Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. 4
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Ice Climbers: Difference between revisions

From SmashWiki, the Super Smash Bros. wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (Reverted edits by ZeldaStarfoxfan2164 (talk) to last version by 199.52.13.135.)
Tag: Rollback
(Added supplemental links)
Line 16: Line 16:
|artist = Tadashi Sugiyama
|artist = Tadashi Sugiyama
}}
}}
The '''Ice Climbers''' ({{ja|アイスクライマー|Aisu Kuraimā}}, ''Ice Climber'') are the pair of playable protagonists from the game ''{{B|Ice Climber|game}}'', released in the pre-''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' era of {{S|nwiki|NES}} games. When playing a one-player game, the player plays as '''Popo''' ({{ja|ポポ|Popo}}, ''Popo''). When playing a two-player game, player two plays as '''Nana''' ({{ja|ナナ|Nana}}, ''Nana''). In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, the player controls Popo by default, and certain [[alternate costumes]] will make Nana the leading, player-controlled climber. The other climber is [[CPU]]-controlled and follows the leader in both movement and attacks.
The '''Ice Climbers''' ({{ja|アイスクライマー|Aisu Kuraimā}}, ''Ice Climber'') are the titular protagonists of the game ''{{B|Ice Climber|game}}''. Individually, they are known as '''Popo''' ({{ja|ポポ|Popo}}, ''Popo'') and '''Nana''' ({{ja|ナナ|Nana}}, ''Nana''), and are differentiated from each other primarily via the color of their parkas. Together, the Ice Climbers seek to


In ''Smash'', the CPU-controlled Ice Climber has a separate [[damage|percentage]] or [[Hit points|stamina]] counter, though it is not displayed on-screen. This factor alone contributes to the Ice Climbers' extremely high learning curve, as players must ensure the safety of not one, but two characters at the same time.
The Ice Climbers made their ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series debut in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''. Although they returned in that capacity in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', they made a cameo as a [[trophy]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' before returning to a playable capacity in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.


==Origin==
==Origin==
''Ice Climber'' was one of the first NES games that allowed for two people to play simultaneously. Its playable characters are two climbers wearing color-coded parkas; a boy in blue named Popo, and a girl in pink named Nana. The Ice Climbers are depicted with cute, super-deformed proportions, and in their original game, it is ambiguous whether they are children or adults. They both wield wooden mallets, which they use to whack enemies and break ice cubes. Since hardware limitations originally limited the climbers to simple 8-bit sprites, their appearance in ''Melee'' gave them more elaborate designs, sporting eyes and blushes similar to [[Kirby]]. The two were also given unique hairstyles so that they can be distinguished within their [[alternate costume]]s.
''Ice Climber'' was one of the first NES games that allowed for two people to play simultaneously. Its playable characters are a pair of {{s|wikipedia|mountaineer}}s wearing color-coded parkas: a male in blue named Popo, and a female in pink named Nana.<ref name=NinPower/> Although hardware limitations originally limited them to simple 8-bit sprites, official artwork depicts them with [[wikipedia:Chibi (slang)|chibi]] proportions.<ref>[https://twitter.com/CoolBoxArt/status/844627241837449216 Cool Box Art on Twitter: "Ice Climber / Arcade flyer / Nintendo / 1985"]</ref><ref>[https://www.mobygames.com/game/nes/ice-climber/cover-art/gameCoverId,30281/ Ice Climber (1985) cover art] MobyGames</ref> The Ice Climbers both wield wooden mallets, which they use to break ice layers in order to further ascend each mountain, and to protect themselves by striking icicles or enemies like [[Topi]]s and [[Polar Bear]]s.<ref name=NinPower/> En route to a mountaintop, they can gain bonus points by collecting [[Vegetables (Ice Climber)|vegetables]] that are stolen by a [[condor]] at the beginning of each level.<ref name=NinPower/> Ultimately, the Ice Climbers must catch the condor in order to proceed to the next mountain.<ref name=NinPower/>


The relationship between Popo and Nana is deliberately vague, and was not elaborated on in ''Ice Climber''. Their ''Melee'' trophy mentions that they are "rarely seen apart", and in their [[Codec Conversations#Ice Climbers|codec conversation]], [[Mei Ling]] says that the Ice Climbers have a "blood bond"—a bond so unfathomably strong that they would die for each other. Some insight can be gleaned through related material; a brief shot in the [[opening]] of ''Melee'' features Nana and Popo high-fiving each other, with a small heart emerging from where their hands meet, and the Japanese title of [[Event 21: Ice Breaker]] roughly translates to "Those Who Interfere People's Romance". The Japanese homepage for ''Melee'', [[Smabura-Ken]], refers to them as "more than friends and less than lovers". Meanwhile, in issue 152 of ''Nintendo Power'', the duo are referred to as brother and sister.<ref>"Who are the Ice Climbers?" ''Nintendo Power'', issue number 152, January 2002, pg. 24, https://archive.org/details/NintendoPower1988-2004</ref>
Although ''Ice Climber'' did not give concise details about Popo and Nana, their subsequent appearances in the [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] have somewhat elaborated on their relationship. Initially, two specific instances in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' hinted at them being in a romantic relationship. Firstly, the [[opening movie]] features Popo and Nana high-fiving each other, with a small heart emerging from where their hands meet. Secondly, the Japanese title of [[Event 21: Ice Breaker]] roughly translates to "Those Who Interfere People's Romance".
 
