Ness (SSBU)

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Ness in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	EarthBound
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	PK Starstorm

“	Ness has a variety of moves, from long-range attacks using psychic powers known as "PSI," to short-range attacks with his bat and yo-yo. Ness can also unleash PK Thunder, a guided attack that can launch him like a rocket or help him recover!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Ness (ネス, Ness) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was revealed along with all other previous fighters on June 12, 2018. Ness is classified as fighter #10.

Makiko Ōmoto reprises her role as Ness through archived voice recordings from Super Smash Bros. 4.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Ness being the first character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Kirby or any character in his unlock tree, being the first character unlocked.
• Have Ness join the player's party in World of Light.

With the exception of the third method, Ness must then be defeated on Onett.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

While he had already grown stronger in the previous two installments in the Super Smash Bros. series, Ness was buffed significantly for his appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Among his most notable buffs are his increased damage output, his enhanced movement speed, and his expanded variety of zoning tools, which now include his yo-yo smashes and his special moves. Ness also has better range and can wall out characters with poor range.

However, Ness did get some small nerfs. His up aerial has a smaller hitbox (although it can now be used as a drag down aerial to extend combos to make up for this), and PK Thunder 2 has less killpower than before.

In spite of his negligible nerfs, his buffs to his aerial and edge-guarding games and airdodge mechanics changes have made Ness a more viable and frightening fighter than his previous iterations; the extent of the threat Ness poses on the battlefield, however, has still yet to be determined.

Aesthetics

• Ness' model features a more subdued color scheme, and some of the detailing on his clothes and weapons are more prominent, such as the stitching on his socks.
• Ness always faces the screen regardless of which direction he turns, causing his animations to be mirrored.
• The text on his yo-yo now reads "SUPER NINTENDO 2018 MOTHER". The yo-yo also produces trailing aftereffects when in motion.
• Many of his PSI moves now have their respective PSI graphics from EarthBound.
• Ness's eyes bulge and grow more circular when he is hit or frozen.
• Ness is much angrier in battle than he was in the previous installment.
• Ness's dash animation is different; he now bounces slightly when dashing.
• Ness has a new idle animation where he bounces in place with his arms to the side.
• His air dodge now resembles its Melee iteration more closely.
• Ness' victory poses have been slightly altered:
  • When Ness poses with his bat, he swings his bat only once instead of multiple times.
  • Ness skips into the victory area instead of hopping in place.
  • He has a more astonished expression during his look-about victory pose.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Ness's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete (down from 5).
• Ness runs faster (1.46265 → 1.609).
  • Ness's initial dash is faster (1.3 → 1.826).
• Ness walks slightly faster (0.8635 → 0.907).
• Ness's air speed is higher (0.9588 → 1.007).
• Ness jumps higher.
• The new air dodge mechanics significantly improve Ness' edgeguarding with PK Thunder, allowing him to pressure opponents more reliably and force them to spend their air dodge, leaving them open to punishes.
• Ness can use the directional air dodge to recover instead of using PK Thunder, giving him a potent recovery mixup if he's close enough to ledge.
• Conversely, the new airdodge mechanics also render Ness more vulnerable than ever to edgeguarding.

Ground Attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • Neutral attack connects more reliably.
  • Neutral attack deals slightly less damage.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals more damage.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less startup (7 → 5).
  • Up tilt has less endlag (FAF 32 → 29).
  • Up tilt has a larger hitbox, extending its horizontal range.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has an altered animation, instead of kicking fully crouched, he now gets up slightly and kicks.
  • Down tilt deals more damage.
  • Down tilt has less endlag (FAF 14 → 12).
  • Down tilt no longer has an increased chance to trip opponents.
• Up smash and down smash once again have their pre-SSB4 spool-up hitboxes. The yo-yo can also hang below the ledge, improving Ness's edge-guarding abilities significantly.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash deals significantly more knockback, allowing it to KO much earlier.
  • Up smash deals more shield damage.
  • Up smash comes out later (frame 6 → 10), no longer hitting behind Ness.
  • Up smash has less ending lag (FAF 56 → 53).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash comes out later (frame 10 → 12).

