Lastly, Luigi's down aerial is safe to use and has a clean hitbox which is a fast meteor smash, coming out on frame 10 and with only 18 frames of ending lag, the lowest of any meteor smash. Due to his powerful aerials with generally low lag all around, Luigi has an outstanding air game.  


Luigi has an excellent grab game, but unlike in past installments, he has a [[tether grab]] due to him using the {{iw|mariowiki|Poltergust G-00}}'s {{iw|mariowiki|Suction Shot}} to grab an opponent. As a result, Luigi can grab opponents from a fairly long distance, preventing the necessity for him to get up close to do so. It also provides Luigi with a [[grab aerial]], in which the suction cup functions as a projectile that deals minor damage and knockback. This grants Luigi an additional edge-guarding option and deceptively useful combo option that, unlike most projectiles, cannot be absorbed or reflected. Like Mario, Luigi has an average pummel, which can deal multiple hits before being followed up with any of his useful throws. Forward throw deals respectable damage and is useful for repositioning opponents or setting up edge-guards against them at high percentages. Back throw also deals respectable damage and great knockback, allowing it to KO beginning at 120% or even earlier with [[rage]]. Unlike Mario's back throw, it also lacks a noticeably long animation, which makes it noticeably more difficult for the opponent to use [[directional influence]] to survive it. Up throw deals average damage and knockback, and possesses follow-up potential into forward or up aerials at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox to hit bystanders. Lastly, down throw is Luigi's primary combo starter and is one of his most useful attacks: it deals average knockback, has low ending lag, and launches at a vertical angle, which collectively enable it to lead into potent and highly damaging combos, even being able to lead into potential [[zero-to-death]] combos. Down throw can combo into moves such as up tilt, up smash, all of Luigi's aerials, Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone, due to its aforementioned traits. It also functions as an excellent setup for KOs, such as by comboing into Super Jump Punch, back aerial, or Luigi Cyclone at high percentages. Although situational, down throw also has a collateral hitbox before the throw that can hit bystanders, similarly to up throw.
Luigi has an excellent grab game, but unlike in past installments, he has a [[tether grab]] due to him using the {{iw|mariowiki|Poltergust G-00}}'s {{iw|mariowiki|Suction Shot}} to grab an opponent. As a result, Luigi can grab opponents from a fairly long distance, preventing the necessity for him to get up close to do so. It also provides Luigi with a [[grab aerial]], in which the suction cup functions as a projectile that deals minor damage and knockback. This grants Luigi an additional edge-guarding option and deceptively useful combo option that, unlike most projectiles, cannot be absorbed or reflected. Like Mario, Luigi has an average pummel, which can deal multiple hits before being followed up with any of his useful throws. His forward throw deals respectable damage and is useful for repositioning opponents or setting up edge-guards against them at high percentages. His back throw also deals respectable damage and great knockback, allowing it to KO beginning at 120% or even earlier with [[rage]]. Unlike Mario's back throw, it also lacks a noticeably long animation, which makes it noticeably more difficult for the opponent to use [[directional influence]] to survive it. Luigi's throw deals average damage and knockback, and possesses follow-up potential into forward or up aerials at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox to hit bystanders. Lastly, Luigi's down throw is his primary combo starter and is one of his most useful attacks: it deals average knockback, has low ending lag, and launches at a vertical angle, which collectively enable it to lead into potent and highly damaging combos, even being able to lead into potential [[zero-to-death]] combos. His down throw can combo into moves such as his up tilt, up smash, all of his aerials, Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone, due to its aforementioned traits. It also functions as an excellent setup for KOs, such as by comboing into Super Jump Punch, back aerial, or Luigi Cyclone at high percentages. Although situational, Luigi's down throw also has a collateral hitbox before the throw that can hit bystanders, similarly to his up throw.


As a pseudo-[[clone]] of Mario, Luigi has a pair of special moves that are derived from his older brother, yet his versions deviate in noticeable ways. [[Fireball]] is a [[projectile]] that is useful for pressuring, hindering an opponent's approach, or setting up an attack. Unlike Mario's Fireball, Luigi's is unaffected by gravity and undulates; these traits make it somewhat less effective at hindering an opponent's [[recovery]] attempt, but allow it to cover a consistent area horizontally and vertically. Compared to Mario's version, Luigi's Fireballs have less ending lag as well as a clean hit that deals more damage, allowing him to throw another one just 1 frame before the clean hitbox ceases. Luigi's [[Super Jump Punch]] has fast startup like Mario's, but propels him vertically instead of diagonally. By extension, it consists of a sweetspot and sourspot, instead of multiple hitboxes like Mario's. Its sweetspot boasts devastating power, which makes it a very potent punishment option, yet it is very risky because of its high ending and landing lag and its sourspot being mostly useless aside from being a niche gimping option, as it only deals 1% damage and is not safe on hit due to hasving almost no knockback whatsoever.
As a pseudo-[[clone]] of Mario, Luigi has a pair of special moves that are derived from his older brother, yet his versions deviate in noticeable ways. [[Fireball]] is a [[projectile]] that is useful for pressuring, hindering an opponent's approach, or setting up an attack. Unlike Mario's Fireball, Luigi's is unaffected by gravity and undulates; these traits make it somewhat less effective at hindering an opponent's [[recovery]] attempt, but allow it to cover a consistent area horizontally and vertically. Compared to Mario's version, Luigi's Fireballs have less ending lag as well as a clean hit that deals more damage, allowing him to throw another one just 1 frame before the clean hitbox ceases. Luigi's [[Super Jump Punch]] has fast startup like Mario's, but propels him vertically instead of diagonally. By extension, it consists of a sweetspot and sourspot, instead of multiple hitboxes like Mario's. Its sweetspot boasts devastating power, which makes it a very potent punishment option, yet it is very risky because of its high ending and landing lag and its sourspot being mostly useless aside from being a niche gimping option, as it only deals 1% damage and is not safe on hit due to hasving almost no knockback whatsoever.
Line 52: Line 52:


==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
Luigi has received some noticeable changes in his transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate'', with some altered animations and the introduction of the Poltergust G-00 to Luigi's moveset resulting in his moveset being further decloned from his brother {{SSBU|Mario}}. Collectively, these changes have resulted in a mix of buffs and nerfs for Luigi in the transition to ''Ultimate'', but he was nerfed slightly overall. While Luigi received numerous buffs and changes that improve his strengths and benefit him, he has also suffered from a few major nerfs; both points are also affected by the universal changes to the game's engine, which were a mixed bag for him.
Luigi has received some noticeable changes in his transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate'', with some altered animations and the introduction of the Poltergust G-00 to Luigi's moveset resulting in his moveset being further decloned from his brother {{SSBU|Mario}}. Collectively, these changes have resulted in a mix of buffs and nerfs for Luigi in the transition to ''Ultimate'', and while he was initially considered to be nerfed overall. He received numerous buffs and changes that improve his strengths and benefit him, but also suffered from a few major nerfs in both the transition and game updates. As a result, he was nerfed slightly overall.


Luigi's direct nerfs have affected his playstyle quite noticeably. [[Luigi Cyclone]] travels much less vertical distance via [[button mash]]ing, removing all of its usefulness for [[recovery]], as even with very fast mashing, Luigi barely gets any additional distance at the end of the move. Alongside the addition of [[windbox]]es to it, this also removes its ability to [[gimp]] opponents and KO them at virtually any percentage if timed correctly, which was a crucial technique to his success in ''SSB4''.
Luigi's direct nerfs have affected his playstyle quite noticeably. [[Luigi Cyclone]] travels much less vertical distance via [[button mash]]ing, removing all of its usefulness for [[recovery]], as even with very fast mashing, Luigi barely gets any additional distance at the end of the move. Alongside the addition of [[windbox]]es to it, this also removes its ability to [[gimp]] opponents and KO them at virtually any percentage if timed correctly, which was a crucial technique to his success in ''SSB4''. His edgeguarding options are also more limited by the changes to his [[down smash]]'s front hit: as the front hit now launches opponents away from Luigi instead of towards him, it no longer leads into a [[stage spike]] on opponents that are grabbing the ledge, and while the lower angle for both hits is more favourable for KOing, this is at the cost of the first hit's versatility.


In terms of indirect nerfs, the changes to [[air dodging]] have both helped and hindered Luigi, but hurt him overall: due to his floatiness, the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows him to use one for recovery in a pinch, but his air dodges have drastically more ending lag relative to the rest of the cast, thus making them more punishable, and recovery mix-ups with them are almost unfeasible due to the ability to only use one before landing. When combined with his [[air speed]] remaining the second worst in the game, as well as the severe distance nerf to Luigi Cyclone, his recovery is much more linear and easier to intercept, causing Luigi to become much more prone to [[edge-guarding]] and early offstage KOs, despite Super Jump Punch and fully charged Green Missile granting slightly more distance.
In terms of indirect nerfs, the changes to [[air dodging]] have both helped and hindered Luigi, but hurt him overall: due to his floatiness, the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows him to use one for recovery in a pinch, but his air dodges have drastically more ending lag relative to the rest of the cast, thus making them more punishable, and recovery mix-ups with them are almost unfeasible due to the ability to only use one before landing. When combined with his [[air speed]] remaining the second worst in the game, as well as the severe distance nerf to Luigi Cyclone, his recovery is much more linear and easier to intercept, causing Luigi to become much more prone to [[edge-guarding]] and early offstage KOs, despite Super Jump Punch and fully charged Green Missile granting slightly more distance.
Line 60: Line 60:
The addition of the Poltergust G-00 has brought both benefits and drawbacks to Luigi. His [[grab]]s are now much longer ranged while retaining only moderate ending lag for their range, and Luigi now has access to a [[grab aerial]], the latter of which can be used as a [[spacing]] tool, start and/or extend combos, as well as even edge-guard opponents. Conversely, Luigi's grabs possess much more startup, and are more prone to punishment due to the ability to cancel [[spot dodge]]s earlier into attacks, making them much riskier to use; this especially weakens Luigi's ability to [[shield grab]], limiting his defensive game and the usage of his pivotal down throw.
The addition of the Poltergust G-00 has brought both benefits and drawbacks to Luigi. His [[grab]]s are now much longer ranged while retaining only moderate ending lag for their range, and Luigi now has access to a [[grab aerial]], the latter of which can be used as a [[spacing]] tool, start and/or extend combos, as well as even edge-guard opponents. Conversely, Luigi's grabs possess much more startup, and are more prone to punishment due to the ability to cancel [[spot dodge]]s earlier into attacks, making them much riskier to use; this especially weakens Luigi's ability to [[shield grab]], limiting his defensive game and the usage of his pivotal down throw.


However, Luigi has also received several buffs, with said buffs being of greater quantity than his nerfs. Some of his least useful moves in ''SSB4'' have been significantly improved; [[down tilt]] can be interrupted twice as fast and deals less knockback, allowing it to poke opponents much more safely and increasing its combo potential, while his [[dash attack]] has considerably decreased ending lag, connects more consistently, and has increased power, making it much safer and more reliable as a burst option, while its higher power gives it utility as a potential KO option near the edge at high percentages. Additionally, his existing KO options have been improved overall, as [[forward smash]], [[up smash]], [[down aerial]], sweetspotted [[Super Jump Punch]] and [[Luigi Cyclone]] all have increased knockback, forward smash and [[down smash]]'s launching angles are much more favorable for KOing outright and edge-guarding, down smash's sweetspots out-prioritize its sourspots, and [[back throw]] is more effective at KOing due to its much faster and farther release making it harder to DI.
However, Luigi has also received several buffs, with said buffs being of greater quantity than his nerfs. Some of his least useful moves in ''SSB4'' have been significantly improved: his [[down tilt]] can be interrupted twice as fast and deals less knockback, allowing it to poke opponents much more safely and increasing its combo potential, while his [[dash attack]] has considerably decreased ending lag, connects more consistently, and has increased power, making it much safer and more reliable as a burst option, while its higher power gives it utility as a potential KO option near the edge at high percentages. Additionally, his existing KO options have been improved overall, as his [[forward smash]], [[up smash]], [[down aerial]], sweetspotted [[Super Jump Punch]], and [[Luigi Cyclone]] all have increased knockback; his forward smash and [[down smash]]'s launching angles are much more favorable for KOing outright and edge-guarding; his down smash's sweetspots out-prioritize its sourspots, and his [[back throw]] is more effective at KOing due to its much faster and farther release making it harder to DI.


Further complementing these changes, Luigi's already excellent combo game has been improved as well. His new [[up tilt]] has less ending lag and more range in front of and above him compared to his previous up tilt, [[up aerial]] has less ending lag, and [[down throw]] leads to deadlier combos, having more consistent KO setups and even potential [[zero-to-death]] combos due to its redistributed damage output, lower ending lag and Luigi's faster [[jumpsquat]]. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone has received far more utility overall to compensate for its recovery and gimping potential being removed: in addition to its aforementioned higher knockback, it inflicts more damage, pulls opponents in more consistently thanks to its new windboxes, connects more reliably, has increased range, and grants [[invincibility]] on startup; in particular, the lattermost change means Luigi has the fastest option to break out of combos in the game.
Further complementing these changes, Luigi's already excellent combo game has been improved as well. His new [[up tilt]] has less ending lag and more range in front of and above him compared to his previous up tilt, his [[up aerial]] has less ending lag, and his [[down throw]] leads to deadlier combos, having more consistent KO setups and even potential [[zero-to-death]] combos due to its redistributed damage output, lower ending lag and Luigi's faster [[jumpsquat]]. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone has received far more utility overall to compensate for its recovery and gimping potential being removed: in addition to its aforementioned higher knockback, it inflicts more damage, pulls opponents in more consistently thanks to its new windboxes, connects more reliably, has increased range, and grants [[invincibility]] on startup; in particular, the lattermost change means Luigi has the fastest option to break out of combos in the game.


Luigi also benefits from some of the universal changes. Like the rest of the veterans, Luigi has had decreased [[landing lag]] in all his aerial attacks, a faster [[jumpsquat]] (now having a 3-frame jumpsquat like the rest of the cast), and his mobility enhanced in most areas, but most importantly, his infamously low [[traction]] has been greatly increased, which somewhat alleviates his problems with [[approach]]ing and significantly improves his out of shield options. The increased [[shieldstun]] on grounded moves in comparison to ''SSB4'' makes Luigi harder to punish on some of his moves, notably his newly improved down tilt. In addition, unlike most characters, Luigi has increased [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]], making him less vulnerable to juggling while the latter increases his jump speed, allowing him to more easily take advantage of his buffed down throw and combo game when combined with his faster jumpsquat.
Luigi also benefits from some of the universal changes. Like the rest of the veterans, Luigi has had decreased [[landing lag]] in all his aerial attacks, a faster [[jumpsquat]] (now having a 3-frame jumpsquat like the rest of the cast), and his mobility enhanced in most areas, but most importantly, his infamously low [[traction]] has been greatly increased, which somewhat alleviates his problems with [[approach]]ing and significantly improves his out of shield options. The increased [[shieldstun]] on grounded moves in comparison to ''SSB4'' makes Luigi harder to punish on some of his moves, notably his newly improved down tilt. In addition, unlike most characters, Luigi has increased [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]], making him less vulnerable to juggling while the latter increases his jump speed, allowing him to more easily take advantage of his buffed down throw and combo game when combined with his faster jumpsquat.
Line 73: Line 73:
Luigi received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update {{SSBU|1.1.0}} decreased his up aerial's ending lag, which improved its combo potential and restored its ability to auto-cancel with a short hop like in ''SSB'' and ''Brawl''. Update {{SSBU|2.0.0}} granted Luigi a handful of buffs, with the most notable being a noticeable increase to [[Luigi Cyclone]]'s knockback. Thanks to this buff, Luigi Cyclone now functions as a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages when used on platforms.
Luigi received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update {{SSBU|1.1.0}} decreased his up aerial's ending lag, which improved its combo potential and restored its ability to auto-cancel with a short hop like in ''SSB'' and ''Brawl''. Update {{SSBU|2.0.0}} granted Luigi a handful of buffs, with the most notable being a noticeable increase to [[Luigi Cyclone]]'s knockback. Thanks to this buff, Luigi Cyclone now functions as a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages when used on platforms.