However, a subsequent translation of the Ice Climbers' [[Smabura-Ken]] page revealed that [[Super Smash Bros. (series)|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] creator [[Masahiro Sakurai]] confirmed that their relationship is platonic by saying, "By the way, Popo and Nana are a childhood friends-like boy-and-girl pair. The "more than friends, but less than lovers" kind."<ref name=IciesMelee/> Much like Sakurai's explanation, the Ice Climbers' {{SSBM|Classic Mode}} [[trophy]] in ''Melee'' forgoes any romantic undertones, and instead simply mentions that "they're rarely seen apart."
 
Despite Sakurai's aforementioned explanation, issue 152 of ''Nintendo Power'' seemingly lost his comment in translation and instead referred to Popo and Nana as siblings.<ref name=NinPower>[https://archive.org/stream/NintendoPower1988-2004/Nintendo%20Power%20Issue%20152%20%28January%202002%29#page/n25/mode/2up "Who are the Ice Climbers?" ''Nintendo Power'', issue number 152, January 2002, pg. 24]</ref> Following this, ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' reaffirmed Sakurai's stance on the relationship both in-game and in supplemental material. The Ice Climbers' [[Smash Bros. DOJO!! (SSBB)|Smash Bros. DOJO!!]] page refers to them as friends in two instances while detailing their special moves.<ref name=IciesBrawl>[https://www.smashbros.com/wii/en_uk/characters/iceclimbers.html Smash Bros. DOJO!! - Ice Climbers]</ref> In addition, [[Solid Snake]]'s [[Codec Conversations#Ice Climbers|codec conversation regarding the Ice Climbers]] sees [[Mei Ling]] mention that Popo and Nana have a "[[wikipedia:Blood brother|blood bond]]", which is a long-standing custom practiced around the world that involves two unrelated people swearing loyalty to one another.
 
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''==
Although the Ice Climbers do not make any sort of appearance in ''Super Smash Bros.'', the game's Japanese website included them in a poll to gauge interest for potential playable characters in a sequel.<ref>[http://sourcegaming.info/2015/03/23/if-there-were-a-smash-2-poll/
If there was a Smash 2 Poll]</ref>


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''==
===As playable characters===
===As playable characters===
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBM)}}
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBM)}}
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBM.jpg|130px|thumb|The Ice Climbers as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.]]
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBM.jpg|130px|thumb|The Ice Climbers, as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.]]
The Ice Climbers made their debut appearance in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series as a dual-controlled pair of fighters. They (as a singular entity) are one of the 14 (15 if {{SSBM|Sheik}} is counted) default characters available from the start of the game. They are ranked 7th on the [[tier list]], in the B tier. They are infamously known in Melee for a strategy called "Wobbling," in which an Ice Climbers player can keep an opponent grabbed while dealing damage infinitely, leading to a single grab being an instant K.O.
The Ice Climbers make their ''Super Smash Bros.'' series debut in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' as [[newcomer]]s. They share a single spot on the roster despite consisting of two characters, and would be the first characters in the series to establish this format. Due to appearing in 3D for the first time, the Ice Climbers' designs were modified accordingly: they retained their chibi aesthetic from ''Ice Climber''{{'}}s official artwork, yet also gained distinct hairstyles in order to further differentiate them, alongside gloves, {{s|wikipedia|ice cleat}}s, and more detailed parkas.
 
