Ice Climbers (SSBB)

This article is about the Ice Climbers' appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For other uses, see Ice Climbers.

Ice Climbers
Ice Climbers
Universe	Ice Climber
Appears in	SSBM SSBB
Availability	Starter

The Ice Climbers, also known as Ice Climber (アイス クライマー, Aisu Kuraimā) in the Japanese versions, the ice-climbing duo from Super Smash Bros. Melee, make a return in Super Smash Bros. Brawl with a significant texture boost to their character models. Although Popo and Nana fight as a duo, only one is directly controlled by the player. The other is computer-controlled, in a manner mimicking the player. In Melee, the player had the option to change the color of the costume and play as Nana, and the option still exists in Brawl, however the Climbers' positions on the character select screen portrait will not change as in Melee, however, the character's stock icon will.

There was a rumor that characters such Young Link, Mr. Game & Watch and the Ice Climbers were to be excluded from the roster of Brawl due to lack of popularity. However, this rumor has been proven wrong ever since the appearance of Popo and Nana on the Dojo website.

Strategies

At first glance, the Ice Climbers may appear weak with terrible moves. However, they are actually pretty strong, and have great up- and down-Smashes. In 4-player Brawls, the Squall Hammer truly is a blessing and Blizzard is great for racking up damage with both Climbers facing the same way.

Although not very efficient aerial fighters, training can lead to a better understanding of how the Ice Climbers work in the air. They can't stay up long, but can actually do lots of damage above the ground, and Belay can be a great finisher once the Ice Climbers have used up their second jump. They also have a long-range and extremely powerful Up Aerial and a powerful short-ranged Back Aerial. Their Up aerial can be used after Blizzard (used on the ground) to hit the opponent very high into the air, and you can keep pushing and pushing your opponent by continuously using their Up Aerial as a wall until the opponent is KOd. If the opponent dodges the attack, the Climbers' Back Aerial can smack them really hard, or just their Neutral Aerial.

A talented "desyncher" can keep the Climbers apart for roughly the entire match. Desynching the Climbers can be one of the hardest techniques to learn, and is often first grasped by getting lucky, and then must be mastered by training. Basically, "Desynching" the Ice Climbers means that you do one control and the lead Climber does it while the other Climber is unable to do that action. Then, just press an attack button, etc. when one Climber is already doing an action. You can give one Climber the action while the other has not yet finished their attack and is still in the ending lag or beginning lag, or just in the middle of doing something.

While Squall Hammer can be a good attack choice, a Chain grab would be a better option. The Ice Climbers' chain grab can be very hard to master, but the reward is unmatchable. The leader can continuously grab and pummel an opponent or forward throw into a forward aerial by the computer-controlled partner. However in most tournaments, this technique is banned due to bad sportsmanship, like using the Fan on somebody to build their damage up to 300% and throwing it at them.

An integral part of the Ice Climber's game are chaingrabs. Although they are hard to master due to different timing for different weights, a talented chaingrabber can pile up damage to the opponent without giving them a chance to get out. Chaingrabs are flexible too, like the infamous alternate grabs, down-throw to fair and regrab, downthrow to squall and regrab, and the charged up smash while holding the opponent. Chaingrabs also get you into desyncs and set up for other techniques, like the Ice Block Lock.

Use the Squall Hammer to press back the enemy's attacks. After doing that, you can use it again, but the Ice Climbers will do it seperately. Basically, you want to rush the opponent using both Ice Climbers as seperate characters. However, sometimes you will want them the attack together. While they are desynched, their Down Smash and Side Smash are noticeably more effective in pressing the opponent for option, but they will be at risk of being seperated too far and having almost no recovery. If your partner is flung off the edge, don't lose hope! Just remember how many jumps they have left, and dive off the edge to their safty! Use Belay one your partner is even remotely close to you, and they will be resynched, hopefully just in time to recover together. Even if your partner's jump gets edgeguarded, you'll always be able to get back on.

So, you'll want to remember that the Squall Hammer will resynch the Ice Climbers. Don't give your opponent a break! Just rush them using both Ice Climbers seperately to really screw with your opponent. Really going as fast as you possibly can with an offensive strategy will severely limit what an opponent can do, and will most likely frustrate them unless they can really keep their cool. However- if you let up for even just a split-second, they will be able to make a comeback. To increase the Ice Climbers' survivability, use the color set that makes them both blue with green gloves. With both of them looking exactly alike, they'll have no clue which Ice Climber is the "real" one! They may even end uup beating up your partner, who will not increase your damage.