Aside from this, Luigi received a few quality of life buffs: his up smash's knockback was increased, [[Green Missile]]'s ending lag was decreased, and both his standing and pivot grabs gained 1 more active frame apiece. However, this update harmed Luigi more so than helped him by removing his down aerial's ability to [[meteor smash]] grounded opponents, which reverted it to how it functioned in ''SSB4''. This nerfed most of its combo potential, particularly in regard to its consistency at performing [[zero-to-death]] combos.
Aside from this, Luigi received a few quality of life buffs: his up smash's knockback was increased, [[Green Missile]]'s ending lag was decreased, and both his standing and pivot grabs gained 1 more active frame apiece. However, this update harmed Luigi more so than helped him by removing his down aerial's ability to [[meteor smash]] grounded opponents, which reverted it to how it functioned in ''SSB4''. This greatly nerfed his ability to combo reliably, making zero to death combos less consistent overall.


As part of update {{SSBU|3.0.0}}'s near-universal nerf to [[projectile]]s, [[Fireball]]'s [[shield damage]] output was decreased. Update {{SSBU|3.1.0}} improved his grab aerial's range by repositioning its plunger, and slightly improved his neutral attack's consistency. However, an adjustment to the timing of Luigi Cyclone's [[invincibility]] resulted in its utility being worsened slightly. Lastly, update {{SSBU|10.1.0}} noticeably improved his dash attack's consistency by decreasing its looping hits' knockback and adjusting its penultimate hit's angles. When coupled with the damage output buff it received in the transition to ''Ultimate'', Luigi's dash attack has become more reliable both as a burst option and as a risky, yet viable KO option.
As part of update {{SSBU|3.0.0}}'s near-universal nerf to [[projectile]]s, [[Fireball]]'s [[shield damage]] output was decreased. Update {{SSBU|3.1.0}} improved his grab aerial's range by repositioning its plunger, and slightly improved his neutral attack's consistency. However, an adjustment to the timing of Luigi Cyclone's [[invincibility]] resulted in its utility being worsened slightly. Lastly, update {{SSBU|10.1.0}} noticeably improved his dash attack's consistency by decreasing its looping hits' knockback and adjusting its penultimate hit's angles. When coupled with the damage output buff it received in the transition to ''Ultimate'', Luigi's dash attack has become more reliable both as a burst option and as a risky, yet viable KO option.


Overall, Luigi fares mildly better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate''. Although down aerial's combo potential was worsened noticeably, his combo game remains potent thanks to the retention of his other inherent strengths, up aerial's ending lag being decreased, and Luigi Cyclone's KO potential improving.
Overall, Luigi fares mildly better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate''. Although his down aerial's combo potential was worsened noticeably, his combo game remains potent thanks to the retention of his other inherent strengths, his up aerial's ending lag being decreased, and Luigi Cyclone's KO potential improving.


'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|1.1.0}}'''
'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|1.1.0}}'''
Line 137: Line 137:
|dsmashname=Double Kick ({{ja|ダブルキック|Daburu Kikku}})
|dsmashname=Double Kick ({{ja|ダブルキック|Daburu Kikku}})
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|15}} (body), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}} (legs)
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|15}} (body), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}} (legs)
|dsmashdesc=A modified {{iw|mariowiki|Sweep Kick}}. Due to it coming out on frame 6, it is Luigi's fastest smash attack. It is useful for punishing rolls, thanks to it hitting in front of Luigi and behind himself; the back hit also has noticeably higher knockback and launches slightly lower compared to the front hit. Its respectable damage output also makes it useful for edge-guarding, and enables it to KO at reasonable percentages while near the edge. In an opposite fashion to his up smash, both hits possess sweetspots located closer to Luigi, with the sourspots covering the rest of his legs. Unlike in ''SSB4'', its front hit is significantly more reliable for KOing and edge-guarding, thanks to it launching the opponent at 52° instead of 120°.
|dsmashdesc=A modified {{iw|mariowiki|Sweep Kick}}. Due to it coming out on frame 6, it is Luigi's fastest smash attack. It is useful for punishing rolls, thanks to it hitting in front of Luigi and behind himself; the back hit also has noticeably higher knockback and launches slightly lower compared to the front hit. Its respectable damage output also makes it useful for edge-guarding, and enables it to KO at reasonable percentages while near the edge. In an opposite fashion to his up smash, both hits possess sweetspots located closer to Luigi, with the sourspots covering the rest of his legs. Unlike in ''SSB4'', its front hit is significantly more reliable for KOing and edge-guarding, thanks to it launching the opponent at 52° instead of 120°, though at the cost of not leading into a stage spike anymore
|nairname=Luigi Kick ({{ja|ルイージキック|Ruīji Kikku}})
|nairname=Luigi Kick ({{ja|ルイージキック|Ruīji Kikku}})
|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (late)
|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (late)
Line 152: Line 152:
|dairname=Drill Kick ({{ja|ドリルキック|Doriru Kikku}})
|dairname=Drill Kick ({{ja|ドリルキック|Doriru Kikku}})
|dairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|10}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (late)
|dairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|10}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (late)
|dairdesc=A corkscrew double foot stomp. It comes out on frame 10 and auto-cancels with a short hop fast fall. Its clean hit is a respectably strong [[meteor smash]] against airborne opponents, and it has the lowest ending lag (14 frames) of any meteor smash in the game alongside minimal landing lag. Altogether, these traits make it a fast, yet safe edge-guarding option and a versatile move overall. However, the clean hit only affects the hitbox on Luigi's feet and only lasts for 1 frame. Although the late hit is less rewarding due to launching opponents horizontally away from Luigi, it is still quite effective for edge-guarding. Prior to update 2.0.0, the clean hit could affect both grounded and aerial opponents, which allowed it to start combos at a wide variety of percentages, even possessing KO set-ups into Super Jump Punch. As of update 2.0.0, the meteor smash hitbox only affects aerial opponents, removing most of its potential as a combo starter. Despite this, it remains a valuable combo extender from down throw or late neutral aerial, since it can launch opponents down to the stage and thus provide more follow-ups. It resembles the {{iw|mariowiki|Drill Stomp}}.
|dairdesc=A corkscrew double foot stomp. It comes out on frame 10 and auto-cancels with a short hop fast fall. Its clean hit is a respectably strong [[meteor smash]] against airborne opponents, and it has the lowest ending lag (14 frames) of any meteor smash in the game alongside minimal landing lag. Altogether, these traits make it a fast, yet safe edge-guarding option and a versatile move overall. However, the clean hit only affects the hitbox on Luigi's feet and only lasts for 1 frame. Although the late hit is less rewarding due to launching opponents horizontally away from Luigi, it is still quite effective for edge-guarding. Prior to update 2.0.0, the clean hit could affect both grounded and aerial opponents, which allowed it to start combos at a wide variety of percentages, even possessing KO set-ups into Super Jump Punch. As of update 2.0.0, the meteor smash hitbox only affects aerial opponents, removing most of its potential as a combo starter. Despite this, it remains a valuable combo extender from down throw or late neutral aerial, since it can launch opponents down to the stage and thus provide more follow-ups.
|zairname=Suction Shot ({{ja|空中オバキューム|Kūchū Obakyūmu}}, ''Aerial Poltergust'')
|zairname=Suction Shot ({{ja|空中オバキューム|Kūchū Obakyūmu}}, ''Aerial Poltergust'')
|zairdmg=5%
|zairdmg=5%
Line 160: Line 160:
|pummelname=Poltergust Shock ({{ja|オバキュームショック|Obakyūmu Shokku}})
|pummelname=Poltergust Shock ({{ja|オバキュームショック|Obakyūmu Shokku}})
|pummeldmg=1.3%
|pummeldmg=1.3%
|pummeldesc=Vacuums the opponent with the Poltergust G-00. It is much quicker, yet much less damaging than Luigi's previous pummel.
|pummeldesc=Vacuums the opponent with the Poltergust G-00. Average power and speed.
|fthrowname=Slam ({{ja|オバキューム投げ|Obakyūmu Nage}}, ''Poltergust Throw'')
|fthrowname=Slam ({{ja|オバキューム投げ|Obakyūmu Nage}}, ''Poltergust Throw'')
|fthrowdmg=9%
|fthrowdmg=9%
Line 190: Line 190:
|ssname=Green Missile
|ssname=Green Missile
|ssdmg=≈6.166% (uncharged), 21% (fully charged), 25% (misfired)
|ssdmg=≈6.166% (uncharged), 21% (fully charged), 25% (misfired)
|ssdesc=Crouches and then propels himself forward to perform a flying [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks|battering ram]]. It takes 1.5 seconds to fully charge, but deals impressive damage upon doing so. Upon reaching full charge, it has KO potential and can be held for some time before being automatically canceled. It also has a 10% chance to misfire, which deals considerably more damage and knockback, KOing opponents at ≈60% from the center of {{SSBU|Final Destination}}; this is known as Overzealous Green Missile. A misfired Green Missile, also grants intangibility on frames 18-22, and always travels the same distance regardless of the charge. However, its considerable ending lag makes it punishable whether it is used for offense or recovering, which makes [[read]]s very important in order to use it effectively.
|ssdesc=Crouches and then propels himself forward to perform a flying [[Wikipedia:Professional wrestling attacks|battering ram]]. It takes 1.5 seconds to fully charge, but deals impressive damage upon doing so. Upon reaching full charge, it has KO potential and can be held for some time before being automatically canceled. It also has a 10% chance to misfire, which deals considerably more damage and knockback, KOing opponents at ≈60% from the center of {{SSBU|Final Destination}}; this is known as Overzealous Green Missile. It also allows Luigi to pierce walls and hang there. A misfired Green Missile, also grants intangibility on frames 18-22, and always travels the same distance regardless of the charge. However, its considerable ending lag makes it punishable whether it is used for offense or recovering, which makes [[read]]s very important in order to use it effectively.
|usname=Super Jump Punch
|usname=Super Jump Punch
|usdmg=25% (grounded sweetspot), 20% (aerial sweetspot), 1% (sourspot)
|usdmg=25% (grounded sweetspot), 20% (aerial sweetspot), 1% (sourspot)
Line 239: Line 239:


===[[On-screen appearance]]===
===[[On-screen appearance]]===
*A green {{iw|mariowiki|Warp Pipe}} appears, and Luigi leaps out of it while saying "Let's-a go!" nervously and sporting a frightened expression that heavily resembles [https://www.mariowiki.com/Luigi%27s_Mansion#/media/File:Luigi's_Mansion_Box.png his appearance on the cover artwork] of ''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion}}''.
*A green {{iw|mariowiki|Warp Pipe}} appears, and Luigi leaps out of it while saying "Let's-a go!" nervously and sporting a frightened expression that heavily resembles [[mariowiki:File:Luigi's Mansion Box.png|his appearance on the cover artwork]] of ''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion}}''.
<gallery>
<gallery>
LuigiOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Luigi's on-screen appearance.
LuigiOnScreenAppearanceSSBU.gif|Luigi's on-screen appearance.
Line 248: Line 248:
:#Flashes the {{iw|wikipedia|V sign}}. This pose resembles the one he assumes upon collecting an item in ''Luigi's Mansion''.
:#Flashes the {{iw|wikipedia|V sign}}. This pose resembles the one he assumes upon collecting an item in ''Luigi's Mansion''.
:#Points both his fingers in the direction he is facing, looking frightened.
:#Points both his fingers in the direction he is facing, looking frightened.
:#Holds his finger under his nose and looks toward the screen. This pose heavily resembles the one he assumes in [https://www.mariowiki.com/Gallery:Mario_%26_Luigi:_Partners_in_Time#/media/File:Luigi_MLPiT.png his individual artwork] for ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time}}''.
:#Holds his finger under his nose and looks toward the screen. This pose heavily resembles the one he assumes in [[mariowiki:File:Luigi MLPiT.png|his individual artwork]] for ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time}}''.
:#Crouches down to the floor with his back turned to the player. This pose heavily resembles [https://www.mariowiki.com/Gallery:Mario_Golf_(Nintendo_64)#/media/File:LuigiBogey.PNG his Bogey animation] from the [[mariowiki:Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|Nintendo 64 version of ''Mario Golf'']].
:#Crouches down to the floor with his back turned to the player. This pose heavily resembles [[mariowiki:File:LuigiBogey.PNG|his bogey/loss animation]] from [[mariowiki:Mario Golf (Nintendo 64)|''Mario Golf'' for the Nintendo 64]].
:#Assumes a scared expression and pose with his hands on his cheeks. This pose heavily resembles his appearance on the cover artwork of ''Luigi's Mansion''.
:#Assumes a scared expression and pose with his hands on his cheeks. This pose heavily resembles his appearance on the cover artwork of ''Luigi's Mansion''.
*'''Side taunt''': [[Wikipedia:Planking (fad)|Planks]] while saying "Pow pow." Due to this taunt moving Luigi forward into the [[Hitbox#Hitboxes in three dimensions|z-axis]] and lowering his hurtbox, some attacks may actually miss him as a result.
*'''Side taunt''': [[Wikipedia:Planking (fad)|Planks]] while saying "Pow pow." Due to this taunt moving Luigi forward into the [[Hitbox#Hitboxes in three dimensions|z-axis]] and lowering his hurtbox, some attacks may actually miss him as a result.
Line 322: Line 322:
''See also: [[:Category:Luigi players (SSBU)]]''
''See also: [[:Category:Luigi players (SSBU)]]''