According to [[Masahiro Sakurai]], the creator of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, he and the development team wished to include a character that originated on the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, Sakurai also stressed the importance of character selection additionally involving "things only that character can do".<ref name=IciesMelee>[https://sourcegaming.info/2015/09/09/meleeiceclimbersite/ News Flash! Smash Bros. Dojo: Ice Climbers] Source Gaming - September 9, 2015</ref><ref>[https://sourcegaming.info/2015/09/26/sakurai-on-character-choices/
Sakurai On: Character Choices]</ref> Ultimately, the Ice Climbers were selected over the [[Balloon Fighter]] from ''{{uv|Balloon Fight}}'', the main character from {{uvm|Urban Champion}}, {{h2|List of SSBM trophies (Others)|Bubbles}} from ''{{uv|Clu Clu Land}}'', and a biker from ''{{h2|List of SSBM trophies (Others)|Excitebike}}''.<ref name=IciesMelee/><ref>[https://sourcegaming.info/2015/03/30/smash-reader-response-page-9-meaning-behind-smash-logo-lip-ice-climbers-and-balloon-fight/ Smash Reader Response Page 9: Meaning behind Smash Logo, Lip, Ice Climbers and Balloon Fight]</ref> Sakurai explained that the other candidates failed in certain aspects in regard to feasibly becoming playable characters, whereas the Ice Climbers were selected because he and the development team were interested in using ''Ice Climber''{{'}}s simultaneous 2-player gameplay as the basis for the climbers' tag team playstyle.<ref name=IciesMelee/>
 
Like in ''Ice Climber'', Popo is the leading climber by default; however, the Ice Climbers' third and fourth [[alternate costume]]s will instead make Nana the leading climber. While the Ice Climbers boast the seventh highest jump, they are burdened with slow [[air speed|air]] and [[falling speed]]s as a reference to ''Ice Climber''.<ref name=IciesMelee/> Although they possess the second lowest [[traction]], this also grants them the second longest ranged [[wavedash]] that, when coupled with the disjointed ranges of their mallets, grants the Ice Climbers a formidable approach.
 
Unlike the rest of the cast, the Ice Climbers feature the player controlling the leading climber, while the partner climber is controlled via [[artificial intelligence]]. Although the partner climber does not share the leader's [[damage meter]], their CPU level scales with the amount of damage the leader has received.<ref>[https://smashboards.com/threads/what-level-is-nana.446242/#post-21685909 Smashboards post detailing Nana's CPU level]</ref> These mechanics result in the Ice Climbers possessing an extremely high learning curve, as players must ensure the safety and proper utilization of not one, but two characters at the same time.


They were selected over [[Balloon Fighter]] from ''{{uv|Balloon Fight}}'', the main character from {{uvm|Urban Champion}}, {{h2|List of SSBM trophies (Others)|Bubbles}} from ''{{uv|Clu Clu Land}}'', and the Biker from ''{{h2|List of SSBM trophies (Others)|Excitebike}}'', to be representatives of the Famicom/NES period in Nintendo's history.<ref>http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/1009/index.html</ref>
Although the Ice Climbers are [[Technical skill|technically]] demanding and require astute micromanaging, their tag team mechanics also grant them an exclusive [[advanced technique]] known as [[desyncing]]. Thanks to the vast utility provided by desyncing, as well as the considerable offensive potential provided by [[wobbling]] (another exclusive advanced technique that is derived from desyncing), the Ice Climbers are currently ranked 7th out of 26 on the [[tier list]]. This places them in the B tier, and posits them as high tier characters.
{{clrl}}
{{clrl}}


Line 51: Line 66:
===As playable characters===
===As playable characters===
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBB)}}
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBB)}}
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBB.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Ice Climbers, as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl.'']]
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBB.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The Ice Climbers, as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
The Ice Climbers return in ''Brawl'', in which they once again act as a two-in-one fighter. 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]], [[Iceberg]], consists of a large iceberg taking up a large portion of the screen. It deals damage and can freeze those on or near it. Players can still choose between Popo or Nana as the leader of the duo depending on which color of costume is chosen. The threat of the Ice Climbers' [[0-death]] [[chain grab]]s, together with the game's random [[tripping]], puts them in 2nd on the ''Brawl'' [[tier list]] in S tier, only behind {{SSBB|Meta Knight}}.
The Ice Climbers appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' as starter characters. As in ''Melee'', players can still choose between Popo or Nana as the leader of the duo, depending on which costume is chosen. Like their fellow [[veteran]]s, the Ice Climbers now have a [[Final Smash]]; in their case, it is [[Iceberg]], which fittingly consists of a large iceberg that occupies a large portion of the screen and inflicts damage and/or [[freeze]]s opponents.<ref name=IciesBrawl/>
 
Although ''Brawl''{{'}}s game engine removed [[wavedash]]ing and [[wobbling]], the Ice Climbers were nevertheless buffed in the transition to ''Brawl''. Compared to their appearance in ''Melee'', the partner climber's AI is smarter while separated from the leader. Most notably, the partner will be controlled by the player when the leader grabs an opponent. This, coupled with the modifications to their back and down throws, result in the Ice Climbers being among the handful of characters capable of [[zero-to-death]] [[chain grab]]s. On a similar note, the Ice Climbers' recovery has improved: [[Belay]] now functions as a [[tether recovery]], and both climbers can now hang on an edge at the same time.
 
