Ice Climbers

For fighter info, see Ice Climbers (SSBM) and Ice Climbers (SSBB).

Ice Climbers
Ice Climbers
Universe	Ice Climber
Debut	Ice Climber (1985)
Smash Bros. appearances	Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate
Console/platform of origin	Nintendo Entertainment System
Gender	Male (Popo) and female (Nana)
Designed by	Tadashi Sugiyama
Japanese voice actor	Sanae Kobayashi

The Ice Climbers are the pair of playable protagonists from the game Ice Climber, released in the pre-Super Mario Bros. era of NES games. When playing one player, the player plays as Popo. When playing two player in Ice Climber, player one plays as Popo, while player two plays as Nana. In both Melee and Brawl, color changes allow you to control Nana. Despite not being displayed, the cpu-controlled Climber in the Smash Bros. series does indeed have his or her own separate percentage or stamina counter.

Character description

Both of the Ice Climbers are young children, and small in size. They both wield wooden mallets, which they used to whack enemies and break icecubes. Both of them wear parkas; Popo's parka is blue while Nana's is pink. They can also be identified by the patch of hair exposed from their hoods. Relationship-wise, several fans believed them to be siblings, or even spouses, despite their young appearance, but according to Nintendo, the nature of their relationship is up to the player's imagination. (although it was said that Sakurai wanted them to be lovers during Melee's development.).

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

Main article: Ice Climbers (SSBM)

File:Iceclimbermelee.jpg

The Ice Climbers made their debut appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series in the GameCube installment, Super Smash Bros. Melee as a dual-controlled pair of fighters. They (as a singular entity) are one of the 14 default characters available from the start.

Their inclusion in Melee came as a bit of shock as they seemed quite out of place compared to the other characters featured in the initial trailer for the game. They were largely forgotten relics of the NES era, so to see Masahiro Sakurai include them in the game's roster (complete with a full 3-D makeover) alongside such major players as Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong was understandably confusing. As it turns out, they were selected over other considered retro characters (including Balloon Fighter) to be representatives of the NES period in Nintendo's history.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Main article: Ice Climbers (SSBB)

File:Iceclimbersbrawl.jpg

The Ice Climbers consist of Popo and Nana. They still fight as a pair with Nana following along. With Nana by your side moves are better than just being Popo. Both Ice Climbers can now hang on a ledge at the same time and their Down-Special in the air is no longer an auto-freeze. The Ice Climbers Final Smash consists of a large iceberg taking up a large portion of the screen. It deals damage to, and eventually freezes, those on or near it.

Trophy Info

The one in blue is Popo, and the one in pink is Nana. They use their incredible jumping powers and hammers to break blocks and climb to the summit. They grab veggies, and if they can catch the condor at the end, they conquer the mountain. Other than breaking blocks, their hammers are good for sending foes flying, climbing down from blocks, and destroying icicles.

• Ice Climber (1985)

Solid Snake Codec Conversation

• Snake: So those two are the Ice Climbers, huh?
• Mei Ling: Snake, have you ever heard of a "blood bond"?
• Snake: Sure.
• Mei Ling: It refers to a bond between two people that's so strong they'd die for each other. The Ice Climbers have conquered frozen glaciers and dangerous mountaintops together. I think they've formed a bond that we can't even fathom.
• Snake: I dunno. Seems to me they'd get in each others way fighting to see who gets to the top first.
• Mei Ling: Snake, in China they say, "Though brothers may quarrel at home, outside they defend each other from slight."
• Snake: Is that really a Chinese proverb?
• Mei Ling: Even though they may get in each other's way occasionally, they'll pull together in times of need. They're an inseparable team, Snake. Don't underestimate them!

Trivia

In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Ice Climbers appear to be left-handed, since they carry their hammers with their left hand and hold items in their right hand (Just like Link in the Zelda series).