*{{Sm|Elegant|USA}} - The best Luigi player of all-time, notably placing 3rd at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}} and 4th at {{Trn|Riptide}} and {{Trn|Low Tide City 2021}}, some of Luigi's best major results. His highest ranking was 14th on the [[OrionRank Ultimate: Eclipse]], the highest-ranking Luigi player on a global ranking. He has since been banned in several regions due to his conduct while drunk.
*{{Sm|Elegant|USA}} - The second-greatest Luigi player of all time who was active between 2019 and 2022. He spearheaded Luigi's playerbase with several top 8 finishes at majors, especially right after the pandemic where he placed 3rd at {{Trn|Mainstage 2021}} and 4th at {{Trn|Riptide}} and {{Trn|Low Tide City 2021}}. He was the first Luigi player to rank in the top 50, with his best placement being 14th on the [[OrionRank Ultimate: Eclipse]]. He was banned in several regions in 2022 due to allegations to his conduct while drunk.
*{{Sm|Kiyarash|USA}} - Debuted during the online metagame and was the best Luigi in North America's online metagame, with notable placements such as 2nd at the {{Trn|SWT: NA Southwest Ultimate Online Qualifier}}. Offline, he is one of the best Luigi players in North America since 2023, ranking 88th on the [[LumiRank 2023]] and placing 17th at {{Trn|Crown the Third}} and 25th at {{Trn|Port Priority 8}} upsetting {{Sm|Zomba}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|GENESIS X}}.
*{{Sm|Kiyarash|USA}} - Debuted during the online metagame and was the best Luigi in North America's online metagame, with notable placements such as 2nd at the {{Trn|SWT: NA Southwest Ultimate Online Qualifier}}. Offline, he has been one of the best Luigi players in North America since 2023, ranking 88th on the [[LumiRank 2023]] and placing 17th at {{Trn|Crown the Third}} and 25th at {{Trn|Port Priority 8}} upsetting {{Sm|Zomba}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|GENESIS X}}.
*{{Sm|Luugi|UK}} - One of Europe's best players who has been one the best Luigi players in the world since mid-2022 and the second Luigi player ranked top 50 on a notable global ranking, ranking 47th on the [[LumiRank Mid-Year 2023]].
*{{Sm|Luugi|UK}} - One of the best Luigi players in the post-pandemic metagame, as well as one of the best European players during this time. He was the definitive best Luigi player in the first half of 2023, right before Raru's meteoric rise in the second half of the year. He was initially known for winning {{Trn|Tech Republic VI}}, but became better known for being the first Luigi player to enter grand finals at a major, placing 2nd at {{Trn|King Of Fields 95 3}}. He ranked 47th on the [[LumiRank Mid-Year 2023]], making him only the second Luigi player to rank top 50 globally, although he ultimately finished 64th on the [[LumiRank 2023|full-year ranking]].
*{{Sm|Navy|Japan}} - One of the Japan's most accomplished Luigi players in 2019, most notably placing 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}} with wins over {{Sm|Etsuji}} and {{Sm|kept}}. He went on a hiatus from offline competition in 2020 before returning in early-2023, and remains one of Japan's best Luigi players, placing 9th at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 15 "FINAL"}} and 13th at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 14.5 "in Hyogo"}}.  
*{{Sm|Navy|Japan}} - One of Japan's all-time best Luigi players who has been active since the early metagame, where he placed 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 6}}, becoming the first Luigi player to place top 8 at a major and doing so a day before Elegant's first top 8 at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}. Although he went on a hiatus after 2019, he returned to competitive play in 2023 and is better known for his performances during this time, especially after he placed 5th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 50}} and saw two back-to-back runner-up performances at {{Trn|OH-BAI-TOH-RI 0}} and {{Trn|Maesuma'LANDMARK 3}}.
*{{Sm|Raru|Japan}} - One of the best Luigi players of all-time who has been the best Luigi player since late-2023. He most notably won {{Trn|Sumabato SP 47}}, the only Luigi player to win a major in any Smash game, and had also placed 2nd at {{Trn|KOWLOON 9 with Sumabato}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 45}}.
*{{Sm|Raru|Japan}} - The greatest Luigi player of all-time, who has been the best Luigi player since 2023, and one of the best players from Japan in 2024. He is the first and only Luigi player to win both a major and supermajor in any ''Smash'' game, having won {{Trn|Sumabato SP 47}}, {{Trn|Sumabato SP 50}}, and {{Trn|UltCore Fourth}}. His highest ranking was 11th on the [[LumiRank 2024.1]], making him the highest-ranking Luigi player on any global ranking.
*{{Sm|WaKa|Mexico}} - The best Luigi player in North America following Elegant's ban, with his highest ranking being 66th on the [[UltRank 2022]], and is one of the best players in Mexico. Although his activity has been either online or in-region, he has won many regionals in his region and has also placed highly at all Mexican majors he attended, including 9th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 9}} and 17th at both {{Trn|Smash Factor X}} and {{Trn|Delfino Maza 2023}}.  
*{{Sm|WaKa|Mexico}} - The best Luigi player in North America following Elegant's ban, with his highest ranking being 66th on the [[UltRank 2022]], and is one of the best players in Mexico. Although his activity has been either online or in-region, he has won many regionals in his region and has also placed highly at all Mexican majors he attended, including 9th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 9}} and 17th at both {{Trn|Smash Factor X}} and {{Trn|Delfino Maza 2023}}.  
*{{Sm|Yamanaction|Japan}} - The best Luigi player in Japan in 2021 and 2022. His upset over {{Sm|ProtoBanham}} at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}} is the largest upset at an ''Ultimate'' major, with an upset factor of 14. He has also placed highly at several majors, including 9th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 7}}, and was ranked 90th on the [[OrionRank 2022]]. Since 2023 he has been playing more {{SSBU|Steve}}, although he keeps Luigi as a secondary or counterpick.
*{{Sm|Yamanaction|Japan}} - The best Luigi player in Japan in 2021 and 2022. He was first known for his upset over {{Sm|ProtoBanham}} at {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}, which is the largest upset at an ''Ultimate'' major, with an upset factor of 14. He has also placed highly at several majors, including 9th at {{Trn|Kagaribi 7}}, and was ranked 90th on the [[OrionRank 2022]]. He began playing {{SSBU|Steve}} over Luigi in 2023, although he keeps Luigi as a co-main.


===Tier placement and history===
===Tier placement and history===
Luigi's new grab, which had noticeably more lag, and nerfs to [[Luigi Cyclone]] that removed its recovery and gimping potential initially soured opinions on Luigi's viability. However, many players soon realized Luigi's combo game potential, specifically his zero-to-death combos. In addition, several Luigi players placed highly at tournaments as the metagame progressed, most notably {{Sm|Elegant}}, who despite a rough start eventually became a top 50 player by the end of the first year. Although Luigi's poor disadvantage state still hindered him, his perception greatly improved, and many players considered him as a mid-tier at worst.
Luigi's new grab (which had noticeably more lag) and nerfs to [[Luigi Cyclone]] that removed its recovery and gimping potential initially soured opinions on his viability. However, many players soon realized Luigi's combo game potential, specifically his zero-to-death combos. In addition, several Luigi players placed highly at tournaments as the metagame progressed, most notably {{Sm|Elegant}}, who, despite a rough start, eventually became a top 50 player by the end of the first year. Although Luigi's poor disadvantage state still hindered him, his perception greatly improved, and many players considered him as a mid-tier at worst.


Since then, Luigi's results only improved as Luigi's combo game developed even further: in the post-online metagame, Elegant established himself as a top 20 player in the world following a string of top 8 results at supermajor events. Even after Elegant's ban, other Luigi players came and took his place; most notable among them were {{Sm|Luugi}} and {{Sm|Rarukun}}, both of which have seen placements that were on-par if not better than what Elegant had. As such, although Luigi was ranked 47th on the current tier list as an upper-mid tier, many players have argued that Luigi should be ranked in the high-tier due to his strong results and deadly combo game. As a result, he rose eight positions in the second tier list, ranking at 39th place.
Since then, Luigi's results only improved as his combo game developed even further: in the post-online metagame, Elegant established himself as a top 20 player in the world following a string of top 8 results at supermajor events. Even after Elegant's ban, other Luigi players came and took his place; most notable among them were {{Sm|Luugi}} and {{Sm|Raru}}, both of whom have seen placements that were on par with, if not better, than what Elegant had. As such, although Luigi was ranked 47th on the first official tier list as an upper-mid tier, many players have argued that he should be ranked in the high-tier due to his strong results and deadly combo game. As a result, he rose eight positions in the second and current tier list, ranking at 39th place. However, many players still consider this placement too low, especially after Raru's meteoric rise to the top 20 with and his major wins at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 47}} and {{Trn|Sumabato SP 50}} and then winning the supermajor {{Trn|UltCore Fourth}}.


=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Luigi's Nightmares==
=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Luigi's Nightmares==
Line 348: Line 348:
|3||{{CharHead|Bayonetta|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Umbra Clock Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Bayonetta|The Legend Of Aesir}}''||
|3||{{CharHead|Bayonetta|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Umbra Clock Tower]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Bayonetta|The Legend Of Aesir}}''||
|-
|-
|4||{{CharHead|Mii Brawler|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×3), {{CharHead|Mii Swordfighter|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×2), and {{CharHead|Mii Gunner|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Luigi's Mansion ([[Battlefield form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)}}''||Horde Battle.<br>{{SSBU|Mii Fighter}} costume combinations:
|4||{{CharHead|Mii Brawler|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×3), {{CharHead|Mii Swordfighter|SSBU|hsize=20px}} (×2), and {{CharHead|Mii Gunner|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||Luigi's Mansion ([[Battlefield form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)}}''||Horde Battle (3 at a time).<br>{{SSBU|Mii Fighter}} costume combinations:
*Hockey Mask and SSB T-shirt (Brawler)
*Hockey Mask and SSB T-shirt (Brawler)
*Magic Hat and [[Ashley]] Outfit (Swordfighter)
*Magic Hat and [[Ashley]] Outfit (Swordfighter)
Line 372: Line 372:
Although Luigi does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was presumably vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light.
Although Luigi does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was presumably vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when [[Galeem]] unleashed his beams of light.


Luigi was one of the many fighters who fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat, and he can be found in the [[Mysterious Dimension]], being guarded by the {{h2|List of spirits (The Legend of Zelda series)|Link (The Legend of Zelda)}} spirit after awakening {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}.
Luigi was one of the many fighters who fell under [[Dharkon]]'s control upon Galeem's first defeat, and he can be found in the [[Mysterious Dimension]], being guarded by the {{h2|List of spirits (The Legend of Zelda series)|Link (The Legend of Zelda)}} spirit after awaking {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}.
{{clrl}}
{{clrl}}


Line 823: Line 823:
*''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion 3}}'' was teased before it was officially announced through Simon's trailer, as Luigi can be seen using the new Poltergust G-00 from the aforementioned game.
*''{{iw|mariowiki|Luigi's Mansion 3}}'' was teased before it was officially announced through Simon's trailer, as Luigi can be seen using the new Poltergust G-00 from the aforementioned game.
*Luigi can be seen performing Green Missile in [[Media:SSBU Panoramic.png|the panoramic artwork]] for ''Ultimate''. He also does this in a piece of [[Media:SSBMCast.jpg|group artwork]] for ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.
*Luigi can be seen performing Green Missile in [[Media:SSBU Panoramic.png|the panoramic artwork]] for ''Ultimate''. He also does this in a piece of [[Media:SSBMCast.jpg|group artwork]] for ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.
*Luigi is the first and only [[veteran]] in the series to have his standard grab be changed into a [[tether grab]] between installments.
*Luigi is the first and only [[veteran]] in the series to have their standard grab be changed into a [[tether grab]] between installments.
*In a promo screenshot for the game depicting Luigi in his [[Waluigi]]-inspired alternate costume, the "L" on his cap was green, but in the final game, it is purple, like in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.
*In a promo screenshot for the game depicting Luigi in his [[Waluigi]]-inspired alternate costume, the "L" on his cap was green, but in the final game, it is purple, like in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.
*Luigi is one of two characters to represent an upcoming game at the time of the game's release through his moveset. The other character with this distinction is {{SSBU|Yoshi}} through his ''{{iw|mariowiki|Yoshi's Crafted World}}'' alternate costume.
*Luigi is one of two characters to represent an upcoming game at the time of the game's release through their moveset. The other character with this distinction is {{SSBU|Yoshi}} through his ''{{iw|mariowiki|Yoshi's Crafted World}}'' alternate costume.
*Luigi's yellow alternate costume has a light blue L on his cap in-game, as opposed to it being yellow and matching the rest of the cap in his render.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Aaronitmar/status/1074137046040616960|title=Comparison of Luigi's render and in-game model}}</ref> The head icon, however, properly colors the L.
*Luigi's yellow alternate costume has a light blue L on his cap in-game, as opposed to it being yellow and matching the rest of the cap in his render.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Aaronitmar/status/1074137046040616960|title=Comparison of Luigi's render and in-game model}}</ref> The head icon, however, properly colors the L.
*Prior to update 3.1.0., the {{iw|mariowiki|Warp Pipe}} used during Luigi's on-screen appearance would not appear to have any lighting effects, unlike Mario's.
*Prior to update 3.1.0., the {{iw|mariowiki|Warp Pipe}} used during Luigi's on-screen appearance would not appear to have any lighting effects, unlike Mario's.
*Luigi is the only member of the [[Original 12]] to be unlocked in [[The Dark Realm]] in Adventure Mode, and the only one to be unlocked in a sub-area.
*Luigi is the only member of the [[Original 12]] to be unlocked in [[The Dark Realm]] in Adventure Mode, and the only one to be unlocked in a sub-world.
*In the ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' Direct of November 1, 2018, Sakurai noted during the part where he described {{SSBU|Ken}} that Luigi is the original Echo Fighter, as he was initially introduced as a simple palette swap of Mario in 1983's ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Bros.|game}}'' with identical abilities. Likewise, Luigi was originally a full clone of Mario in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', though he has since been heavily de-cloned to the point of being a pseudo-clone as of ''Ultimate''.
*In the ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' Direct of November 1, 2018, Sakurai noted during the part where he described {{SSBU|Ken}} that Luigi is the original Echo Fighter, as he was initially introduced as a simple palette swap of Mario in 1983's ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Bros.|game}}'' with identical abilities. Likewise, Luigi was originally a full clone of Mario in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', though he has since been heavily de-cloned to the point of being a pseudo-clone as of ''Ultimate''.
*Alongside {{SSBU|Greninja}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}, Luigi is one of three characters in ''Ultimate'' with a taunt that cannot be canceled, due to the fact that their non-cancelable taunts have hitboxes.
*Alongside {{SSBU|Greninja}} and {{SSBU|Kazuya}}, Luigi is one of three characters in ''Ultimate'' with a taunt that cannot be canceled, due to the fact that their non-cancelable taunts have hitboxes.

Latest revision as of 12:01, November 28, 2024

This article is about Luigi's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Luigi.
Luigi
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Luigi SSBU.png
MarioSymbol.svg
Universe Mario
Other playable appearances in SSB
in Melee
in Brawl
in SSB4
Availability Unlockable
Final Smash Poltergust G-00
Tier B+ (39)
Luigi (SSBU)

Luigi (ルイージ, Luigi) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was confirmed alongside Yoshi and the rest of the veterans on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018, with him and Yoshi being the last two veterans to be revealed. As in his appearances prior to Super Smash Bros. 4, he is unlockable, instead of being available from the start. Luigi is classified as Fighter #09.

As in SSB4, Charles Martinet's portrayal of Luigi from Super Smash Bros. Brawl was repurposed for Ultimate.