Due to the combination of their buffs and largely retained strengths, the Ice Climbers are currently ranked 2nd out of 38 on the [[tier list]]. In addition to positioning them as top tier characters, this makes the Ice Climbers and {{SSBB|Meta Knight}} the only characters who are the sole occupants of their own respective tiers (S for the Ice Climbers and SS for Meta Knight).


===Trophy===
===Trophy===
[[File:Ice Climbers - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|left|100px|Ice Climbers trophy in ''Brawl''.]]
[[File:Ice Climbers - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|left|100px|The Ice Climbers' trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''.]]
'''Ice Climbers'''<br>
'''Ice Climbers'''<br>
''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.''
''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.''
Line 76: Line 95:


==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
The Ice Climbers are not playable in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. However, they do make a cameo as a collectible trophy. In a column for the Japanese gaming magazine ''Famitsu'', Masahiro Sakurai stated that technical limitations of the Nintendo 3DS prevented their inclusion; the two were reportedly difficult to implement on the system, and since the characters were unlikely to have a new game in their series, Sakurai deemed the Ice Climbers low-priority characters. While they would have been fully functional on the Wii U, Sakurai decided to cut them in order to keep the playable roster between the games identical.<ref>[http://nintendoeverything.com/sakurai-addresses-ice-climbers-absence-in-smash-bros-wii-u3ds-and-more-in-new-famitsu-column/ Sakurai addresses Ice Climbers’ absence in Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS and more in new Famitsu column] September 16, 2014 Nintendo Everything</ref>  
The Ice Climbers do not appear as playable characters in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''. According to [[Masahiro Sakurai]], the Ice Climbers were actually playable in {{forwiiu}}, but he and the development team were unable to make them function properly in {{for3ds}} because of the [[Nintendo 3DS]]' hardware limitations.<ref name=IciesCut>[https://sourcegaming.info/2015/07/09/i-answer-some-questions-sakurai-famitsu-column-vol-461-464/ "I Answer Some Questions" Sakurai Famitsu column vol. 461-464, on Ice Climbers, clones, and Smash Run]</ref> Sakurai also mentioned that the old age of the Ice Climbers' ''Melee'' frame data made it difficult to transfer said data to ''SSB4''.<ref name=IciesCut/>
 
Aside from functionality, Sakurai stated that the Ice Climbers were lower priority inclusions, due to them being an example of characters whose home series had little to no possibility of having a new installment.<ref name=IciesCut/> Altogether, these issues ultimately resulted in the Ice Climbers being cut as playable characters, and instead relegated to being a [[trophy]].<ref name=IciesCut/>  


===Trophy===
===Trophy===
Line 90: Line 111:
===As playable characters===
===As playable characters===
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBU)}}
{{Main|Ice Climbers (SSBU)}}
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBU.png|thumb|The Ice Climbers as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.]]
[[File:Ice Climbers SSBU.png|thumb|The Ice Climbers, as they appear in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.]]
The Ice Climbers return as playable characters in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', after having been absent from ''Super Smash Bros. 4.'' Unlike their previous appearances in the series, they are unlockable characters. The Ice Climbers in ''Ultimate'' are considered to be nerfed, as they can no longer wobble or chaingrab, in addition to having relatively poor mobility and range. However, they can still perform very complicated desync combos with very situational setups, which can lead to a K.O. relatively early.
The Ice Climbers return as playable characters in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. They were formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via ''Ultimate''{{'}}s E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L93H7YC-83o Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch]</ref> This marks their first playable appearance in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series in 10 years,<ref>[https://www.smashbros.com/en_US/blog/index.html?category=cat02_fighter_15 Super Smash Blog | 15: Ice Climbers]</ref> a distinction shared with {{SSBU|Wolf}}, {{SSBU|Snake}}, {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}}, {{SSBU|Squirtle}}, and {{SSBU|Ivysaur}}. Unlike their previous appearances, they are [[unlockable character]]s.
 
Although the Ice Climbers are still capable of [[desyncing]], the technique itself is more difficult to perform because of changes to the partner climber's [[artificial intelligence]] brought about at launch and via game updates. This is further compounded by the loss of [[chain grab]]bing as of ''SSB4'' and the partner climber no longer being capable of attacking when the leader has or is grabbed. While these changes have collectively resulted in the Ice Climbers being significantly nerfed, players such as {{Sm|Big D}}, {{Sm|Daiki}}, and {{Sm|????}} have nevertheless achieved respectable tournament results using them.
{{clear}}
{{clear}}


Line 102: Line 125:


