Squirtle (SSBB)

This article is about Squirtle's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For other uses, see Squirtle. Also, for information about Squirtle in regards to Pokémon Trainer, see Pokémon Trainer (SSBB), Ivysaur (SSBB), and Charizard (SSBB).

Squirtle
Squirtle
Universe	Pokémon
Appears in	SSBB
Availability	Starter

Squirtle is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Brawl in a sense; it is one of three Pokémon that are played through Pokémon Trainer, the other two being Ivysaur and Charizard. Squirtle is the only character who Pokémon Trainer uses who is not an evolved form. Charizard and Ivysaur are evolved forms of Charmeleon and Bulbasaur, respectively. Squirtle is also the only playable Pokémon character in Brawl that doesn't have a pre-evolved form at all. Jigglypuff evolves from Igglybuff, Lucario evolves from Riolu, and Pikachu evolves from Pichu. Squirtle originated from the original Pokémon game for Game Boy as one of the initial Pokémon the player can start out with at the beginning of the adventure.

Attributes

Squirtle is the most lightweight of the three Pokémon at Pokémon Trainer's disposal. Its light weight allows Squirtle to have fast airspeed and fast attacks, which makes up for its somewhat slow dash speed. But the light weight also makes it easier to KO, as it is tied for the second lightest character against Mr. Game and Watch. Squirtle's small size (the smallest in the game along with Olimar) makes it difficult to hit, but it also causes most attacks to have low range, making also him have very poor matchups against superior ranged characters or with disjointed attacks like Donkey Kong or Marth. Squirtle's excellent airspeed and quick attacks give it an excellent air game. It's aerials have good power in their own right. Unlike most of Squirtle's attacks, his aerials inflict good amounts of damage. These aerials along with a high and quick jump give Squirtle a great air game. Squirtle is one of few fighters that can "Wall Cling" and crawl (the 2nd lowest crawl in the game, which can duck under many attacks including Blaster and Wizard's Foot).

Squirtle's neutral special is Water Gun, which can be used to hamper horizontal recoveries and doubles as an attack. It can also DI during the charge in midair. Water Gun also has high priority and if it is outprioritzed the opponent temporarily gets stuck on a frame. This can be used as an opportunity to attack. It is very useful shutting down approaches and spacing which is the equivalent of Mario's FLUDD. Its side special, Withdraw, increases Squirtle's ground speed and offers protection against most attacks, other than grabs. However, speed and direction of Withdraw can be changed if hit with a strong attack, possibly causing Squirtle to slide off the edge, KOing itself if it goes off too far. Waterfall, Squirtle's Up Special Move, has a large, disjointed hitbox, making it hard to interrupt. It can also rack up damage throughout the attack and scores multiple hits.

Like all of Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon, Squirtle can change places with the next Pokémon at the Trainer's disposal (in Squirtle's case, Ivysaur). However, this can be punishable and is mandatory, due to the "Stamina Mechanic" (outside of the Adventure Mode) and coming back as the next one in the cycle. Its up smash has a large area and can KO at 80-100%. Its down-aerial does multiple hits and has high horizontal knockback on the last hit, but it also has short range, little damage, and massive ending lag. Its forward smash has launch resistance during the frames Squirtle is in its shell. However, like its down smash, it does little damage, has massive ending lag, and covers a short distance. Squirtle has decent throws (including the strongest down throw in the game in terms of knockback), but Squirtle itself is vulnerable to grab release combos by several characters, dash regrabs by many characters, and even infinite by Zero Suit Samus, due to its very poor air release animation.

Moveset

Normal Moves

Ground

• Dash attack - Squirtle runs, turns around while jumping, and hits with the back of its shell. Does around 6-10% damage. Does the most damage when it comes out. Oddly, it usually knocks foes in a 45° trajectory angle behind Squirtle. A fairly awkward move in general. Hits on frame 6-24.
• Neutral attack - Squirtle punches once, then jumps forward and slaps with the tail, then flips forward and hits with the tail again. It's a one frame jab. Does 3%, 2%, 4% a total of 9% damage. The second hit can trip foes sometimes, or simply lead into a grab.
• Strong up - Squirtle hops up onto its tail, thrusting upward. Very quick. Somewhat resembles R.O.B.'s up tilt, only Squirtle needs to jump to get some range. Squirtle's small body becomes the hitbox for this move. This move can lead into itself, Squirtle's Up B if foe DIs right, an up smash, or, a better killing option, an up aerial or neutral aerial. Does 6% damage. Hits on frame 5-6.
• Strong side - Squirtle gets on all fours and slaps forward with its tail. Also very quick (start-up of 4 frames), and can repeated in rapid succession. The move has short range, and can be angled slightly. Does 6% damage.
• Strong down - Squirtle gets on its belly and withdraws its arms and legs, then spins forward, sweeping with its tail. Does around 9% damage, with a maximum of 13% damage possible (does multi-hits, wich it helps against stale-move-negation). When Squirtle is not tired, this move can KO lighter foes at extreme percentages, around 180% damage ranges. One of the strongest Down Tilts. Hitbox out on frame 6.