Luigi is ranked 39th out of 82 on the current tier list, placing him at the end of B+ tier. This is a moderate drop from his high tier placement SSB4, where he was ranked 18th out of 54 characters. Similarly to his brother Mario, Luigi has excellent frame data, with low startup and ending lag on the majority of his kit, making him a very difficult character to punish. He has an outstanding air game, with one of the best jumping abilities of the roster and strong aerials with fast startup, low ending lag (except neutral and back aerials) and landing lag, and lenient auto-cancel windows, with all of them being able to auto-cancel from a short hop, and he can autocancel all of them in a short hop fast fall except for his neutral aerial. His forward and up aerials in particular have such low ending lag that he can use two forward aerials or two up aerials in a short hop and still autocancel them. Additionally, Luigi boasts incredible combo ability and solid KO power: his down throw is one of the best combo starters in the game, and allows him to either perform consistent zero-to-death combos on the vast majority of the roster or set up for a KO via Super Jump Punch, Luigi Cyclone, or a sweetspotted back aerial at high percentages. Finally, Luigi Cyclone's frame 1 invincibility when used in the air gives Luigi a reliable combo breaker.

However, Luigi still has several noticeable weaknesses. His overall mobility is sluggish, with his air speed being one of the slowest in the game. Luigi's pitifully slow air speed is an especially painful hindrance, as it makes him susceptible to juggling. Both of these weaknesses leave Luigi with a poor disadvantage state. Along with his only average grounded mobility at best, his ground game is also further brought down by his below average range, which, when combined with his aforementioned debilitating air speed and the lack of a reflector, makes it very difficult for him to fight against camping. In addition, Luigi's recovery, while long-distanced, is very predictable and linear, as Green Missile doesn't leave him helpless but only grants him horizontal distance with noticeable ending lag, while Super Jump Punch only travels straight upwards with no horizontal gain, and it also possesses very high landing lag, making him vulnerable to punishes if he fails to grab the ledge. Finally, Luigi Cyclone has lost all of its recovery and gimping potential, as the move's very high ending lag and reduced distance cause him to lose what little recovery distance he got before he can act, removing one of Luigi's strongest options off-stage.

Overall, Luigi is a polarizing character who, in the right situation, can perform setups for quick and unexpected KOs, but on the other hand, his weaknesses can allow opponents to take advantage of his poor mobility and predictable recovery. Although the character’s representation early on was sub par due to his rather poor disadvantage, it has since improved noticeably as his strengths became more noticeable in the competitive scene, as a result, this has allowed him to foster a good-sized playerbase spearheaded by players such as Luugi, Raru, and, prior to his ban, Elegant. Due to his top notch advantage state, strong results from his players in major tournaments and Raru winning a few majors and supermajors, there have been calls to reevaluate Luigi’s current position on the tier list, with many saying that he should be ranked higher.

How to unlock[edit]

Complete one of the following:

  • Play VS. matches, with Luigi being the 33rd character to be unlocked.
  • Clear Classic Mode with Mario or any character in his unlock tree, being the 5th character unlocked after Ike.
  • Have Luigi join the player's party in World of Light.

Luigi must then be defeated on Luigi's Mansion (the Ω form is used in World of Light).

Attributes[edit]

Luigi is a middleweight whose attributes deviate from most other characters in his weight class. Luigi sports fairly average walking speed, dashing speed, and air acceleration, a decent initial dashing speed, below-average gravity, slow falling speed, low traction, the 2nd slowest air speed, and among the best jumping prowess in the roster, with the fourth highest jump and the tenth highest double jump. As a result, Luigi is quite floaty and his mobility is fairly sluggish overall, especially in the air.

Luigi's greatest asset is his outstanding frame data, which is easily among the fastest in the game. Because of this, similarly to his older brother Mario, Luigi can be very difficult to punish; only two of his standard moves and five of his attacks overall have more than 9 frames of startup lag (forward smash, down aerial, Fireball, Green Missile, and Luigi Cyclone), a multitude of his moves hit on or before frame 5 (such as his neutral attack, dash attack, neutral aerial, up aerial, and his tilts), and the vast majority of his moveset has low ending lag, granting him incredible attack speed and an excellent punish game; both points are complemented by the utility of his overall moveset. His neutral attack's damage output and range are average at best, yet its two hits can lock. Its first hit also comes out on frame 2, which makes the move a fairly useful option for warding off nearby opponents. Luigi's tilt attacks also have their own perks: his forward tilt can be angled and is useful for spacing, his up tilt has excellent combo and juggling potential, and his down tilt is an incredibly quick and highly spammable move that can combo into itself and a few other moves while also being able to consistently perform 2 frame punishes at the edge. Lastly, Luigi's dash attack has quick startup; when coupled with its reduced ending lag, increased damage output and higher knockback, it is a much better move for approaching and attacking than in previous installments.

Luigi's smash attacks are among the fastest of their kind, have below-average ending lag, and are strong enough to be reliable finishers. As a result of these traits, they allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. His forward smash deals extra shield damage, his up smash is an effective anti-air attack due to rendering his head intangible while its hitboxes are active as well as functioning as an effective out of shield option, and his down smash is very useful for punishing rolls thanks to its minimal lag, respectable damage output, and long range, with its back hit being an especially good finisher. Both Luigi's up and down smashes also have set-up potential at low percentages if he successfully covers the opponent's options afterward.

Despite his extremely poor air speed, Luigi has a fantastic set of aerial attacks, courtesy of them possessing fast startup, lenient auto-cancel windows, quick interruptibility (except for neutral and back aerials) and low ending lag in general. In terms of auto-canceling, he can auto-cancel all of his aerials with a short hop, can auto-cancel all of them except neutral aerial with a short hop fast fall, and can use his forward, up and down aerials twice with a single short hop. Lastly, he can use his forward and up aerials twice with a single short hop without suffering from landing lag. Luigi's neutral aerial is the only sex kick that consistently launches an opponent vertically, which grants it a few notable perks: the clean hitbox deals high damage and respectable knockback, making it a great combo breaker and even a situational KO option while near the upper blast line at high percentages, while both it and especially the late hitbox are very useful combo starters when used with a short hop. His forward aerial has the lowest ending lag of its kind, and launches at the Sakurai angle; at low to medium percentages, these traits make it very reliable for approaching, down throw-initiated combos into itself, his neutral aerial, and his up aerial, as well as a reliable edge-guarding option at high percentages. Luigi's back aerial has the highest ending lag of his aerials by a noticeable margin, but its minimal startup, decent range and powerful clean hitbox on his feet collectively enable it to function as a safe and reliable option for KOing, edge-guarding and (when used via a reverse aerial rush) approaching. His up aerial is useful for combos: it can either extend them or, thanks to having the lowest amount of landing lag out his aerials, use its clean hitbox to start them at low percentages when SHFF'd due to its clean hit dealing above-average damage for a combo move. Its generous auto-cancel window and very low ending lag also allow Luigi to use it twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it successfully, a trait it shares with his forward aerial and Little Mac's neutral aerial. Lastly, Luigi's down aerial is safe to use and has a clean hitbox which is a fast meteor smash, coming out on frame 10 and with only 18 frames of ending lag, the lowest of any meteor smash. Due to his powerful aerials with generally low lag all around, Luigi has an outstanding air game.

Luigi has an excellent grab game, but unlike in past installments, he has a tether grab due to him using the Poltergust G-00's Suction Shot to grab an opponent. As a result, Luigi can grab opponents from a fairly long distance, preventing the necessity for him to get up close to do so. It also provides Luigi with a grab aerial, in which the suction cup functions as a projectile that deals minor damage and knockback. This grants Luigi an additional edge-guarding option and deceptively useful combo option that, unlike most projectiles, cannot be absorbed or reflected. Like Mario, Luigi has an average pummel, which can deal multiple hits before being followed up with any of his useful throws. His forward throw deals respectable damage and is useful for repositioning opponents or setting up edge-guards against them at high percentages. His back throw also deals respectable damage and great knockback, allowing it to KO beginning at 120% or even earlier with rage. Unlike Mario's back throw, it also lacks a noticeably long animation, which makes it noticeably more difficult for the opponent to use directional influence to survive it. Luigi's throw deals average damage and knockback, and possesses follow-up potential into forward or up aerials at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox to hit bystanders. Lastly, Luigi's down throw is his primary combo starter and is one of his most useful attacks: it deals average knockback, has low ending lag, and launches at a vertical angle, which collectively enable it to lead into potent and highly damaging combos, even being able to lead into potential zero-to-death combos. His down throw can combo into moves such as his up tilt, up smash, all of his aerials, Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone, due to its aforementioned traits. It also functions as an excellent setup for KOs, such as by comboing into Super Jump Punch, back aerial, or Luigi Cyclone at high percentages. Although situational, Luigi's down throw also has a collateral hitbox before the throw that can hit bystanders, similarly to his up throw.

As a pseudo-clone of Mario, Luigi has a pair of special moves that are derived from his older brother, yet his versions deviate in noticeable ways. Fireball is a projectile that is useful for pressuring, hindering an opponent's approach, or setting up an attack. Unlike Mario's Fireball, Luigi's is unaffected by gravity and undulates; these traits make it somewhat less effective at hindering an opponent's recovery attempt, but allow it to cover a consistent area horizontally and vertically. Compared to Mario's version, Luigi's Fireballs have less ending lag as well as a clean hit that deals more damage, allowing him to throw another one just 1 frame before the clean hitbox ceases. Luigi's Super Jump Punch has fast startup like Mario's, but propels him vertically instead of diagonally. By extension, it consists of a sweetspot and sourspot, instead of multiple hitboxes like Mario's. Its sweetspot boasts devastating power, which makes it a very potent punishment option, yet it is very risky because of its high ending and landing lag and its sourspot being mostly useless aside from being a niche gimping option, as it only deals 1% damage and is not safe on hit due to hasving almost no knockback whatsoever.

Aside from these, Luigi's other special moves are completely distinct from Mario's. Green Missile deals damage and covers horizontal distance, both of which can be increased thanks to its ability to be charged, giving KO potential to the fully charged version. However, it also has a one-in-ten random chance of misfiring; in this case, it becomes even stronger than the fully charged version, and travels much further. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone grants Luigi some invincibility frames on startup, enabling him to break out of combos or contest opposing attacks effectively. It also functions as a KOing option near the upper blast line, and is a guaranteed follow-up from down throw even at high percentages, which can function as a reliable KO confirm (especially on platforms).

However, Luigi has some notable disadvantages. He has fairly sluggish mobility, with his extremely slow air speed and floaty physics making it difficult for him to land onstage, especially against faster characters, thus giving him a notable weakness to juggling. His range, even compared to Mario's, is well below-average and thus he struggles to approach characters with ranged or disjointed attacks, such as Lucina and Shulk. Compared to Mario, Luigi's lack of a reflector also makes it more difficult for him to deal with projectile camping (especially against characters such as Snake, Samus, and Simon) when combined with his awkward mobility.

Additionally, Luigi's poor aerial mobility hinders his ability to approach with his aerial attacks, as well as his recovery. On top of this, his recovery, although long-distanced, is linear, slow, predictable and fairly susceptible to gimping and edgeguarding. Luigi Cyclone barely grants any additional height compared to previous games, and its very high ending lag causes him to lose the height he obtained when using it, which leaves him reliant on Super Jump Punch and Green Missile for recovering; the former travels directly upward only, and the latter has noticeable lag, cannot sweetspot edges, and relies on either charging or its random misfire chance to cover a serviceable horizontal distance.

Overall, Luigi is a very solid character, but unlike Mario, he can have a tendency to run hot and cold. His extremely fast frame data, devastating combos and strong air game and grab game collectively make him a force to be reckoned with, so long as his opponents make careless mistakes. Luigi's overall combo game, KO potential, and advantage state are easily superior to his brother's, having many different set-ups that can deal absurdly high damage within seconds, and then score KOs immediately thereafter. However, Luigi's short range, merely average grounded mobility, abysmal aerial mobility, and predictable side special and up special force him to fight at close-quarters all the time, hindering both his approach and recovery. Because of this, a mastery of Luigi's recovery mix-ups and powerful combo game is crucial to achieving success with him.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4[edit]

Luigi has received some noticeable changes in his transition from SSB4 to Ultimate, with some altered animations and the introduction of the Poltergust G-00 to Luigi's moveset resulting in his moveset being further decloned from his brother Mario. Collectively, these changes have resulted in a mix of buffs and nerfs for Luigi in the transition to Ultimate, and while he was initially considered to be nerfed overall. He received numerous buffs and changes that improve his strengths and benefit him, but also suffered from a few major nerfs in both the transition and game updates. As a result, he was nerfed slightly overall.

Luigi's direct nerfs have affected his playstyle quite noticeably. Luigi Cyclone travels much less vertical distance via button mashing, removing all of its usefulness for recovery, as even with very fast mashing, Luigi barely gets any additional distance at the end of the move. Alongside the addition of windboxes to it, this also removes its ability to gimp opponents and KO them at virtually any percentage if timed correctly, which was a crucial technique to his success in SSB4. His edgeguarding options are also more limited by the changes to his down smash's front hit: as the front hit now launches opponents away from Luigi instead of towards him, it no longer leads into a stage spike on opponents that are grabbing the ledge, and while the lower angle for both hits is more favourable for KOing, this is at the cost of the first hit's versatility.

In terms of indirect nerfs, the changes to air dodging have both helped and hindered Luigi, but hurt him overall: due to his floatiness, the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows him to use one for recovery in a pinch, but his air dodges have drastically more ending lag relative to the rest of the cast, thus making them more punishable, and recovery mix-ups with them are almost unfeasible due to the ability to only use one before landing. When combined with his air speed remaining the second worst in the game, as well as the severe distance nerf to Luigi Cyclone, his recovery is much more linear and easier to intercept, causing Luigi to become much more prone to edge-guarding and early offstage KOs, despite Super Jump Punch and fully charged Green Missile granting slightly more distance.

The addition of the Poltergust G-00 has brought both benefits and drawbacks to Luigi. His grabs are now much longer ranged while retaining only moderate ending lag for their range, and Luigi now has access to a grab aerial, the latter of which can be used as a spacing tool, start and/or extend combos, as well as even edge-guard opponents. Conversely, Luigi's grabs possess much more startup, and are more prone to punishment due to the ability to cancel spot dodges earlier into attacks, making them much riskier to use; this especially weakens Luigi's ability to shield grab, limiting his defensive game and the usage of his pivotal down throw.

However, Luigi has also received several buffs, with said buffs being of greater quantity than his nerfs. Some of his least useful moves in SSB4 have been significantly improved: his down tilt can be interrupted twice as fast and deals less knockback, allowing it to poke opponents much more safely and increasing its combo potential, while his dash attack has considerably decreased ending lag, connects more consistently, and has increased power, making it much safer and more reliable as a burst option, while its higher power gives it utility as a potential KO option near the edge at high percentages. Additionally, his existing KO options have been improved overall, as his forward smash, up smash, down aerial, sweetspotted Super Jump Punch, and Luigi Cyclone all have increased knockback; his forward smash and down smash's launching angles are much more favorable for KOing outright and edge-guarding; his down smash's sweetspots out-prioritize its sourspots, and his back throw is more effective at KOing due to its much faster and farther release making it harder to DI.