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, the Ice Climbers are unaffected by icy terrain; however, in the ''Ice Climber'' game, they are affected by ice.
*The Ice Climbers' [[Target Smash!|Target Test]] in ''Melee'' is heavily based on the the gameplay of ''Ice Climber''.<ref name=NinPower/>
**This is likely due to the ''Smash Bros.'' series giving them cleated snowboots as part of their designs.
*In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, the Ice Climbers are unaffected by icy [[terrain]]. However, in ''Ice Climber'', they are affected by ice.
*In both ''[[Melee]]'' and ''[[Brawl]]'', the Ice Climbers appear to be left-handed, as they wield their hammers using their left hands. This is not the case in the in-game version of ''[[Ultimate]]'', in which they are shown to be ambidextrous - though they appear to be left-handed in the artwork.
**This is likely due to them gaining {{s|wikipedia|ice cleat}}s via their redesigns in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.
*The Ice Climbers are the only characters to have been cut after appearing as playable in multiple ''Super Smash Bros.'' titles.
*In both ''Melee'' and ''Brawl'', the Ice Climbers appear to be left-handed, as they wield their hammers using their left hands. Although they appear to be left-handed in their ''Ultimate'' artwork, they are actually ambidextrous during gameplay in ''Ultimate''.
**The Ice Climbers are one of two starter characters to be cut from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4'', with the other being [[Pokémon Trainer]].
*The Ice Climbers are the only characters to have been cut after appearing as playable characters in multiple ''Super Smash Bros.'' titles.
**The Ice Climbers and [[Snake]] are the only characters from single-character universes to be absent for a game before returning to the series.
**Nana is currently the only female character to have been cut.
**Nana is currently the only female fighter to have been cut from the series.
**They and [[Pokémon Trainer]] are the only starter characters to be cut from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''.
**The Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer are the only cut veterans who have trophies in ''SSB4'' that use their models from the previous ''Smash Bros.'' game.
***The Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer are also the only cut veterans who have trophies in ''SSB4'' that use their models from ''Brawl''.
*The Ice Climbers are the first playable character whose name starts with a vowel.
**They and [[Solid Snake]] are the only characters from single character universes to be absent for a game before returning to the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series.
*The Ice Climbers are the first playable characters whose name starts with a vowel.
*In Germany, Popo is named Pèpè, as "Popo" can mean buttocks in German.
*In Germany, Popo is named Pèpè, as "Popo" can mean buttocks in German.
*In terms of game releases, Nana is the oldest playable female character, being older than [[Peach]], who debuted in ''Super Mario Bros.'' 7 months later.
*Due to ''Ice Climber'' debuting 7 months before ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario Bros.}}'', Nana is the oldest playable female character, followed by [[Princess Peach]].
*In Palutena's Guidance, Pit suggests that the Ice Climbers were kicked from ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' for illegal teaming; while the duo worked fine on {{forwiiu}}, Sakurai was not able to get them to work in {{for3ds}} because of their mechanic.
*During [[Palutena's Guidance#Ice Climbers|Palutena's Guidance regarding the Ice Climbers]], {{SSBU|Pit}} assumes that their absence in ''SSB4'' was due to illegal teaming. This dialogue is a humorous reference to the Ice Climbers being cut due to the consistent technical issues that Masahiro Sakurai and the development team faced when attempting to make them function properly in {{for3ds}}.
*Nana and Popo, when they are the partner, are the only characters that can dash through other characters in ''Ultimate''.
*When functioning as the partner climber, Popo and Nana are the only characters capable of [[dash]]ing through other characters in ''Ultimate''.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 03:26, April 13, 2020

For fighter info, see Ice Climbers (SSBM), Ice Climbers (SSBB), and Ice Climbers (SSBU).
Ice Climbers
File:Ics.PNG
IceClimberSymbol.svg

The in-game sprites of Popo and Nana from Ice Climber.

Universe Ice Climber
Debut Ice Climber (1985)
Smash Bros. appearances Melee
Brawl
SSB4
Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance WarioWare Gold (2018, cameo)
Console/platform of origin Nintendo Entertainment System
Species Humans
Gender Male (Popo)
Female (Nana)
Place of origin Infinite Glacier
Designed by Tadashi Sugiyama
Voice actor Sanae Kobayashi

The Ice Climbers (アイスクライマー, Ice Climber) are the titular protagonists of the game Ice Climber. Individually, they are known as Popo (ポポ, Popo) and Nana (ナナ, Nana), and are differentiated from each other primarily via the color of their parkas. Together, the Ice Climbers seek to

The Ice Climbers made their Super Smash Bros. series debut in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Although they returned in that capacity in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, they made a cameo as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4 before returning to a playable capacity in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Origin

Ice Climber was one of the first NES games that allowed for two people to play simultaneously. Its playable characters are a pair of mountaineers wearing color-coded parkas: a male in blue named Popo, and a female in pink named Nana.[1] Although hardware limitations originally limited them to simple 8-bit sprites, official artwork depicts them with chibi proportions.[2][3] The Ice Climbers both wield wooden mallets, which they use to break ice layers in order to further ascend each mountain, and to protect themselves by striking icicles or enemies like Topis and Polar Bears.[1] En route to a mountaintop, they can gain bonus points by collecting vegetables that are stolen by a condor at the beginning of each level.[1] Ultimately, the Ice Climbers must catch the condor in order to proceed to the next mountain.[1]