If you play them right, the Ice Climbers are just one big, huge, frustrating Mindgame for your opponent. The Ice Climbers are most likely the hardest Smash Brothers character to master or use effectively, but there is virtually no end to improving skill with them. They are absolutely devastating and difficult to deal with. It is also very hard to get used to the Ice Climbers' play styles simply by reading or watching them- even fighting against them doesn't show the whole picture, which really means you need to have much patience to master them.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Effectively two characters acting simultaneously. This makes them slightly stronger than your average character while together. They can also be desynched to perform two actions slightly out of synch for combos.
• If desynched, the Ice Climbers can have a good approach.
• Can alternate grab, although banned in some tournaments
• Very strong ground game.
• Attacks are strong if both Ice Climbers attack.
• Hard to throw, as other Ice Climber can attack while one is grabbed.
• Belay gives great distance if the Ice Climbers are together.
• Have a ground-hugging projectile.
• Forward Aerial is a spike if both ICs are together.
• Ice Climbers do not share a damage percentage, which can lead to the player-controlled leader not taking damage sometimes when they are attacked.
• Can freeze enemies, which can be potentially followed up by a finisher.
• Squall Hammer can be used as an alternative recovery move to Belay, since it greatly pushes the Ice Climber(s) forward.
• Belay can be a Tether Recovery if the CPU Climber grabs a ledge first, making it the only Up Special Move move to be both a Tether Recovery and a Normal Recovery.
• Traction remains constant even on slippery floors like ice.
• Even if the partner dies, the lead Ice Climber can still fight.
• If both Ice Climbers are wearing the same color costume it may confuse the opponent.
• Can carry two items at once.
• Can throw two opponents at once.
• One Ice Climber can attack an opponent while the other one grabs the opponent.
• Are good edgeguarders.
• One can attack using special moves while the other is carrying a heavy item such as a party ball or crate.
• When two opponents are grabbed together at the same time, they can both be pummeled by both Ice Climbers.
• Only one Ice Climbers pummels a grabbed opponent- the other can use Smash attacks and Special Attacks, making it very easy easy to rack up massive damage while at the same time launching the opponent very far.
• Belay and Squall Hammer can be used to re-synch the Ice Climbers.

Cons:

• Slow falling speed makes them vulnerable to air combos and juggling.
• Each individual Ice Climber is weaker than your average character, making them weak while separated.
• Terrible recovery when separated.
• Belay used with one Ice Climber results in little vertical height and almost no horizontal distance.
• If separated from the leading Ice Climber, the partner becomes unresponsive.
• Many hits can separate them.
• Projectile is very weak and weakens over distance.
• Fairly Light.
• Squall Hammer puts the Ice Climbers into a Helpless state.
• Slow dash speed (sixth slowest along with Olimar, Ness, and Wolf), and has the third slowest air speed along with Ivysaur.
• Lead IC loses many of advantages when partner dies, such as ability to combo and KO as effectively.

Changes from Melee to Brawl

• Both Ice Climbers can grab on to a ledge at the same time.
• More attack power. Blizzard is especially buffed if the Ice Climbers are next to the opponent.
• Can have the same color costume of the white costume. The blue one is almost the same, but the gloves are different colors.
• If the partner hits another character while executing Belay, the move is still completed.
• Belay can be a Tether Recovery if the partner grabs a ledge first, then the leader reaches up to the ledge.
• Lone Ice Climber's Belay gives some slight distance.
• Partner can Squall Hammer alone.
• The Ice Climbers can become separated easier when attacked, but are a bit better by themselves.
• Squall Hammer now sends off flakes of ice. However, this only happens when both Ice Climbers are present, and is only for show.
• Their Orange costume was removed.

Moveset

Ground Attacks

Normal

• Neutral Attack - Swing hammers in front of themselves.
• Dash Attack - Give a short jump and swing hammers in front of themselves.
• Strong Side - Similar to neutral.
• Strong Up - Spin hammers over head, dealing multiple hits.
• Strong Down - Crouch and sweep hammers on ground in front of themselves.

Smash

• Side Smash - Lift hammers over head, then smash straight down.
• Up Smash - swing hammers upwards.
• Down Smash - sweep hammers on the ground all the way around themselves.