Further complementing these changes, Luigi's already excellent combo game has been improved as well. His new up tilt has less ending lag and more range in front of and above him compared to his previous up tilt, his up aerial has less ending lag, and his down throw leads to deadlier combos, having more consistent KO setups and even potential zero-to-death combos due to its redistributed damage output, lower ending lag and Luigi's faster jumpsquat. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone has received far more utility overall to compensate for its recovery and gimping potential being removed: in addition to its aforementioned higher knockback, it inflicts more damage, pulls opponents in more consistently thanks to its new windboxes, connects more reliably, has increased range, and grants invincibility on startup; in particular, the lattermost change means Luigi has the fastest option to break out of combos in the game.

Luigi also benefits from some of the universal changes. Like the rest of the veterans, Luigi has had decreased landing lag in all his aerial attacks, a faster jumpsquat (now having a 3-frame jumpsquat like the rest of the cast), and his mobility enhanced in most areas, but most importantly, his infamously low traction has been greatly increased, which somewhat alleviates his problems with approaching and significantly improves his out of shield options. The increased shieldstun on grounded moves in comparison to SSB4 makes Luigi harder to punish on some of his moves, notably his newly improved down tilt. In addition, unlike most characters, Luigi has increased falling speed and gravity, making him less vulnerable to juggling while the latter increases his jump speed, allowing him to more easily take advantage of his buffed down throw and combo game when combined with his faster jumpsquat.

Overall, Luigi has become even more polarizing than in SSB4: while his combo and KO capabilities have been improved, Ultimate's game engine and nerfs to crucial aspects of his toolkit have made it harder for him to take advantage of his strengths and render him easier to KO due to his worsened recovery. Because of this, Luigi fares overall worse than in SSB4, though his numerous options and terrific advantage still make him a viable character.

Aesthetics[edit]

  • Change Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Luigi's model features a subdued color scheme; the green of his shirt and hat are brighter while the blue of his overalls is noticeably darker, better matching his appearances in the Mario series. His clothing also features greater detailing, with the seams on his overalls being more accentuated, and his buttons having a more polished finish. He also has a slightly darker skin tone.
  • Change Luigi's idle animation has been slightly altered, with his head turned toward the screen and his arms moving in a more circular motion. However, he reverts to his previous idle animation while holding a small item.
  • Change Like most of the returning roster, Luigi has become much more expressive than in the previous games. He shows an angry expression when charging Green Missile and during his forward aerial, has a winced face when throwing an opponent with his Poltergust, appearing scared when dodging, and surprised during Super Jump Punch.
  • Change Luigi has a new dashing animation akin to how he runs in Luigi's Mansion and other games such as the Mario & Luigi series. Luigi has a more upright posture in this new animation, making his hurtbox taller but narrower. This makes him easier to hit vertically, but harder horizontally.
  • Change Air dodge and backwards jump animations have changed. Additionally, Luigi now faces the screen instead of away while sleeping, like his brother.
  • Change As with Mario, Luigi's on-screen appearance emits the Warp Pipe sound effect rather than the jump sound, similar to Smash 64.
  • Change Luigi's right-inputted victory pose was slightly altered, with a different animation for gasping at the end.

Attributes[edit]

  • Buff Like all characters, Luigi's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
  • Buff Luigi walks faster (1.08 → 1.134).
  • Buff Luigi runs faster (1.5 → 1.65).
    • Buff Luigi's initial dash is significantly faster (1.28 → 1.815).
  • Buff Luigi's air speed is slightly higher (0.7341766 → 0.77), although it is still the second slowest of the cast.
  • Change Luigi falls faster (1.25 → 1.32). This improves his vertical endurance and makes him less susceptible to juggling, but makes him more susceptible to combos.
  • Buff Luigi's fast falling speed is faster (2 → 2.112). This improves his air mobility and makes him less susceptible to juggles.
  • Buff Luigi's gravity is higher (0.075 → 0.083). This makes his jumps faster and makes him less vulnerable to juggles, while his faster falling speed compensates for its faster vertical knockback.
  • Buff Luigi has significantly higher traction (0.024 → 0.096), no longer being the single lowest in the game by a drastic margin. This allows him to punish out of shield much more easily and improves his approach.
  • Buff Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
  • Nerf Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
  • Nerf Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
  • Buff Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
  • Buff Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
  • Nerf Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 58).

Ground attacks[edit]

  • Neutral attack:
    • Buff The first hit can be held for a consecutive jab, akin to Mario's.
    • Buff The third hit has static hitboxes with different sizes (4.5u/4.5u → 5u/3.5u), making its outermost hitbox bigger and the innermost one smaller, increasing its range overall.
    • Nerf The first and third hits deal less damage (3% → 2% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 3)), with the third hit also having less base knockback (65 → 60).
    • Nerf The first hit has an altered animation where Luigi doesn't lunge forward as much. In addition, its hitboxes were shrunk to match his arm and fist, reducing the attack's range (4.5u/3.0u/3.5u → 1.4u/1.7u/2.0u).
    • Change The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Luigi, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but removes their guaranteed jab cancel setups.
  • Forward tilt:
    • Buff Forward tilt deals more damage (8% → 9%) and has much more base knockback (2 → 50), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (100 → 75). This improves its safety on hit at low percents due to sending the opponent into tumble earlier (75% →17%), while also greatly increasing its KO potential overall, allowing it to KO below 200%.
    • Nerf However, due to its increased knockback, it can no longer lock opponents.
    • Buff The outermost hitbox has been moved further outwards (X offset: 3.6u → 4u), slightly improving the move's range.
    • Nerf It has lost the smallest hitbox located at Luigi's torso, and its knee hitbox has been slightly reduced (4.8/4u/3.4u → 4.8u/3.8u), worsening its coverage at point blank range.
    • Change It has an altered animation, being a side kick instead of a spinning hook kick. Luigi also faces the camera during the kick.
  • Up tilt:
    • Change Luigi has a new up tilt: a jumping uppercut, similar to the one he possessed in the original Super Smash Bros.
    • Buff Due to the new animation, it has more range above and in front of Luigi, allowing it to reach opponents on the lower platforms of Battlefield, and opponents further in front of him.
    • Buff It has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 28), which combined with the previous change, improves its combo potential.
    • Nerf It can no longer hit opponents behind Luigi.
  • Down tilt:
    • Buff Down tilt has significantly less ending lag (FAF 27 → 14), dramatically improving its safety and granting it combo ability.
    • Nerf It no longer has a bonus trip chance.
    • Change It deals less damage (8% → 5%). However, its knockback was not fully compensated (20 base/65 scaling → 32/72), further improving its combo potential.
  • Dash attack:
    • Buff Dash attack has drastically less ending lag (FAF 76 → 48).
    • Buff It consists of five hits instead of seven, which deal much more damage (1% (hits 1-6), 2% (hit 7) → 2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5)) with knockback not compensated on the last hit, improving its KO potential.
    • Nerf The first four hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (0.3× → 0.5×). Combined with the universally increased hitlag, this allows opponents to SDI them, which was previously impossible due to their lack of hitlag.
    • Buff The first four hits have a different angle (10°/65° → 0°(hits 1-3)/15°/10° (hit 4)) and altered base knockback (26/60 → 38/60 (hits 1-3)/24/48 (hit 4)). Combined with the increased traction across the cast, this generally helps them connect more reliably.
    • Change The final hit has lost its closest hitbox (5u/4u/3u → 5u/4u), but its second innermost hitbox has been moved more inwards to compensate (Z offset: 6u → 5u).
  • Forward smash:
    • Buff Forward smash launches at a lower angle (65° (up)/53° (non-angled)/45° (down) → 52°/42°/37°), with the upward and non-angled variants also having higher knockback scaling (121 (up)/116 (non-angled) → 131/121), greatly improving their KO potential despite the downward variant's slightly lower knockback scaling (117 → 116).
  • Up smash:
    • Buff Up smash has increased knockback scaling (98 → 102), improving its KO potential.
    • Buff Luigi's nose is intangible along with his head while the hitboxes are active, instead of only his head being intangible.
    • Change The move's animation has been reversed, with Luigi facing towards the screen rather than away from it.
  • Down smash:
    • Buff Down smash's sweetspots on both hits take priority over the sourspots, making them easier to land.
    • Nerf Both hits launch at lower angles (120° (hit 1)/60° (hit 2) → 52°/48°), with the first one no longer launching opponents behind Luigi. This makes survival DI much easier while not providing significantly more kill power. The first hit can no longer stage spike opponents hanging on the ledge.
    • Nerf The sweetspot on the first hit has been moved inwards (Z offset: 6.8u → 6.5u), slightly reducing its range.

Aerial attacks[edit]

  • Buff All aerials have less landing lag (14 frames → 8 (neutral), 22 → 13 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 12 → 7 (up), 20 → 12 (down)).
  • Neutral aerial:
    • Buff Neutral aerial is interruptible, giving it one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45).
    • Change Luigi's head is slightly repositioned when using it.
  • Forward aerial:
    • Buff Forward aerial's animation has been altered, with Luigi's arm swinging in a fuller arc ending slightly further down while the hitbox is active, increasing its range below him.
    • Change Luigi sports an angry expression when using the move.
  • Back aerial:
    • Buff Back aerial always launches opponents towards Luigi's back, akin to most other back aerials, improving its reliability for edgeguarding.
    • Buff It has one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45), allowing Luigi to act just before the animation ends.
    • Change Luigi has a neutral expression when using the move instead of a scared expression.
  • Up aerial:
    • Change It has an altered animation, with Luigi's torso rotating later than the leg.
    • Buff Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27), improving its combo potential. This also allows Luigi to perform two up aerials in a short hop and auto-cancel the second one, like in Brawl and Smash 64.
  • Down aerial:
    • Buff Down aerial's clean hit has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and a bigger hitbox (2.5u → 3u), improving the meteor smash's KO potential without worsening its combo potential due to the decreased jumpsquat and landing lag.
    • Buff The clean hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.4×). This makes it harder to DI.
  • Grab aerial:
    • Buff Luigi has gained a grab aerial, the Suction Shot, effectively receiving an extra attack. Unlike other grab aerials, it has considerable landing lag and cannot be used as a tether recovery, but produces a projectile in the form of a plunger that drops a set distance downward. It can be shot even during landing lag depending on timing, allowing it to be used as a new edgeguarding option and combo starter. Lastly, it can hit opponents at the ledge if the plunger is falling. It is incapable of connecting when Luigi is grounded, but will connect if the opponent is hanging on the ledge.

Throws and other attacks[edit]

  • Change Luigi has a tether grab, using his Poltergust G-00 from Luigi's Mansion 3 to shoot a plunger attached to a rope, the Suction Shot. His pummel and all his throws except down throw have received new animations reflecting this change.
    • Buff Because of this, all grabs have much longer range, as well as a longer duration (2 frames → 7).
    • Nerf However, all grabs have noticeably increased startup (frame 6/8/9 (standing/dash/pivot) → 14/16/17) and ending lag (FAF 29/36/34 → 48/52/50), making them riskier to use at close range, and easier to punish if they miss.
    • Change Due to the Poltergust G-00 having a right-handed design, Luigi turns his back toward the screen when using the grab facing left.
  • Pummel:
    • Change Pummel has Luigi squeeze the opponent with the Poltergust.
    • Buff It deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 16 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 24 → 7), shortening its duration.
    • Nerf It deals much less damage (3.2% → 1.3%).
  • Change The speed of Luigi's throws is no longer weight-dependent. This improves his up and down throws' combo potential on heavyweights, but reduces it on lightweights.
  • Change Forward and back throws trigger a hitlag effect on both Luigi and the opponent prior to release, while down throw no longer inflicts hitlag on the opponent when released.
  • Forward throw:
    • Change Luigi has a new forward throw: the Slam used in Luigi's Mansion 3.
    • Nerf It releases opponents slower (frame 13 → 15) with 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, but has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 38).
  • Back throw:
    • Change Luigi has a new back throw: a backward Slam with the Poltergust.
    • Buff It releases opponents drastically faster (frame 44 → 15) and inflicts 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 67 → 38), making it harder to DI and much more consistent for KOs.
    • Buff Luigi releases the opponent farther away from him, slightly improving its KO potential.
    • Nerf Its collateral hitbox has been removed. As a result, it can no longer hit bystanders.
  • Up throw:
    • Change Luigi has a new up throw: he swings his opponent upward with the Poltergust.
    • Buff It has increased combo ability due to Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed.
    • Buff It has gained a collateral hitbox in front of Luigi that deals 6% damage and has similar knockback to the throw, allowing it to hit and even start combos against bystanders.
  • Down throw:
    • Change Down throw's animation has been slightly changed, with the Poltergust being visible throughout it.
    • Buff It has gained a hitbox before the throw that lasts on frames 18-28, with its damage redistributed (6% → 3% (hit 1 and throw)) and knockback compensated on the throw (55 base/83 scaling → 45/135). This allows it to hit bystanders.
    • Buff It releases the opponent slower (frame 18 → 29), but it no longer deals 6 frames of hitlag to the opponent. Overall, since its total duration is unchanged, this reduces its effective ending lag by five frames. Combined with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed, this significantly improves its combo potential, allowing it to lead into potential zero-to-death combos and granting it multiple KO setups at high percents, most notably with Luigi Cyclone, which had previously been removed in the patch 1.1.1 of Smash 4.
  • Edge attack:
    • Buff Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).
  • Down taunt:
    • Buff Due to Luigi's down taunt using set knockback, it is unaffected by Ultimate's knockback speed up mechanic and thus does not have reduced hitstun like other moves that cause tumbling, greatly improving its combo potential onstage in conjunction with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed. This is further compounded by grounded meteor smashes no longer being techable, allowing it to guarantee combos and KO setups at high percents if it hits.
    • Nerf Due to the inability to taunt in Quickplay matches (except to discard Copy Abilities as Kirby), Luigi cannot take advantage of his down taunt's offensive capabilities in said online mode.

