Pikachu (SSBU)

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Pikachu in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Pokémon
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Volt Tackle

“	This fierce fighter uses electric moves like Thunder Jolt and Thunder. Pikachu Libre is one of the alternate costumes and you can tell she's female by the shape of her tail.	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachu) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. As in SSB4, Ikue Ōtani's portrayal of Pikachu from Brawl was repurposed for Ultimate.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

NOTE: SmashWiki is not speculative. Please refrain from adding detailed data values derived from pre-release gameplay footage, such as the E3 demo. Such data (damage values, launch trajectories, frame data, etc.) are subject to change before the official release.

Aesthetics

• As with all veterans returning from SSB4, Pikachu's model features a more subdued color scheme. It more closely resembles its appearance in recent mainline Pokémon titles as a result.
• Pikachu, like other veterans, is more expressive than before. It now appears angry during most attacks.
• Pikachu's cheeks now flash white during electric attacks.
• A female Pikachu - which has a heart-shaped tail - has been added as an alternate costume with two swaps: one where it wears Moon's Casual Cap from Pokémon Sun and Moon, and one where it wears the Libre costume from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. They seem to replace its white and cyan costumes from the previous game.
• Pikachu always faces the screen regardless of which direction it turns. This affects its moveset as well, all of which appears to be mirrored.
• Pikachu only waves once during its side taunt, shortening its duration. Its down taunt also performs faster.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Pikachu's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete.

Ground attacks

• Forward tilt has an electric effect.
• Forward tilt has slightly increased endlag.
• Pikachu has a new up tilt which has Pikachu scooting its backside up to hit with its tail.
• Up tilt deals less damage and has increased endlag.
• Clean dash attack deals more damage and has less ending lag.
• Up smash deals less knockback.
• Down smash deals less damage.
• Down smash has reduced ending lag.

Aerial attacks

• Pikachu has a new neutral aerial: it releases an electric surge around itself in an all fours stance with its tail pointing upward, which hits multiple times, much like Mewtwo's neutral aerial. It has a better combo ability with much lower landing lag.
• Forward aerial deals more damage if all hits connect, with the last hit having more knockback.
• Back aerial has more startup.
• Back aerial ends much sooner with much less landing lag.
• Back aerial has an altered ending animation.
• Down aerial can meteor smash opponents.
• Down aerial has more endlag.

Throws/other attacks

• Forward throw has slightly more vertical knockback, which may help with edge guarding but hinder combos slightly.

• Up throw deals more damage.
• Up throw has slightly altered knockback, reducing its follow up potential.
• Down throw has the same knockback, but it also deals less damage.

Special Moves

• Aerial Thunder Jolt deals more damage. Thunder Jolt has slightly reduced start-up lag when used on the ground.
• Uncharged Skull Bash deals slightly more damage and bounces back when it hits.
• Skull Bash travels a shorter distance.
• Quick Attack now has an angle indicator to telegraph Pikachu's trajectory.
• Quick Attack deals slightly more knockback, launching opponents more effectively but reduces its combo potential.
• The electricity discharged when the lightning from Thunder strikes Pikachu is yellow rather than blue, and has Pikachu flash with a dark tint.
• Thunder is stronger, and deals more knockback.
• Thunder has more startup and endlag.
• Pikachu glows a bright yellow after zapping itself with Thunder.
• Volt Tackle now involves it dashing quickly forward while surrounded by a ball of electricity. If it connects, it speeds around the stage at different angles, racking up damage before launching opponents with an electric blast at the end of the move as the ball disappears.
  • If it misses, Pikachu can possibly self-destruct.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Official render of Pikachu Libre.

• 

  Female Pikachu taunting with Pokémon Trainer on Battlefield.

• 

  Performing its down tilt on Summit.

• 

  Dashing towards Mario on Tortimer Island.

• 

  Performing its down aerial above Diddy Kong on Arena Ferox.

• 

  Taunting while golden with Squirtle and Ivysaur on Pokémon Stadium 2.

• 

  Pikachu Libre using its down throw on Little Mac in the Boxing Ring.

• 

  Wearing a Rocket Belt alongside Pichu in Mario Galaxy.

• 

  With Pichu and Raichu on Yoshi's Island.

• 

  Pikachu, Link, Bowser and Inkling being attacked by Rathalos on Tortimer Island.

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

• This is the first time Pikachu was not the first Pokémon character to be explicitly announced for a new Smash title, with Mewtwo being confirmed before it.
• Pikachu's pose in its official artwork resembles its front sprite in the Generation III Pokémon games.
• In the E3 demo of the game, Pikachu's portrait, strangely, used its in-game model as opposed to the render made for it in the game. This was also the case with Link, Mario and Villager. This has since been fixed.