Aerial Attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (Neutral: frame 18 → 8, Forward: 20 → 12, Back: 17 → 10, Up: 14 → 8, Down: 28 → 12).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Ness now emits PSI from his hands to indicate the move's increased range. It also produces a magical sound effect.
  • Neutral aerial has increased range.
  • Neutral aerial now has disjointed hitboxes.
  • Neutral aerial deals more knockback, making it a more reliable KO move.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial deals more damage, 1% → 1.5% (multihit), 4% → 5.5% (final hit).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial is now a different move that has Ness waving his hand in an arc over his head while emitting PSI from his index finger, hitting 5 times.
  • Up aerial has significantly reduced horizontal range.
  • Up aerial now has worse KO potential.
  • Up aerial deals more damage when all hits connect.
  • The first four hits of the up aerial have minuscule knockback, allowing for combos at a wide range of percentages.
  • Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 34).
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has reduced ending lag (FAF 60 → 55) and its animation is faster overall.
  • Down aerial is much stronger, with its knockback now being more in line with other meteor smashes.
  • Down aerial autocancels sooner, allowing Ness to auto-cancel it out of a shorthop much like it could in earlier Smash titles. This grants the move combo potential and greatly improves its utility.

Throws/other attacks

• Ness now grabs and pummels his opponents using PSI with accompanying sound effects.
• Grab:
  • Standing grab has increased ending lag (FAF 35 → 38).
  • Dash grab has more startup (frame 8 → 9) and more ending lag (FAF 43 → 46).
• Pummel:
  • Pummel deals slightly more damage.
  • Pummel is slower.
• Down throw has slightly more ending lag (FAF 50 → 51) and the opponent is launched earlier (frame 30 → 28), reducing its combo potential and its safety in doubles.
  • While the total damage is unchanged, the hits are spread out differently going from 0.6% (hits 1-5), 4% (throw) to 0.5% (hits 1-3), 1.5% (hit 4), 4% (throw).

Special moves

• PK Flash:
  • PK Flash has a more aquamarine colour and emits its respective EarthBound graphic upon detonating.
  • PK Flash travels faster.
  • PK Flash can now travel through soft and semisoft platforms and no longer dissipates upon making contact with hard platforms and can instead be held on the ground until the move is fully charged.
  • PK Flash's explosion has more active frames.
  • PK Flash no longer causes helplessness when used in the air, this helps Ness to punish enemies near the edge that try to edgeguard him, being able to recover more safely.
  • PK Flash deals less knockback.
  • PK Flash has a smaller hitbox without charge.
• PK Fire:
  • Ness now uses one hand to fire the projectile while emitting a red spark from his index finger. Diamond-shaped PSI energy also rises up within the fire pillar, resembling PK Fire's graphics from EarthBound.
  • PK Fire has less startup (21 → 18), endlag (FAF 59 → 56) and much less landing lag (30 → 12).
    • The spark is bigger and does more damage on its initial hit (4% → 6%).
  • Due to its improved rehit rate, the flame pillar engulfs opponents more reliably.
  • PK Fire pushes Ness back slightly, similar to Lucas's PK Fire.
• PK Thunder:
  • PK Thunder more closely resemble its appearance in EarthBound.
  • PK Thunder now has an angle indicator when the ball of lighting moves close to Ness. While this allows for the player to more accurately determine the trajectory Ness will travel during PK Thunder 2, it also makes the trajectory much more predictable to opponents.
  • PK Thunder 2 now triggers Special Zoom upon hitting an opponent.
  • PK Thunder now has a window of intangibility during its startup frames.
  • PK Thunder deals more damage (8% → 11%).
  • PK Thunder 2 travels further.
  • PK Thunder 2 has more intangibility frames during the move, significantly improving its safety against counterattacks.
  • The window for using PK Thunder again after bouncing against a wall is much bigger.
• PSI Magnet:
  • PSI Magnet more closely resembles its appearance in EarthBound and features a visible suction effect around the magnet.
  • PSI Magnet has less start-up (10 → 7) and less endlag (FAF 30 → 25).
  • PSI Magnet no longer halts Ness's horizontal momentum in the air, now functioning as it did in Brawl, significantly improving Ness' movement options.
  • PSI Magnet now has a weak hitbox on startup and deals damage to opponents who enter it. This lingering hitbox can destroy weak projectiles, improving its safety when used for absorption.
  • Thanks to all the changes mentioned above, Ness can use PSI Magnet in combos.
• Final Smash:
  • PK Starstorm summons slower meteors that spread out over the stage, similar to its Brawl iteration. Paula and Poo now accompany Ness during the move. PK Starstorm particle effects from EarthBound accompany each meteor, and the Sound Stone's background pattern appears in the stage's background.
  • However, unlike in Brawl, PK Starstorm can be angled slightly left or right via the control stick, similar to its Smash 4 iteration.
  • Ness no longer sinks downward while channeling PK Starstorm while airborne. In addition, if this Final Smash was initiated while in the air, Ness is propelled upward a moderate amount. This can assist in recovery.