Special moves[edit]

  • Fireball:
    • Nerf It has received negative shield damage (0 → -3 (clean)/-2.5 (late)), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
  • Green Missile:
    • Buff Green Missile has less ending lag in the air (FAF 86 → 81) and on hit (FAF 42 → 33).
    • Buff It travels farther when fully charged (2.5 → 2.65).
    • Buff The regular version has intangibility after releasing the charge (frames 1-5).
    • Buff The regular version has increased base knockback (20 → 30), improving its KO potential when charged.
    • Buff The regular version has larger hitboxes (4.2u → 4.8u).
    • Buff Misfire covers more horizontal distance (2.5 → 3.0), but less vertical distance (0.8 → 0.34). Therefore, it's easier to land a misfire while grounded.
      • Nerf The lower vertical distance makes it more likely for Luigi to get stuck below the stage after misfiring while recovering.
    • Nerf Green Missile slows down more at the end (Brake: 0.05 → 0.07).
    • Change Green Missile's physics in the air are floatier (initial gravity: 0.01 → 0.008).
    • Change Luigi's misfire animation has been changed, having him spin.
    • Change Charging animation has been changed; Luigi now has his arms in behind him in a shoulder tackle position and sports an angry expression.
  • Super Jump Punch:
    • Buff Super Jump Punch has significantly decreased landing lag (68 frames → 45).
    • Buff It grants more vertical distance.
    • Buff The sweetspot has increased knockback scaling (77 (grounded)/66 (aerial) → 88/80), greatly improving its KO potential.
    • Buff The sweetspot reaches further into the Z axis, making it more consistent at hitting some fighters.
    • Buff It can now be b-reversed before the hitbox comes out, allowing Luigi to use the move to hit behind himself.
    • Nerf It has less aerial drift when Luigi starts facing downwards, making it riskier to use farther away from the ledge.
    • Nerf The sourspot has smaller hitboxes (7.68u/6.24u → 5.8u/4.7u).
    • Nerf The move has issues connecting against certain characters due to the changes to jostle mechanics.
    • Change Like several other powerful attacks in the game, the grounded version's sweetspot triggers the Special Zoom when it successfully hits an opponent.
  • Luigi Cyclone:
    • Buff Luigi Cyclone grants Luigi full invincibility on frames 4-8 for the grounded version and frames 1-7 for the aerial version. This allows it to tank through opposing attacks and break combos very effectively.
    • Buff The last hit comes out faster (frame 44 → 40), allowing it to connect more reliably, and giving the move faster interruptibility as a result (FAF 90 → 86).
    • Buff It deals more damage (1.5% → 2% (hits 1-4), 3% → 4% (hit 5); 9% → 12% (total)), and has increased knockback on the last hit (80 (base)/130/120 (scaling) → 85/140/130), significantly improving its KO potential.
    • Buff It has gained a windbox that pulls opponents into the move. The looping hits also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× (grounded)/1.3× (aerial) → 0.8×) and SDI multiplier (1× → 0.8×), and their aerial version deals less knockback (60 base/120 scaling → 80/30), allowing them to connect more reliably.
      • Nerf However, the addition of the windbox to the move and the aerial loop hits' lower knockback completely remove its ability to gimp opponents offstage at almost any percent, significantly hindering its edgeguarding potential.
      • Nerf The windbox for the aerial version pushes opponents away from Luigi if they are behind him, making it less consistent even when they're already trapped in the vortex.
    • Buff It has larger hitboxes (4.5u/5u/5u → 5.5u/5.5u/6u (multi-hits), 6u/6u/6u → 7.5u/7.5u/6.5u (last hit)) and the grounded version's stomach hitbox was moved down, greatly increasing its range and coverage around Luigi, while also allowing it to hit some characters hanging on the ledge.
    • Nerf Luigi Cyclone has much less horizontal maneuverability on the ground.
    • Nerf It gains significantly less height from button mashing, with the move's ending lag now completely negating any additional height it might garner. Aside from delaying Luigi's descent, this essentially removes its usefulness in recovery and considerably weakens Luigi's recovery overall.
    • Change Luigi Cyclone has a more opaque vortex form around Luigi when used.
    • Change The aerial version uses the same ending animation as the grounded version.
  • Final Smash:
    • Change While Luigi's Final Smash is the same as in Smash 4, he uses his new Poltergust from Luigi's Mansion 3, the Poltergust G-00.[1] Much like his grabs and throws, the animation is slightly different; he turns his back to the screen when used while facing left.
    • Nerf The release deals less knockback (80 base/160 scaling → 70/142), noticeably weakening its KO potential.
    • Change It releases multiple victims slower.

Update history[edit]

Luigi received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update 1.1.0 decreased his up aerial's ending lag, which improved its combo potential and restored its ability to auto-cancel with a short hop like in SSB and Brawl. Update 2.0.0 granted Luigi a handful of buffs, with the most notable being a noticeable increase to Luigi Cyclone's knockback. Thanks to this buff, Luigi Cyclone now functions as a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages when used on platforms.

Aside from this, Luigi received a few quality of life buffs: his up smash's knockback was increased, Green Missile's ending lag was decreased, and both his standing and pivot grabs gained 1 more active frame apiece. However, this update harmed Luigi more so than helped him by removing his down aerial's ability to meteor smash grounded opponents, which reverted it to how it functioned in SSB4. This greatly nerfed his ability to combo reliably, making zero to death combos less consistent overall.

As part of update 3.0.0's near-universal nerf to projectiles, Fireball's shield damage output was decreased. Update 3.1.0 improved his grab aerial's range by repositioning its plunger, and slightly improved his neutral attack's consistency. However, an adjustment to the timing of Luigi Cyclone's invincibility resulted in its utility being worsened slightly. Lastly, update 10.1.0 noticeably improved his dash attack's consistency by decreasing its looping hits' knockback and adjusting its penultimate hit's angles. When coupled with the damage output buff it received in the transition to Ultimate, Luigi's dash attack has become more reliable both as a burst option and as a risky, yet viable KO option.

Overall, Luigi fares mildly better than he did at the launch of Ultimate. Although his down aerial's combo potential was worsened noticeably, his combo game remains potent thanks to the retention of his other inherent strengths, his up aerial's ending lag being decreased, and Luigi Cyclone's KO potential improving.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 1.1.0

  • Buff Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 1.2.0

  • Bug fix The plunger from his grab aerial now disappears when used while crossing a platform instead of getting stuck inside it.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 2.0.0

  • Buff Up smash has more knockback scaling (98 → 102).
  • Nerf Down aerial's clean hit no longer affects grounded opponents. As a result, it has more startup against them (frame 10 → 11) and can no longer meteor smash them, greatly hindering its combo potential.
  • Buff Standing and pivot grabs have longer durations (frames 14-19 → 14-20 (standing)/17-22 → 17-23 (pivot)), and increases their range as a result.
  • Buff Green Missile has less ending lag (FAF 95(grounded)/81(aerial) → 94/80).
  • Buff Luigi Cyclone deals more knockback (80 (base)/130/120 (scaling) → 85/140/130).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.0.0

  • Nerf Fireball deals less shield damage (0 → -3/-2.5 (clean/late)).

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 3.1.0

  • Bug fix The Warp Pipe used during Luigi's on-screen appearance received lighting effects.
  • Buff Neutral attack's first hit has decreased base knockback on the arm hitboxes (30 → 25) to allow them to connect into the second hit more reliably.
  • Buff The middle hitbox of neutral attack's second hit has decreased base knockback and knockback scaling (32 → 25 (base), 25 → 20 (scaling)) to match the tip. These changes allow it to connect into the third hit better despite its higher hitlag multiplier (x1.2 → x1.23).
  • Buff Neutral attack's third hit's hitbox has moved forward (Z offset: 8.2u → 9.2u).
  • Buff When landing with grab aerial, its plunger has a better position. This lengthens its duration before it touches the ground and improves its range.
  • Bug fix Luigi Cyclone's invincibility no longer lasts for its entire duration when used on the ground and while ascending into the air with certain timing.
    • Nerf This slightly hinders Luigi Cyclone's utility.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 8.0.0

  • Bug fix Down throw functions correctly near edges, preventing characters like Ridley from being stage spiked away.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 10.1.0

  • Buff Dash attack has received various adjustments that allow the move to connect more reliably:
    • Buff All four hits have less base knockback (hits 1-3: 51/74 → 38/60, hit 4: 51/74 → 24/48).
    • Buff The fourth hit sends at higher angles (0° → 15°/10°). This causes aerial opponents that slip from an edge to be hit by the final hit.
    • Change The last two hits are now weight independent. As a result, the last hit deals more knockback to heavier opponents and KOs them earlier, but deals less knockback to lighter ones and KOs them later.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 11.0.0

  • Change The final hit of dash attack is no longer weight independent, reverting one of the changes made in 10.1.0.

Moveset[edit]