Although Ice Climber did not give concise details about Popo and Nana, their subsequent appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series have somewhat elaborated on their relationship. Initially, two specific instances in Super Smash Bros. Melee hinted at them being in a romantic relationship. Firstly, the opening movie features Popo and Nana high-fiving each other, with a small heart emerging from where their hands meet. Secondly, the Japanese title of Event 21: Ice Breaker roughly translates to "Those Who Interfere People's Romance".

However, a subsequent translation of the Ice Climbers' Smabura-Ken page revealed that Super Smash Bros. series creator Masahiro Sakurai confirmed that their relationship is platonic by saying, "By the way, Popo and Nana are a childhood friends-like boy-and-girl pair. The "more than friends, but less than lovers" kind."[4] Much like Sakurai's explanation, the Ice Climbers' Classic Mode trophy in Melee forgoes any romantic undertones, and instead simply mentions that "they're rarely seen apart."

Despite Sakurai's aforementioned explanation, issue 152 of Nintendo Power seemingly lost his comment in translation and instead referred to Popo and Nana as siblings.[1] Following this, Super Smash Bros. Brawl reaffirmed Sakurai's stance on the relationship both in-game and in supplemental material. The Ice Climbers' Smash Bros. DOJO!! page refers to them as friends in two instances while detailing their special moves.[5] In addition, Solid Snake's codec conversation regarding the Ice Climbers sees Mei Ling mention that Popo and Nana have a "blood bond", which is a long-standing custom practiced around the world that involves two unrelated people swearing loyalty to one another.

In Super Smash Bros.

Although the Ice Climbers do not make any sort of appearance in Super Smash Bros., the game's Japanese website included them in a poll to gauge interest for potential playable characters in a sequel.[6]

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

As playable characters

Main article: Ice Climbers (SSBM)
The Ice Climbers, as they appear in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

The Ice Climbers make their Super Smash Bros. series debut in Super Smash Bros. Melee as newcomers. They share a single spot on the roster despite consisting of two characters, and would be the first characters in the series to establish this format. Due to appearing in 3D for the first time, the Ice Climbers' designs were modified accordingly: they retained their chibi aesthetic from Ice Climber's official artwork, yet also gained distinct hairstyles in order to further differentiate them, alongside gloves, ice cleats, and more detailed parkas.

According to Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the Super Smash Bros. series, he and the development team wished to include a character that originated on the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, Sakurai also stressed the importance of character selection additionally involving "things only that character can do".[4][7] Ultimately, the Ice Climbers were selected over the Balloon Fighter from Balloon Fight, the main character from Urban Champion, Bubbles from Clu Clu Land, and a biker from Excitebike.[4][8] Sakurai explained that the other candidates failed in certain aspects in regard to feasibly becoming playable characters, whereas the Ice Climbers were selected because he and the development team were interested in using Ice Climber's simultaneous 2-player gameplay as the basis for the climbers' tag team playstyle.[4]

Like in Ice Climber, Popo is the leading climber by default; however, the Ice Climbers' third and fourth alternate costumes will instead make Nana the leading climber. While the Ice Climbers boast the seventh highest jump, they are burdened with slow air and falling speeds as a reference to Ice Climber.[4] Although they possess the second lowest traction, this also grants them the second longest ranged wavedash that, when coupled with the disjointed ranges of their mallets, grants the Ice Climbers a formidable approach.

Unlike the rest of the cast, the Ice Climbers feature the player controlling the leading climber, while the partner climber is controlled via artificial intelligence. Although the partner climber does not share the leader's damage meter, their CPU level scales with the amount of damage the leader has received.[9] These mechanics result in the Ice Climbers possessing an extremely high learning curve, as players must ensure the safety and proper utilization of not one, but two characters at the same time.

Although the Ice Climbers are technically demanding and require astute micromanaging, their tag team mechanics also grant them an exclusive advanced technique known as desyncing. Thanks to the vast utility provided by desyncing, as well as the considerable offensive potential provided by wobbling (another exclusive advanced technique that is derived from desyncing), the Ice Climbers are currently ranked 7th out of 26 on the tier list. This places them in the B tier, and posits them as high tier characters.

Trophy

Main article: List of SSBM trophies (Ice Climber series)

Ice Climbers
That's Popo in the blue and Nana in the pink. These two stars of the game Ice Climber have scaled many an icy summit in their mountaineering careers. Back in their glory days, they chased eggplants, cucumbers, and other vegetables that inexplicably fell from frosty summits when a condor reigned supreme. They're rarely seen apart.