Moveset

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

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			2.4%	Punches twice, then kicks. The first hit can lock at low percents.
			1.8%
			4.8%
Forward tilt	↗		12%	A roundhouse kick. Can be angled, making it deal 1% more damage. It can also lock at low percents.
	→		12%
	↘		12%
Up tilt			8.4% (arms) 6% (hands)	Pushes upward with both hands that produces a PSI spark. Has a sourpot located on his hands that deals 5%.
Down tilt			5.4% (foot), 3.6% (toes)	A swift shin kick. Extremely spammable and can be used to jab reset. Has a sourspot located on the tip of his foot.
Dash attack			4.8%/3% (hit 1), 8.4% (hit 1 aerial), 2.4% (hit 2), 4.8% (hit 3)	Sends three PSI sparks out in front of him with the third spark knocking the opponent up into the air. The first spark deals more damage to aerial targets. Good to set up juggles and pressuring from afar. Difficult to punish on shield if only the last hit connects.
Forward smash		Batter Up!	21.6% (low), 27.2% (mid), 36.9% (tip), 2× damage (reflected projectiles)	Swings his bat. It is the second strongest forward smash in the game when sweetspotted at the tip of the bat and still one of the strongest forward smashes when untippered, but it has some start-up and ending lag. The bat itself will reflect incoming projectiles when he swings it. However, reflecting a projectile that is too strong to reflect will result in Ness experiencing five full seconds of ending lag, although this is uncommon since it requires a strong projectile to be reflected multiple times.
Up smash		Around the World	15.6%-18.7%	Sends his yo-yo forward and performs "around-the-world" over himself. A decent anti-air and a good out of shield option.It has a hitbox while charging.
Down smash			1% (hit 1, front and back) 1% (hit 2, front and back) 10% (hit 3, front and back)	Sends his yo-yo backwards and "walk-the-dog" with it before pulling the yo-yo back. Covers get up options well, but cannot connect well if the opponent is at the longest range of the move.
Neutral aerial			11% (clean), 7% (late)	Spins diagonally in the air with his arms outstretched. Quick, and acts like a sex kick. Can be followed-up after a down throw. Rather useful to break combos and as an out of shield option. Autocancels from a short hop.
Forward aerial			1% (hit 1-3) 4% (hit 4)	Sticks his palms out, sending a stream of PSI sparks in front of him. Decently safe on shield if Ness retreats during the attack, useful to start and continue combos. Autocancels from a short hop.
Back aerial			18% (clean), 9.6% (late)	Ness kicks out backwards with both feet. The initial hit is immensely strong, KOing at 125% onstage and even lower at the ledge. Autocancels from a short hop.
Up aerial			?%	?
Down aerial			14.4% (sweetspot), 12.2% (sourspot)	Pulls his legs to his body before stomping down into the air, producing a PSI spark. This attack can meteor smash on the first frame. It has slow start up, as it comes out on frame 20 and has lots of landing lag (28 frames). It only autocancels before the hitbox comes out, making it useful to cancel the tumble animation when Ness is near the ground.
Grab			—	Grabs with both hands. Fast, but below average range.
Pummel			1.5%	H
Forward throw			13.2%	Psychokinetically swings his opponent in a small circle in front of himself before sending them off forward. Very high base knockback, but incredibly low knockback scaling, which gives it little to no KO potential even after Sudden Death percentages. It is useful for setting up an edgeguard, however.
Back throw		Reverse PK Throw	13.2%	Psychokinetically swings the opponent over his head before sending them off backwards, in a diagonally upwards motion. Possesses very low base knockback but incredibly high knockback scaling, making it the strongest throw in the entire game, KOing even the heaviest characters with optimal DI at 122% near the ledge without rage.
Up throw			12%	Psychokinetically spins the opponent above his head before sending them up. Leaves the opponent in an unfavorable position where they can be juggled, most commonly by PK Thunder.
Down throw			0.6% (hits 1-5), 4% (throw)	Throws the opponent onto the ground and scorches them with PK Fire. A strong combo starter, having guaranteed follow-ups into neutral aerial, forward aerial and up aerial.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%
Edge attack Edge getups			7%	Flips onto the stage and does a sweep kick.
Neutral special		PK Flash	9%-37%	A green plasma-like energy projectile appears above Ness. As the special attack button is held, the sphere moves downwards and increases in power, until the attack button is released or until it is fully charged, it explodes. Can KO as low 37% fully charged.
Side special		PK Fire	4% (lightning), 2% (fire)	Fires a yellow, lightning-bolt shaped projectile, that travels in a straight line until it hits an enemy or destructible portion of a stage, at which point it explodes into a gradually-fading pillar of fire, making said enemy vulnerable. Fires at a downward 50 degree angle if used in the air.
Up special		PK Thunder	8% (PK Thunder), 1% (Thunder's tail), 25% (PK Thunder 2 initial hitbox), 21% (PK Thunder 2 late hitbox)	Creates a stream of lightning that can be aimed into opponents to deal damage with the head and stun with the tail. Aiming the head into Ness himself will launch him in a trajectory opposite to the side he was hit on, which is referred to as PK Thunder 2. PK Thunder 2 has invincibility frames during the first half of the move. Ness' recovery move, but it can be easily gimped during startup.
Down special		PSI Magnet	4%	A purple energy field around him which allows him to absorb any energy-based projectile (like Samus' Charge Shot). It can be held in order to use it repeatedly. Heals 1.6× the damage Ness would have taken, but only heals a maximum of 30% damage.
Final Smash		PK Starstorm	8% per hit	Summons stars to fall from the sky to annihilate his enemies. The comets descend in a straight line over Ness and can sweep the screen with directional inputs to the left and right.