For a gallery of Luigi's hitboxes, see here.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack Jab (ジャブ) / Straight (ストレート) / Rump Thrust (どんけつ) 2% A one-two combo followed by a hip thrust. Its first hit comes out on frame 2 and its last hit slightly moves Luigi forward, making it a safe option at close range. The first 2 hits can also jab lock an opponent. The first 2 hits are based on the Punch + Punch + Kick combo from Super Mario 64.
2%
4%
Forward tilt Middle Kick (ミドルキック) 9% A hook kick. Despite having a different animation compared to Mario's, it can be angled like his and has similar properties. Thanks to its higher damage output, it can function as a situational KO option while near the edge at very high percentages. Just like Luigi's other tilts, it comes out on frame 5. Good spacing option despite having less range and more ending lag than Mario's. However, it is outperformed by other stronger and more versatile spacing tools.
Up tilt Cat Uppercut (ねこアッパー) 6% An uppercut. It is a potent combo starter, leading into itself at low percentages and all of Luigi's aerials at medium to high percentages. Due to its generous hitbox and low lag, it is one of Luigi's better juggling options. Compared to Mario's version, it deals more damage, has more frontal range and less ending lag, but its much lower base knockback makes it less safe at very low percentages.
Down tilt Heel Kick (かかとげり) 5% A crouching, low-angle heel kick. It has short range, and deals low damage and knockback. However, its very minimal lag allows it to combo into itself, forward tilt, dash attack and forward smash at very low percentages. Its ability to be used in very quick succession can also enable it to whittle down shields if the opponent is close enough to Luigi, as he can act as soon as he puts his foot back to the ground. It is also an excellent edge trapping tool, since its aforementioned speed makes it a fairly effective 2 frame punish that can pressure the opponent's edge options.
Dash attack Flurry Punches (ぽこぽこパンチ) 2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5) A flurry of childish punches. Unlike in previous games, it has significantly less ending lag and both its damage output and knockback are noticeably higher, to the point that it can function as a situational KO option while near an edge at very high percentages. Due to its first hit coming out on frame 4, it is also one of the fastest dash attacks in the game in regard to startup alongside Ivysaur and Fox's dash attacks. Since Luigi dashes forward, it has fairly long range, but it is very punishable if whiffed.
Forward smash Hell Thrust (地獄突き) 15% A knifehand thrust. Luigi's most powerful smash attack, thanks to its respectable damage output, very high knockback scaling on all angles, and considerable shield damage output. Due to it coming out on frame 12, it is Luigi's slowest grounded attack. Despite this, its startup makes it one of the fastest forward smashes in the game; this is further supplemented by it having relatively low ending lag for a smash attack (28 frames). It also possesses a high shield damage output, which can make it challenging to punish. However, it has short range, which can make it difficult to land.
Up smash Lead Headbutt (スマッシュヘッドバット, Smash Headbutt) 14% (head), 12% (body) An upward arcing headbutt. Due to it coming out on frame 9, it is fairly quick for a smash attack, and is one of Luigi's fastest KO options. Like Mario and Dr. Mario's up smashes, it renders his head intangible throughout its duration. Unlike theirs, however, it consists of a sweetspot and a sourspot, the latter of which inflicts 2% less damage and is located closer to Luigi, covering his neck and chest. Despite this, the sourspot is out-prioritized by the sweetspot, and is very unlikely to hit unless the opponent is practically touching him. Compared to Mario's version, it launches at a fairly lower angle, but actually KOs earlier due to its overall higher knockback. Like Dr. Mario's version, its hitbox lasts for 1 frame longer than Mario's version, giving it more frontal range and a longer period of intangibility, which allows it to hit short opponents on the ground that Mario's version can't. Its combination of very fast interruptibility, the intangibility on Luigi's head and respectable power make it very hard to punish, especially from out of shield.
Down smash Double Kick (ダブルキック) 15% (body), 14% (legs) A modified Sweep Kick. Due to it coming out on frame 6, it is Luigi's fastest smash attack. It is useful for punishing rolls, thanks to it hitting in front of Luigi and behind himself; the back hit also has noticeably higher knockback and launches slightly lower compared to the front hit. Its respectable damage output also makes it useful for edge-guarding, and enables it to KO at reasonable percentages while near the edge. In an opposite fashion to his up smash, both hits possess sweetspots located closer to Luigi, with the sourspots covering the rest of his legs. Unlike in SSB4, its front hit is significantly more reliable for KOing and edge-guarding, thanks to it launching the opponent at 52° instead of 120°, though at the cost of not leading into a stage spike anymore
Neutral aerial Luigi Kick (ルイージキック) 12% (clean), 6% (late) A flying kick. It comes out on frame 3, which is the fastest startup out of Luigi's aerials and, in turn, makes it very useful for breaking out of combos. It also launches at a vertical angle; this enables its late hit to start combos reliably with a landing short hop, and when combined with its clean hit's high damage output, good knockback and perfectly vertical angle, it can KO at high percentages, especially while near the upper blast line, qualities that are supported by Luigi's high jumps. Despite being able to auto-cancel with a short hop like Luigi's other aerials, it is his only aerial that cannot do so with a short hop fast fall.
Forward aerial Crown Chop (脳天チョップ) 8% A downward knifehand strike. It comes out on frame 7 and is interruptible only 13 frames after the hitbox's active frames conclude (frame 24), making it the fastest forward aerial in the game in regard to ending lag. It is a reliable follow-up from down throw at low to medium percentages, and is useful for edge-guarding due to its extremely low ending lag, with the fastest interruptibility of its type. It also auto-cancels on frame 21; when combined with its minimal startup and lack of ending lag, these traits make it a useful approach option, since it can auto-cancel with a short hop fast fall or can be used twice with a short hop without incurring landing lag. Its hitbox is positioned on Luigi's hand and arm, but it also has a smaller hitbox on his shoulder that covers slightly around his body.
Back aerial Rear Drop Kick (後方ドロップキック) 14% (clean feet), 8% (clean legs, late) A dropkick. It has decent range, to the point that it has the second longest range among Luigi's aerial attacks. The clean hit's sweetspot is located on Luigi's feet and deals high damage and knockback, making it one of Luigi's best KOing options. The clean hit's sourspot and the late hit deal much less damage and knockback; as a result, they are much less effective for KOing, yet more useful for partaking in combos. It comes out on frame 6, but its 33 frames of ending lag is the highest amount of ending lag out of Luigi's aerials. It can auto-cancel both with a short hop and with a short hop fast fall, although in the latter case, it requires strict timing to do so.
Up aerial Air Slash (エアスラッシュ) 11% (clean), 7% (late) A bicycle kick. It is useful for combos like Mario's up aerial, due to its very low ending lag and landing lag. Its clean hitbox also inflicts above-average damage for a combo-oriented move. However, it launches at a lower angle than Mario's; this makes it less effective for juggling and especially vertical combos past low percentages, yet more effective for horizontal combos. It also comes out 1 frame later than Mario's, on frame 5 instead of 4, but has less ending lag. However, it possesses a substantially smaller hitbox, a late hit that deals less damage, and it also has no base knockback, which gives it little to no safety on hit at low percents. Just like his forward aerial, Luigi can use his up aerial twice with a single short hop, as well as auto-cancel it due to its lenient auto-cancel window and low ending lag.
Down aerial Drill Kick (ドリルキック) 10% (clean), 8% (late) A corkscrew double foot stomp. It comes out on frame 10 and auto-cancels with a short hop fast fall. Its clean hit is a respectably strong meteor smash against airborne opponents, and it has the lowest ending lag (14 frames) of any meteor smash in the game alongside minimal landing lag. Altogether, these traits make it a fast, yet safe edge-guarding option and a versatile move overall. However, the clean hit only affects the hitbox on Luigi's feet and only lasts for 1 frame. Although the late hit is less rewarding due to launching opponents horizontally away from Luigi, it is still quite effective for edge-guarding. Prior to update 2.0.0, the clean hit could affect both grounded and aerial opponents, which allowed it to start combos at a wide variety of percentages, even possessing KO set-ups into Super Jump Punch. As of update 2.0.0, the meteor smash hitbox only affects aerial opponents, removing most of its potential as a combo starter. Despite this, it remains a valuable combo extender from down throw or late neutral aerial, since it can launch opponents down to the stage and thus provide more follow-ups.
Grab aerial Suction Shot (空中オバキューム, Aerial Poltergust) 5% Uses the Poltergust G-00 to fire a suction cup attached to a rope. Despite its appearance, it cannot be used as a tether recovery. The suction cup and its rope also detach from the Poltergust G-00 after being fired, with the suction cup functioning like a projectile thereafter. The suction cup is affected by gravity and cannot be reflected or absorbed; altogether, these traits make it useful for edge-guarding. Notably, the projectile will still be launched if Luigi inputs grab in the air but lands before before the projectile is launched. The suction cup will descend a set distance and then disappear thereafter; it will also disappear shortly after landing on the ground. However, using Luigi's grab aerial will not restrict him from using his grounded grabs while the prior suction cup is active. Luigi's grab aerial has much higher landing lag (20 frames) compared to other grab aerials, but this can be circumvented if he lands before firing the suction cup, as it can come out and then hit opponents during its landing lag. Doing this allows the suction cup to combo into several grounded attacks while he is sufficiently close to the opponent. Overall, its attributes make it a good projectile and a useful part of Luigi's moveset.
Grab Suction Shot (つかみ, Grab) Uses the Poltergust G-00 to fire a suction cup attached to a rope. Like other tether grabs, it has long range; unlike most tether grabs, it has fairly low ending lag, to the point that Luigi is able to act out of it before the suction cup disappears.
Pummel Poltergust Shock (オバキュームショック) 1.3% Vacuums the opponent with the Poltergust G-00. Average power and speed.
Forward throw Slam (オバキューム投げ, Poltergust Throw) 9% Slams the opponent forward with the Poltergust G-00. It is Luigi's second most damaging throw, but has limited utility outside of dealing damage and setting up edge-guards at high percentages. It can KO middleweights at around 162% at the edge of Final Destination.
Back throw Slam (オバキューム反転投げ, Reverse Poltergust Throw) 10% Turns around to slam the opponent behind himself with the Poltergust G-00. It is Luigi's most damaging and strongest throw, as well as one of the strongest back throws in the game, to the point of being able to reliably KO middleweights under 120% while near an edge.
Up throw Poltergust Reel (オバキューム釣り) 8% (throw), 6% (collateral) Swings the Poltergust G-00 upward to fling the opponent overhead. It can combo into forward aerial or up aerial at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox that launches bystanders upward alongside the thrown opponent. However, it is a much less versatile combo starter compared to down throw, and is much less effective for KOing compared to back throw.
Down throw Poltergust Drop (オバキュームドロップ) 3% (hit 1 and throw) Shoves the opponent under himself and Ground Pounds them. It is easily Luigi's best throw and arguably his best move overall, thanks to its average knockback, low ending lag and 80° launching angle collectively making it one of the best combo starters in the game. It can combo into several moves, including up tilt and up smash at low percentages, as well as any of Luigi's aerials and Luigi Cyclone at low to high percentages. Its most effective follow-up at low percentages is clean down aerial, followed by a neutral aerial into another clean down aerial, before concluding with up aerial into a grounded Super Jump Punch for a zero-to-death combo that works on a wide variety of characters. At high percentages, it has several potential KO setups, including aerial Super Jump Punch, back aerial (while near the edge), and aerial Luigi Cyclone (when used on a platform or if the opponent uses subpar DI). In addition to its combo potential, it has a collateral hitbox before the throw on frames 18-28 that can hit bystanders. Due to its low ending lag, Luigi can act as soon as he touches the ground.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Performs a modified Sweep Kick before getting up.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7% Performs a modified Sweep Kick before getting up.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  5% Performs a side kick and then a wheel kick while getting up.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  9% Performs a double-footed legsweep while climbing up.
Neutral special Fireball 6% (clean), 5% (late) Tosses a Green Fireball. It is fairly spammable, which enables it to pressure opponents from afar and hinder approaches. Compared to Mario's Fireball, Luigi's version has less ending lag and has a clean hit that deals more damage, with Luigi being able to toss another Fireball when the clean hit ceases. Unlike Mario's version, Luigi's Fireball is unaffected by gravity, which gives it more vertical range at the cost of being less suitable for edge-guarding.
Side special Green Missile ≈6.166% (uncharged), 21% (fully charged), 25% (misfired) Crouches and then propels himself forward to perform a flying battering ram. It takes 1.5 seconds to fully charge, but deals impressive damage upon doing so. Upon reaching full charge, it has KO potential and can be held for some time before being automatically canceled. It also has a 10% chance to misfire, which deals considerably more damage and knockback, KOing opponents at ≈60% from the center of Final Destination; this is known as Overzealous Green Missile. It also allows Luigi to pierce walls and hang there. A misfired Green Missile, also grants intangibility on frames 18-22, and always travels the same distance regardless of the charge. However, its considerable ending lag makes it punishable whether it is used for offense or recovering, which makes reads very important in order to use it effectively.
Up special Super Jump Punch 25% (grounded sweetspot), 20% (aerial sweetspot), 1% (sourspot) A jumping uppercut. Its grounded sweetspot emits a ping sound and triggers a Special Zoom upon hitting, and boasts excellent damage output with impressive knockback, KOing opponents from 37%-67% depending on weight from ground level. Its aerial sweetspot is larger, yet deals less damage and knockback (though it is still powerful), and does not have the special effects of the grounded sweetspot. Both versions also grant intangibility for 3 frames (starting on frame 8 on the ground and on frame 6 in the air). However, it is very punishable because of its high landing lag, while its abysmally weak sourspot lacks KO potential and is very unsafe.
Down special Luigi Cyclone 2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5) Spins around rapidly, to the point of generating a vortex around himself that traps an opponent and damages them with a series of discus clotheslines and spinning backfists before assuming a spread-eagle position to launch them. It allows Luigi to move horizontally on the ground, as well as maintain his aerial position by mashing the special move button, although both abilities are considerably weaker than in previous games. It also grants Luigi invincibility during startup (frames 4-8 while grounded and 1-7 in midair), and has windboxes around Luigi that pull opponents into the attack. These traits make it a more effective, yet slightly less rewarding combo breaker compared to his neutral aerial. As of update 2.0.0, Luigi Cyclone's final hit has respectable power: the grounded version KOs middleweights at ≈160%, whereas the aerial version is a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages, especially when used on a platform. Although Luigi Cyclone connects more reliably than in previous games, it should also be noted that it now requires consistent button mashing for all of its hits to connect. Resembles the Spin Jump, a technique that first debuted in Super Mario World.
Final Smash Poltergust G-00 30.1% (maximum captured), 10% (ejection) Wields the Poltergust G-00 to vacuum nearby opponents into it before powerfully ejecting them diagonally. Opponents will accumulate more damage the earlier they are vacuumed in. It has decent range, and is capable of vacuuming opponents from a variety of angles. Additionally, if Luigi ejects opponents into opponents not vacuumed they will take a surprising amount of knockback.
Down taunt 2% Bashfully kicks to the ground. Its high fixed knockback value makes it a very potent meteor smash, allowing it to potentially OHKO an edge-hanging opponent. The grounded meteor smash mechanics of Ultimate also make it surprisingly potent as a combo starter on-stage, as it can no longer be teched. However, it is held back by pitiful range and slow startup.

Stats[edit]

Stats Weight Dash speed Walk speed Traction Air friction Air speed Air acceleration Gravity Falling speed Jumpsquat Jump height Double jump height
Value 97 1.815 – Initial dash
1.65 – Run
1.134 0.096 0.0075 0.77 0 – Base
0.075 – Additional
0.083 1.32 – Base
2.112Fast-fall
3 44 - Base
19.98 - Short hop
41.31

Announcer calls[edit]

On-screen appearance[edit]

Taunts[edit]

  • Up taunt: Performs 5 poses in very quick succession. When switching from pose to pose he says, "Hoh hah hee heh hoo!"
  1. Flashes the V sign. This pose resembles the one he assumes upon collecting an item in Luigi's Mansion.
  2. Points both his fingers in the direction he is facing, looking frightened.
  3. Holds his finger under his nose and looks toward the screen. This pose heavily resembles the one he assumes in his individual artwork for Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
  4. Crouches down to the floor with his back turned to the player. This pose heavily resembles his bogey/loss animation from Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64.
  5. Assumes a scared expression and pose with his hands on his cheeks. This pose heavily resembles his appearance on the cover artwork of Luigi's Mansion.
  • Side taunt: Planks while saying "Pow pow." Due to this taunt moving Luigi forward into the z-axis and lowering his hurtbox, some attacks may actually miss him as a result.
  • Down taunt: Bashfully kicks the ground while sighing. It is one of the few taunts in the game to inflict damage; it deals 2% and meteor smashes opponents with high set knockback, making it a surprisingly reliable combo starter onstage and allowing it to one-hit KO opponents who are off-stage or hanging on an edge. It is similar to the animation Luigi performs when he loses a minigame in Mario Party 2.

Idle poses[edit]

  • Rubs the back of his head sheepishly.
  • Pulls his nose, which stretches slightly and then recoils back into place.

Crowd cheer[edit]

Cheer (English) Cheer (Japanese/Chinese) Cheer (Italian) Cheer (Dutch) Cheer (French)
Cheer NTSC

PAL
NTSC

PAL
Description Wee - gee! Lui - gi! Lu - i - gi! Lui - gi! Lui - gi!
Cheer (German) Cheer (Spanish) Cheer (Russian) Cheer (Korean)
Cheer
NTSC

PAL
Description Lui - gi! Lui - gi! Lu - i - gi! Lu - i - gi!

Victory poses[edit]

  • Left: Planks twice, much like in his side taunt and his artwork in SSB4. His nose twitches in brief intervals after the second plank.
  • Up: With his back to the screen and his hands on his hips, Luigi nods his head twice. Then, he turns around and makes gun motions with his fingers, saying "Bang bang!" He continues to alternate between pointing his fingers and nose to the right and left.
  • Right: Childishly flails his arms about in the air, first towards his right side and then his left. Afterwards, now exhausted, he gasps while holding his left hand out and resting his right hand on his knee. This is similar to his "character chosen" animation in SSB and his dash attack, albeit with a different ending animation.
A shortened version of the Course Clear Fanfare remix used in Super Mario Bros.

In competitive play[edit]

Most historically significant players[edit]

See also: Category:Luigi players (SSBU)

  • USA Elegant - The second-greatest Luigi player of all time who was active between 2019 and 2022. He spearheaded Luigi's playerbase with several top 8 finishes at majors, especially right after the pandemic where he placed 3rd at Mainstage 2021 and 4th at Riptide and Low Tide City 2021. He was the first Luigi player to rank in the top 50, with his best placement being 14th on the OrionRank Ultimate: Eclipse. He was banned in several regions in 2022 due to allegations to his conduct while drunk.
  • USA Kiyarash - Debuted during the online metagame and was the best Luigi in North America's online metagame, with notable placements such as 2nd at the SWT: NA Southwest Ultimate Online Qualifier. Offline, he has been one of the best Luigi players in North America since 2023, ranking 88th on the LumiRank 2023 and placing 17th at Crown the Third and 25th at Port Priority 8 upsetting Zomba, and 33rd at GENESIS X.
  • UK Luugi - One of the best Luigi players in the post-pandemic metagame, as well as one of the best European players during this time. He was the definitive best Luigi player in the first half of 2023, right before Raru's meteoric rise in the second half of the year. He was initially known for winning Tech Republic VI, but became better known for being the first Luigi player to enter grand finals at a major, placing 2nd at King Of Fields 95 3. He ranked 47th on the LumiRank Mid-Year 2023, making him only the second Luigi player to rank top 50 globally, although he ultimately finished 64th on the full-year ranking.
  • Japan Navy - One of Japan's all-time best Luigi players who has been active since the early metagame, where he placed 4th at Sumabato SP 6, becoming the first Luigi player to place top 8 at a major and doing so a day before Elegant's first top 8 at Low Tier City 7. Although he went on a hiatus after 2019, he returned to competitive play in 2023 and is better known for his performances during this time, especially after he placed 5th at Sumabato SP 50 and saw two back-to-back runner-up performances at OH-BAI-TOH-RI 0 and Maesuma'LANDMARK 3.
  • Japan Raru - The greatest Luigi player of all-time, who has been the best Luigi player since 2023, and one of the best players from Japan in 2024. He is the first and only Luigi player to win both a major and supermajor in any Smash game, having won Sumabato SP 47, Sumabato SP 50, and UltCore Fourth. His highest ranking was 11th on the LumiRank 2024.1, making him the highest-ranking Luigi player on any global ranking.
  • Mexico WaKa - The best Luigi player in North America following Elegant's ban, with his highest ranking being 66th on the UltRank 2022, and is one of the best players in Mexico. Although his activity has been either online or in-region, he has won many regionals in his region and has also placed highly at all Mexican majors he attended, including 9th at Smash Factor 9 and 17th at both Smash Factor X and Delfino Maza 2023.
  • Japan Yamanaction - The best Luigi player in Japan in 2021 and 2022. He was first known for his upset over ProtoBanham at Umebura SP 7, which is the largest upset at an Ultimate major, with an upset factor of 14. He has also placed highly at several majors, including 9th at Kagaribi 7, and was ranked 90th on the OrionRank 2022. He began playing Steve over Luigi in 2023, although he keeps Luigi as a co-main.

Tier placement and history[edit]

Luigi's new grab (which had noticeably more lag) and nerfs to Luigi Cyclone that removed its recovery and gimping potential initially soured opinions on his viability. However, many players soon realized Luigi's combo game potential, specifically his zero-to-death combos. In addition, several Luigi players placed highly at tournaments as the metagame progressed, most notably Elegant, who, despite a rough start, eventually became a top 50 player by the end of the first year. Although Luigi's poor disadvantage state still hindered him, his perception greatly improved, and many players considered him as a mid-tier at worst.

Since then, Luigi's results only improved as his combo game developed even further: in the post-online metagame, Elegant established himself as a top 20 player in the world following a string of top 8 results at supermajor events. Even after Elegant's ban, other Luigi players came and took his place; most notable among them were Luugi and Raru, both of whom have seen placements that were on par with, if not better, than what Elegant had. As such, although Luigi was ranked 47th on the first official tier list as an upper-mid tier, many players have argued that he should be ranked in the high-tier due to his strong results and deadly combo game. As a result, he rose eight positions in the second and current tier list, ranking at 39th place. However, many players still consider this placement too low, especially after Raru's meteoric rise to the top 20 with and his major wins at Sumabato SP 47 and Sumabato SP 50 and then winning the supermajor UltCore Fourth.

Classic Mode: Luigi's Nightmares[edit]

Luigi's congratulations screen.