  • Ice Climber, 10/85 (NES)
  • Ice Climbers [Classic Mode] trophy

    Ice Climbers [Classic Mode] trophy

  • Ice Climbers [Ice Climbers, Adventure Mode] trophy

    Ice Climbers [Ice Climbers, Adventure Mode] trophy

  • Ice Climbers [Ice Climbers, All-Star Mode] trophy

    Ice Climbers [Ice Climbers, All-Star Mode] trophy

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

As playable characters

Main article: Ice Climbers (SSBB)
The Ice Climbers, as they appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

The Ice Climbers appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as starter characters. As in Melee, players can still choose between Popo or Nana as the leader of the duo, depending on which costume is chosen. Like their fellow veterans, the Ice Climbers now have a Final Smash; in their case, it is Iceberg, which fittingly consists of a large iceberg that occupies a large portion of the screen and inflicts damage and/or freezes opponents.[5]

Although Brawl's game engine removed wavedashing and wobbling, the Ice Climbers were nevertheless buffed in the transition to Brawl. Compared to their appearance in Melee, the partner climber's AI is smarter while separated from the leader. Most notably, the partner will be controlled by the player when the leader grabs an opponent. This, coupled with the modifications to their back and down throws, result in the Ice Climbers being among the handful of characters capable of zero-to-death chain grabs. On a similar note, the Ice Climbers' recovery has improved: Belay now functions as a tether recovery, and both climbers can now hang on an edge at the same time.

Due to the combination of their buffs and largely retained strengths, the Ice Climbers are currently ranked 2nd out of 38 on the tier list. In addition to positioning them as top tier characters, this makes the Ice Climbers and Meta Knight the only characters who are the sole occupants of their own respective tiers (S for the Ice Climbers and SS for Meta Knight).

Trophy

The Ice Climbers' trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Ice Climbers
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.

NES: Ice Climber

Sticker

Name Game Effect Characters
Nana Ice Climber AttackSpecialsDirect+029Specials: Direct Attack +29 Ice ClimbersIce Climbers (SSBB)
Brawl Sticker Nana (Ice Climber).png
Nana
(Ice Climber)

In Super Smash Bros. 4

The Ice Climbers do not appear as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. 4. According to Masahiro Sakurai, the Ice Climbers were actually playable in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but he and the development team were unable to make them function properly in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS because of the Nintendo 3DS' hardware limitations.[10] Sakurai also mentioned that the old age of the Ice Climbers' Melee frame data made it difficult to transfer said data to SSB4.[10]

Aside from functionality, Sakurai stated that the Ice Climbers were lower priority inclusions, due to them being an example of characters whose home series had little to no possibility of having a new installment.[10] Altogether, these issues ultimately resulted in the Ice Climbers being cut as playable characters, and instead relegated to being a trophy.[10]

Trophy

Main article: List of SSB4 trophies (Others)
The Ice Climbers' trophy in Super Smash Bros. 4.
Ice Climbers
Ntsc This pair of adventurers starred in an action game released in 1985. Popo wears blue, and Nana wears red. The goal of their adventure was to reach the top of the mountain, collecting vegetables and defeating animals along the way. Grabbing the condor earned them a nice bonus too!
Pal Popo (in blue) and Nana (in pink) are the daring adventurers from the two-player platformer Ice Climber, released in Europe in 1986. In that game, your goal is to head up a mountain, breaking blocks and taking out pesky critters along the way. When you get to the top, you can collect veg and grab on to the condor to get bonus points! Nice!
NES: Ice Climber (10/1985)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As playable characters

Main article: Ice Climbers (SSBU)
The Ice Climbers, as they appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The Ice Climbers return as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. They were formally announced alongside the rest of the cast via Ultimate's E3 2018 trailer on June 12th, 2018.[11] This marks their first playable appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series in 10 years,[12] a distinction shared with Wolf, Snake, Pokémon Trainer, Squirtle, and Ivysaur. Unlike their previous appearances, they are unlockable characters.

Although the Ice Climbers are still capable of desyncing, the technique itself is more difficult to perform because of changes to the partner climber's artificial intelligence brought about at launch and via game updates. This is further compounded by the loss of chain grabbing as of SSB4 and the partner climber no longer being capable of attacking when the leader has or is grabbed. While these changes have collectively resulted in the Ice Climbers being significantly nerfed, players such as Big D, Daiki, and ???? have nevertheless achieved respectable tournament results using them.