Other

• Ledge Attack -
• 100% Ledge Attack -
• Floor Attack -

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral Aerial - swing in a circle with hammers outstretched.
• Forward Aerial - lift hammers over head then swing forward, like side smash. If the partner hits, the attack will be a meteor smash.
• Back Aerial - swing hammers behind themselves.
• Up Aerial - shove hammers above head.
• Down Aerial - A Stall-Then-Fall. Accelerate fall with hammers below themselves. Stall almost unnoticeable.

Grabs & Throws

• Pummel - Headbutt. Partner Climber can use other moves like Blizzard at the same time, or a jump into forward aerial as a great finisher if used right on an edge.
• Forward Throw - Hit with hammer .
• Back Throw - Spin around and hit with hammer.
• Up Throw - Throw upwards then smash with hammer.
• Down Throw - Spike on ground.

Event Matches

Event 11: Yoshi's Rainbow - As the Ice Climbers, KO six Yoshis in the order red, pink, yellow, green, pale blue, blue.

Event 34: All-Star Battle Melee - The Ice Climbers are one of the eight opponents you must fight from Super Smash Bros. Melee that return for Brawl.

Co-Op Event 10: The R.O.B.'s of Tomorrow - Teamed with Lucario, KO R.O.B.s of increasing size.

Role In the Subspace Emissary

The Ice Climbers were first seen climbing up the mountain together, possibly in pursuit of the Halberd. When Meta Knight passed them going up the mountain, the Ice Climbers took it as a challenge and jumped up the mountain with Meta Knight. Once they reached the top, the Ice Climbers celebrated with their "victory" for getting up the mountain first, until they and Meta Knight found Lucario, who was looking for a fight with Meta Knight, so the Ice Climbers watch from the side nervously. After the fight, the Halberd crashes the Great Fox into the mountain. Although Meta Knight and Lucario managed to board the Halberd, the Ice Climbers (ironically) are thrown back to the ground towards Marth, Lucas, Pokémon Trainer, and Ike. After facing some more Subspace Army troopers, the Ice Climbers teamed up with the other heroes as they journeyed into Subspace and helped them battle Tabuu.

Special Movements

Taunts

Up: Set down hammers and jump up and down. They do the same when they reach the mountain top in SSE.

Side: Point their hammers and say "Yup!", as wind blows (same as in Melee).

Down: Dance in a circle.

On-Screen Appearance

Ride in on the feet of a Condor.

Idle Stance

• Looks to side, drops hammer, raises it again.
• Spins hammer on shoulder.

Victory Pose

• Popo and Nana sway from side to side in a straight line.
• Both nod and high five one another.
• Both jump up and down.

Clapping Pose

Both cry and wipe their tears with one hand.

Wii Remote Choice

A sound like Ice Shot is heard and the Climbers both say "Yup!"

Credits Music

• Ice Climber

Trivia

• Despite no indication in their character selection portrait unlike in Melee, the Ice Climbers' White, Black/Gray, and Red/Light Blue costumes have Nana as the lead Ice Climber. (In Melee you could tell when Nana is the lead Ice Climber because Nana is the Ice Climber who has her mouth open while Popo is just smiling)
• When the lead Ice Climber of a CPU is Star KO'd while the partner remains on ground stage, the partner will taunt before disappearing.
• Along with Diddy Kong, Pokémon Trainer, and Jigglypuff, the Ice Climbers are one of the only characters to have a unique "Defeated/No Contest" pose different from the traditional hand clapping, with them crying while rubbing their eyes.
• Snake's quote, "Seems to me they'd get in each other's way fighting to see who gets to the top first." is a reference to the original NES Ice Climber game, where in two player mode, the objective is to reach the top of the stage first before the other player does.
• When the Ice Climbers perform a forward smash in Brawl, it looks similar to how they attack in their own game.
• In Stamina mode, it is possible for the CPU climber to die before the main climber. If this does happen, the partner will lay on the ground motionless, but not blink red.
• If the lead ice climber dies by falling in Stamina mode, but the follower survives, the follower will fight on its own.
• The lead Ice Climber is always slightly weaker than the follower.
• There is a glitch involving using Link's, Toon Link's, or Ike's Final Smash. One must get rid of the lead Ice Climber first and just before the other disappear, initiate the Final Smash. If timing is correct, Link, Toon Link, or Ike would do their Final Smash without anyone to hit. Video can be seen here and here
• Both Ice Climbers must win a microgame in the Wario Ware Inc. stage to be rewarded.

External Links

• Ice Climbers' page at Smash Bros. DOJO!!.