Smash

• Down smash - Squirtle withdraws into its shell and spins, shooting water out of both sides. Does 11% uncharged, 15% damage fully charged. This attack is a little weak and has short range - the small water burst and Squirtle's grounded spinning shell. Hits on frame 17.
• Up smash - Squirtle jumps and slams its hands down on the ground causing geysers to rise on both sides of it, hitting a fairly large area, especially up. Does 16% uncharged, 22% damage fully charged. A powerful vertical finisher, this is Squirtle's most powerful attack. Hits on frame 19 and 25.
• Side smash - Squirtle withdraws into its shell and launches forward. It can be angled up or down. Has launch resistance frames but short reach and long start-up (hits on frame 18-20) and ending lag limits its effectiveness. Does 14-19% damage.

Other

• Ledge Attack- Gets up and whips its tail forward. Similar to its forward tilt in both appearance and range. Does 8% damage.
• Ledge Attack over 100%- Gets up and headbutts forward. Limited range. Does 10% damage.
• Floor Attack- Does 6% damage.

Aerial

• Neutral aerial - Withdraws into shell and spins in midair, releasing water from all sides. Good duration, also a good defensive move, due to its rather short range. Does 9% damage. Start-up of 4 frames.
• Up aerial - Flips upward, using tail to knock opponents vertically. Somewhat weak, has a hard time KOing foes with good DI. Does 11% damage. Hits on frame 6.
• Down aerial - Thrusts the tail downward, spinning around in a multi-hit attack. Similar to Mario's Mario Tornado, but with more vertical range due to the tail and the last hit inflicts horizontal knockback. Last hit has decent knockback. Does 10% damage if all hits connect. Start-up of 6 frames.
• Forward aerial - Thrusts both legs forward, hitting quickly. Fairly long duration, high knockback. Can KO off the stage at higher percents. Great for gimping. Does 6% damage if it connects after the first frame and 12% damage if it connects in the first frame. Hits from frame 5 to 14.
• Back aerial - Thrusts its tail backward, hitting quickly. Fairly long duration, decent knockback. Both its forward and back aerials have "Sex Kick" properties. Also good for gimping and/or edgeguarding. Does 6% damage if it connects after the first frame and 10% damage if it connects in the first frame. Hitbox out on frame 5 and it ends on frame 14, like is fair.

Grabs and Throws

• Pummel - Headbutts them. Does 2% damage. Somewhat fast.
• Forward throw - Puts its opponent in front of it, then kicks them. Does 9% damage.
• Back throw - Puts its opponent behind it, and kicks their back. Has some KO power, if it does KO, simply follow with a back aerial (best used to KO near the ledge). KOs near the ledge around 150% damage. Does 10% damage.
• Down throw - Throws its opponent on the ground and slams on top of them. Second strongest down throw in the game and strongest down throw with horizontal knockback. Easily kills around 130% damage. Does 7% damage.
• Up throw - Throws its opponent upward and tackles them while in its shell. Also has moderate KO power above 150% damage. Does 11% damage.

Special Moves

Squirtle's special moves

Neutral special	Water Gun
Side special	Withdraw
Up special	Waterfall
Down special	(Pokémon Change)
Final Smash	Hydro Pump (of Triple Finish)

Taunts

• Up: Backflips, spreads out its arms and opens its mouth saying "Squirtle, Squirtle".
• Side: Spins on its tail and squirts out water and says "Squirtle."
• Down: Goes into its shell and hops while spinning.

See also

• Shellshifting

Matchups

Super Smash Bros. Brawl Character Matchups

Avg.

Role in Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary

When introduced, Pokémon Trainer's only Pokémon is Squirtle, and thus, is his main Pokémon for much of the story until Ivysaur and Charizard are later found in the ruins. Despite this, Squirtle only appears in the very first cutscene Pokémon Trainer is introduced in. Stamina doesn't apply in Adventure Mode as it does in normal play.

Stickers

Keep in mind that all three of Pokémon Trainer's Pokémon share the same trophy base. If you wish to power up Squirtle specifically, use a large [Water] damage boost and supplement the rest of its attacks with [Body], [Spin] and [Tail] attack boosts.

Trivia

• Surprisingly, Squirtle actually carries crates and barrels faster than the larger Charizard and Ivysaur.
• Along with Sonic, Sheik and Zero Suit Samus, Squirtle is one of the only characters to not be seen in trophy form during the Subspace Emissary. (While Ivysaur and Charizard are both turned into trophies before their capture, and Pokémon Trainer is turned into a trophy by Tabuu's Off Waves, Squirtle is never actually turned into a trophy by means of ambush, a Dark Cannon, etc.) Coincidentally, all four of these characters begin with the letter 'S'.
• Curiously, Squirtle's visible outer body parts are larger, by volume, than its shell.
• Squirtle, if Footstool Jumps are omitted, is one of the few characters to not have a meteor smash.
• Squirtle is the only playable Pokémon in Brawl that doesn't have a trophy of any other Pokémon of its evolution line. Charizard has Charmander and Ivysaur has Bulbasaur, Jigglypuff has Igglybuff, Lucario has Riolu, and Pikachu has Pichu.
• During the Victory pose of Pokémon Trainer with Squirtle, it is much larger than it should be, standing only 1'8" in the games while Red is 4'11".
• The Brawl Guide erroneously states that Squirtle is heavier than Ivysaur, Squirtle is a light-middleweight, and Ivysaur is a lightweight when it is actually the other way around.
• Squirtle is one of the four characters whose all four throws KO in Sudden Death.
• Interestingly, though Squirtle is a water-type Pokémon with swimming capabilities, it can drown in water.

External links

• Pokémon Trainer's page at Smash Bros. DOJO!!