Spirit

  • 606. Ice Climbers

    606. Ice Climbers

Trivia

  • The Ice Climbers' Target Test in Melee is heavily based on the the gameplay of Ice Climber.[1]
  • In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Ice Climbers are unaffected by icy terrain. However, in Ice Climber, they are affected by ice.
    • This is likely due to them gaining ice cleats via their redesigns in the Super Smash Bros. series.
  • In both Melee and Brawl, the Ice Climbers appear to be left-handed, as they wield their hammers using their left hands. Although they appear to be left-handed in their Ultimate artwork, they are actually ambidextrous during gameplay in Ultimate.
  • The Ice Climbers are the only characters to have been cut after appearing as playable characters in multiple Super Smash Bros. titles.
    • Nana is currently the only female character to have been cut.
    • They and Pokémon Trainer are the only starter characters to be cut from Brawl to SSB4.
      • The Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer are also the only cut veterans who have trophies in SSB4 that use their models from Brawl.
    • They and Solid Snake are the only characters from single character universes to be absent for a game before returning to the Super Smash Bros. series.
  • The Ice Climbers are the first playable characters whose name starts with a vowel.
  • In Germany, Popo is named Pèpè, as "Popo" can mean buttocks in German.
  • Due to Ice Climber debuting 7 months before Super Mario Bros., Nana is the oldest playable female character, followed by Princess Peach.
  • During Palutena's Guidance regarding the Ice Climbers, Pit assumes that their absence in SSB4 was due to illegal teaming. This dialogue is a humorous reference to the Ice Climbers being cut due to the consistent technical issues that Masahiro Sakurai and the development team faced when attempting to make them function properly in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
  • When functioning as the partner climber, Popo and Nana are the only characters capable of dashing through other characters in Ultimate.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Who are the Ice Climbers?" Nintendo Power, issue number 152, January 2002, pg. 24
  2. ^ Cool Box Art on Twitter: "Ice Climber / Arcade flyer / Nintendo / 1985"
  3. ^ Ice Climber (1985) cover art MobyGames
  4. ^ a b c d e News Flash! Smash Bros. Dojo: Ice Climbers Source Gaming - September 9, 2015
  5. ^ a b Smash Bros. DOJO!! - Ice Climbers
  6. ^ [http://sourcegaming.info/2015/03/23/if-there-were-a-smash-2-poll/ If there was a Smash 2 Poll]
  7. ^ [https://sourcegaming.info/2015/09/26/sakurai-on-character-choices/ Sakurai On: Character Choices]
  8. ^ Smash Reader Response Page 9: Meaning behind Smash Logo, Lip, Ice Climbers and Balloon Fight
  9. ^ Smashboards post detailing Nana's CPU level
  10. ^ a b c d "I Answer Some Questions" Sakurai Famitsu column vol. 461-464, on Ice Climbers, clones, and Smash Run
  11. ^ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - E3 2018 - Nintendo Switch
  12. ^ Super Smash Blog | 15: Ice Climbers


v • d • e
Playable characters
Super Smash Bros. Captain Falcon · Donkey Kong · Fox · Jigglypuff · Kirby · Link · Luigi · Mario · Ness · Pikachu · Samus · Yoshi
New in Melee Bowser · Dr. Mario · Falco · Ganondorf · Ice Climbers · Marth · Mewtwo · Mr. Game & Watch · Peach · Pichu · Roy · Sheik · Young Link · Zelda
New in Brawl Diddy Kong · Ike · King Dedede · Lucario · Lucas · Meta Knight · Olimar (Pikmin) · Pit · Pokémon Trainer (Squirtle · Ivysaur · Charizard) · R.O.B. · Snake · Sonic · Toon Link · Wario · Wolf · Zero Suit Samus
New in Smash 4 (Alph) · Bayonetta · Bowser Jr. (Koopalings) · Cloud · Corrin · Dark Pit · Duck Hunt · Greninja · Little Mac · Lucina · Mega Man · Mii Brawler · Mii Gunner · Mii Swordfighter · Pac-Man · Palutena · Robin · Rosalina & Luma · Ryu · Shulk · Villager · Wii Fit Trainer
New in Ultimate Banjo & Kazooie · Byleth · Chrom · Daisy · Dark Samus · Hero · Incineroar · Inkling · Isabelle · Joker · Kazuya · Ken · King K. Rool · Min Min · Mythra · Piranha Plant · Pyra · Richter · Ridley · Sephiroth · Simon · Sora · Steve (Alex, Zombie, Enderman) · Terry
v • d • e
Ice Climber (universe) Ice Climber universe
Fighter Ice Climbers (SSBM · SSBB · SSBU)
Stages Icicle Mountain · Summit
Items Vegetables
Enemies Polar Bear · Topi
Other Condor
Trophies, Stickers and Spirits Trophies (SSBM · SSBB) · Stickers · Spirits
Music Brawl · Ultimate
Masterpiece Ice Climber
Retrieved from "https://www.ssbwiki.com/index.php?title=Ice_Climbers&oldid=1403979"