Luigi's opponents are fighters who demonstrate a creepy or scary motif, either because of their appearance (such as Dark Link), the series they hail from (such as Bayonetta), or both (such as Ridley). This theme is further referenced by each Round being fought on a stage that is gloomy and/or set at nighttime. The boss of Luigi's route, Dracula, also fits this theme due to being a vampire; on a related note, Dracula's role as the boss also references Luigi's exploration of his castle during Simon and Richter's reveal trailer.

Round Opponent Stage Music Notes
1 Toon Link (SSBU) Toon Link (×4) Luigi's Mansion Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl) The Dark Toon Links' models are not brightened or darkened to differentiate them.
2 Giant Ridley (SSBU) Ridley Brinstar Sector 1
3 Bayonetta (SSBU) Bayonetta Umbra Clock Tower The Legend Of Aesir
4 Mii Brawler (SSBU) Mii Brawler (×3), Mii Swordfighter (SSBU) Mii Swordfighter (×2), and Mii Gunner (SSBU) Mii Gunner Luigi's Mansion (Battlefield form) Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl) Horde Battle (3 at a time).
Mii Fighter costume combinations:
  • Hockey Mask and SSB T-shirt (Brawler)
  • Magic Hat and Ashley Outfit (Swordfighter)
  • Devil Horns and Vampire Garb (Brawler)
  • Bear Hat and Bear Suit (Gunner)
  • King K. Rool Hat and King K. Rool Outfit (Brawler)
  • Majora's Mask and SSB T-shirt (Swordfighter)
5 Link (SSBU) Link Midgar Death Mountain
6 Little Mac (SSBU) Little Mac, then Giant Mr. Game & Watch (SSBU) Mr. Game & Watch Luigi's Mansion (Ω form) On the Hunt -Gloomy Manor Ver.- (Instrumental) Mr. Game & Watch is not announced during the loading screen. Items do not appear.
Bonus Stage
Final Dracula Dracula's Castle Phase 1: Nothing to Lose
Phase 2: Black Night

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Luigi has Title/Ending - Super Mario World accompany the credits.

Role in World of Light[edit]

Finding Luigi in World of Light

Although Luigi does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was presumably vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light.

Luigi was one of the many fighters who fell under Dharkon's control upon Galeem's first defeat, and he can be found in the Mysterious Dimension, being guarded by the Link (The Legend of Zelda) spirit after awaking Meta Knight.

Fighter Battle[edit]

No. Image Name Type Power Stage Music
09
Luigi SSBU.png
Luigi
Grab
Grab
10,600 Luigi's Mansion (Ω form) Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion

Spirits[edit]

Luigi's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Luigi has been unlocked. Unlocking Luigi 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.

Additionally, Luigi makes an appearance in various primary and support spirits.

In Spirit Battles[edit]

As the main opponent[edit]

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
25
SSBU spirit Fox Luigi.png
Fox Luigi Super Mario Series •Tail Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Shield
9,300 Mushroom Kingdom U •Hazard: Heavy Wind •Dangerously high winds are in effect Ground Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3 (Remix)
35
SSBU spirit Waluigi.png
Waluigi Super Mario Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Neutral
9,200 Peach's Castle •Assist Trophy Enemies (Waluigi) •Hostile assist trophies will appear Waluigi Pinball - Mario Kart DS
89
SSBU spirit Mach 8.png
Mach 8 Mario Kart Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Attack
3,700 Mario Circuit •Hazard: High Gravity
•Item: Mario Kart
•All fighters have reduced jump ability
•The enemy can deal damage by dashing into you
Mario Kart Stadium - Mario Kart 8 Luigi's emblem
100
SSBU spirit Mr. L.png
Mr. L Paper Mario Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Attack
4,300 Luigi's Mansion (Ω form) •Hazard: Fog •The stage is covered in fog
•The enemy favors special moves
•The enemy's FS Meter charges quickly
The Grand Finale
110
SSBU spirit Dreambert.png
Dreambert Mario & Luigi Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Shield
2,300 Magicant (Battlefield form) •Hazard: Slumber Floor •The floor is sleep-inducing Try, Try Again Dreamy Luigi
121
SSBU spirit Poltergust 5000.png
Poltergust 5000 Luigi's Mansion Series Luigi Team Luigi (SSBU)Luigi (SSBU)Luigi (SSBU)Luigi (SSBU)
Grab
4,000 Luigi's Mansion N/A •The enemy's throws have increased power Luigi's Mansion Series Medley ScareScraper Luigis
124
SSBU spirit Waluigi (Super Mario Strikers).png
Waluigi (Super Mario Strikers) North America
Waluigi (Mario Strikers) PAL
Super Mario Strikers Series North America
Mario Strikers Series PAL
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Grab
3,600 Wuhu Island (Swordplay Colosseum) •Item: Soccer Ball •Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle Country Field: Away Team
133
SSBU spirit Luigi (Mario Tennis Aces).png
Luigi (Mario Tennis Aces) Mario Tennis Aces Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Daisy Daisy (SSBU)
Neutral
3,400 Pokémon Stadium 2 (hazards off) N/A •The enemy favors smash attacks Stadium Theme - Mario Tennis Aces
257
SSBU spirit Linebeck.png
Linebeck The Legend of Zelda Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Toon Link Toon Link (SSBU)
Neutral
9,000 Wuhu Island (The boat) •Buoyancy Reduced •No one knows how to swim The Great Sea / Menu Select
440
SSBU spirit Slowpoke.png
Slowpoke Pokémon Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Neutral
3,300 Mushroom Kingdom II •Hazard: Left Is Right, Right Is Left
•Move Speed ↓
•Left and right controls will suddenly reverse after a little while
•All fighters have reduced move speed
Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue Medley
578
Dungeon man
Dungeon Man EarthBound Series •Giant Luigi Luigi (SSBU) (140 HP)
Grab
4,200 Mushroomy Kingdom N/A Stamina battle
•The enemy is giant
Magicant (for 3DS / Wii U)
584
Duster
Duster EarthBound Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Attack
2,500 Pac-Land (Battlefield form) •Item: Smoke Ball
•Hazard: Fog
•The stage is covered in fog
•The enemy's kicks and knee strikes have increased power
You Call This a Utopia?!
834
don
Don Animal Crossing Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Shield
3,200 Smashville •Earthquake •The enemy starts the battle with a Hammer
•Periodic earthquakes will shake the stage
•The enemy can swing the Hammer for a long time
Title Theme - Animal Crossing: Wild World
847
driver
Kapp'n (Wild World) Animal Crossing Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU) (140 HP)
Grab
3,600 New Donk City Hall (hazards off) •Assist Trophy Enemies (Kapp'n) Stamina battle
•Hostile assist trophies will appear
Kapp'n's Song
855
Dr. Shrunk spirit
Dr. Shrunk Animal Crossing Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Shield
4,100 Town and City •Item: Bananas •Timed battle (1:00)
•The enemy loves to taunt
Tour - Animal Crossing: New Leaf
935
from the game files
Glass Joe Punch-Out!! Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU) (120 HP)
Neutral
1,700 Boxing Ring N/A Stamina battle
•The enemy loves to taunt
Minor Circuit (Original)
1,189
yama
Yama SimTower SP Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Villager Villager (SSBU)×2
Attack
2,000 Tomodachi Life •Item: Ore Club
•Hazard: Heavy Wind
•Dangerously high winds are in effect after a little while
•The enemy is easily distracted by items
Title Theme - NES Remix 2
1,225
Master Fusui
Hsien Sujin Taisen: Number Battles Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Grab
1,800 Windy Hill Zone •Assist Trophy Enemies (Dr. Kawashima) •Hostile assist trophies will appear Yūyūki Medley
1,354
SSBU spirit L-Tetrimino & J-Tetrimino.png
L-Tetrimino & J-Tetrimino Tetris Series Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Grab
3,700 Mario Bros. (Battlefield form) •Hazard: Left Is Right, Right Is Left
•Assist Trophy Enemies (Waluigi)
•Left and right controls will suddenly reverse after a little while
•Hostile assist trophies will appear
Fever L-Tetrimino
1,492
SSBU spirit Luigi (Mario Golf Super Rush).png
Luigi (Mario Golf: Super Rush) Mario Golf: Super Rush Luigi Team Luigi (SSBU)×10
Grab
4,500 Wuhu Island (bridge section) •Move Speed ↑
•Item: Balls
•The enemy has increased move speed
•The enemy starts the battle with a Fire Bar
•Defeat an army of fighters
Mario Tennis / Mario Golf

As a minion[edit]

Spirit Battle parameters Inspiration
No. Image Name Series Enemy Fighter(s) Type Power Stage Rules Conditions Music Character
81
SSBU spirit Goo-Goo Buggy.png
Goo-Goo Buggy Mario Kart Series Mario Mario (SSBU)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Attack
3,400 Figure-8 Circuit •Assist Trophy Enemies (Chain Chomp) •Hostile assist trophies will appear
•The enemy has increased move speed
Mushroom Gorge - Mario Kart Wii Baby Luigi
101
SSBU spirit Dimentio.png
Dimentio Paper Mario Series Meta Knight Meta Knight (SSBU)
•Giant Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Grab
3,800 Paper Mario •Attack Power ↑ •The enemy has increased attack power after a little while
•The enemy deals damage when falling
•The enemy is giant
Battle! - Paper Mario: Color Splash Super Dimentio
108
SSBU spirit Starlow.png
Starlow Mario & Luigi Series Pac-Man Pac-Man (SSBU)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Mario Mario (SSBU)
Attack
3,300 Brinstar (Battlefield form) •Tiny
•Giant
•The enemy is giant
•The enemy is tiny after a little while
Tough Guy Alert! Luigi
128
SSBU spirit MC Ballyhoo & Big Top.png
MC Ballyhoo & Big Top Mario Party Series Mario Mario (SSBU)
Yoshi Yoshi (SSBU)
Peach Peach (SSBU)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Shield
1,600 Mario Circuit •Item Tidal Wave •Certain items will appear in large numbers after a little while Pandemonium Luigi
1,132
from the game's files
Hockey Players Ice Hockey Dr. Mario Dr. Mario (SSBU)
Donkey Kong Donkey Kong (SSBU)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Attack
1,500 Pokémon Stadium (Ω form) •Slippery Stage •The stage's platforms are very slippery Core Luge Tall thin hockey player
1,154
SSBU spirit Dion, Max, & Jack.png
Dion, Max, & Jack Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima Villager Villager (SSBU)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Wario Wario (SSBU)
Neutral
1,800 Tortimer Island •Item: Beastball •Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle Village of the Blue Maiden Jack
1,321
SSBU spirit Peachette.png
Peachette Super Mario Series Peach Peach (SSBU)
Mii Brawler Mii Brawler (SSBU) (Moveset 2121, Super Mushroom Hat, Yellow Toad Outfit, High Voice Type 7)
Luigi Luigi (SSBU)
Mario Mario (SSBU)
Shield
10,000 Mushroom Kingdom U (hazards off) •Easy to Launch
•Hazard: Low Gravity
•All fighters are easy to launch
•Timed battle (1:00)
•Gravity is reduced
Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. U Luigi

Alternate costumes[edit]

Palette swap (SSBU)
Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU) Luigi (SSBU)

Gallery[edit]

Fighter Showcase Video[edit]

Trivia[edit]

Luigi's double expression glitch.
  • Oddly, the physics of the Poltergust G-00 are different when the game speed is modified, which reduces the grab ranges of all of Luigi's grabs.
  • In Simon's reveal trailer, Luigi was shown having his soul taken by Death, which led to humorous posts from the community claiming that Luigi had been officially "killed off". In turn, BBC News wrote a mock obituary for Luigi. Nintendo UK eventually responded with a short message of "Luigi is okay" as a nod to this event.
    • Luigi was not shown from the rest of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct (not counting menus and the like) of August 8th, 2018. Despite this, Mario and Mega Man were present in this Direct, even after being killed in Ridley's reveal trailer.
      • Luigi is also one of three characters to not appear in any in-battle footage in the Direct, the others being R.O.B. and the Mii Fighters.
  • Luigi's Mansion 3 was teased before it was officially announced through Simon's trailer, as Luigi can be seen using the new Poltergust G-00 from the aforementioned game.
  • Luigi can be seen performing Green Missile in the panoramic artwork for Ultimate. He also does this in a piece of group artwork for Super Smash Bros. Melee.
  • Luigi is the first and only veteran in the series to have their standard grab be changed into a tether grab between installments.
  • In a promo screenshot for the game depicting Luigi in his Waluigi-inspired alternate costume, the "L" on his cap was green, but in the final game, it is purple, like in Super Smash Bros. 4.
  • Luigi is one of two characters to represent an upcoming game at the time of the game's release through their moveset. The other character with this distinction is Yoshi through his Yoshi's Crafted World alternate costume.
  • Luigi's yellow alternate costume has a light blue L on his cap in-game, as opposed to it being yellow and matching the rest of the cap in his render.[2] The head icon, however, properly colors the L.
  • Prior to update 3.1.0., the Warp Pipe used during Luigi's on-screen appearance would not appear to have any lighting effects, unlike Mario's.
  • Luigi is the only member of the Original 12 to be unlocked in The Dark Realm in Adventure Mode, and the only one to be unlocked in a sub-world.
  • In the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct of November 1, 2018, Sakurai noted during the part where he described Ken that Luigi is the original Echo Fighter, as he was initially introduced as a simple palette swap of Mario in 1983's Mario Bros. with identical abilities. Likewise, Luigi was originally a full clone of Mario in the original Super Smash Bros., though he has since been heavily de-cloned to the point of being a pseudo-clone as of Ultimate.
  • Alongside Greninja and Kazuya, Luigi is one of three characters in Ultimate with a taunt that cannot be canceled, due to the fact that their non-cancelable taunts have hitboxes.
    • Interestingly, it is still possible to cancel Snake's taunts despite them also possessing a hitbox.
  • Luigi's official artwork is based on the third hit of his neutral attack, albeit featuring him with a scared expression.
  • Through unlocking through versus mode and awakening all fighters in World of Light, Luigi is the last member of the Original 12 to be unlocked. However, via Mario's unlock tree in Classic Mode, Luigi can potentially be the first of the Original 12 to be unlocked.
  • Despite having all of his animations mirrored, Luigi has different animations when using moves that involve Poltergust G-00, so he may not face the screen when he uses his grabs and his Final Smash. He is the only character with mirrored animations to hold this distinction.
  • If Luigi blocks an attack with his shield, he reverts to his shielding pose from SSB4.
  • If Luigi uses his grab immediately after inputting his dash attack, his dash attack voice clip will play during his grab animation.
  • If Luigi is cursed or using Superspicy Curry, there is a glitch which results in his wincing expression overlapping his angry expression if he performs either his forward aerial or charges up Green Missile.
  • If Luigi gets counterattacked by Blade Counter while facing left, he will be forced to show his back[3] due to Blade Counter forcing him to use the incorrect grab release animation.
  • There is a minor sound effect oversight regarding Green Missile, in which its popping sound effect plays after Luigi has already removed his head after colliding with a wall. This is due to the animation being sped up from SSB4 without the sound effect being adjusted to match the animation.

References[edit]