Classic Mode: Home to Onett!

Ness fights opponents largely based on his journey in EarthBound in reverse from Magicant to Onett.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music	Notes
1	Ness	Magicant	Magicant (for 3DS / Wii U)	The opponent has his 5th alternate costume equipped
2	Lucas	New Pork City	You Call This a Utopia?!
3	3 R.O.B.s	Fourside	Fourside
4	Sheik	Gerudo Valley	Bein' Friends
5	2 Dark Toon Links	Luigi's Mansion	Unfounded Revenge / Smashing Song of Praise
6	Villager and Isabelle	Onett	Onett Theme / Winters Theme
Bonus Stage
Final	Master Hand	Final Destination	Master Hand (Less than 7.0 intensity) Master Hand / Crazy Hand (7.0 or higher intensity)	Crazy Hand teams up with Master Hand on Intensity 7.0 or higher.

Note: Every stage plays a track from the EarthBound universe, no matter what universe the stage originates from.

Role in World of Light

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

The imprisoned Ness can be found in a pink cloud area reminiscent of Magicant.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Ness' fighter card.

• 

  Ness idling on the Bridge of Eldin.

• 

  Performing his up smash on Kalos Pokémon League.

• 

  Performing PK Flash on Frigate Orpheon.

• 

  Throwing Fox on Tortimer Island.

• 

  Crouching next to Jeff in Onett.

• 

  Dashing in Smashville.

• 

  Dodging Bowser's Bowser Bomb with Ike on Gaur Plain.

• 

  Diddy Kong trying to steal Ness' banana on Moray Towers.

• 

  Ness crouching under a Bomber next to Ganondorf on Gaur Plain.

• 

  Ness striking Bowser Jr. with Death's Scythe on Yoshi's Story.

• 

  Expelled by a Super Launch Star on Yoshi's Island.

• 

  Frozen by Alolan Vulpix on Tortimer Island.

• 

  Taunting in Onett.

• 

  Ness being teleported away by Abra on Arena Ferox.

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

• Ness is the only one of the four original unlockable characters from Smash 64 to be playable in the E3 demo.
  • Ness is also the only one to appear on the box art. However, Captain Falcon is featured in the full group artwork.
• Ultimate is the first Smash game where Ness does not receive any new voice clips.