Pikachu (SSB4)

Pikachu in Super Smash Bros. 4
Universe	Pokémon
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Volt Tackle
Tier	B (15)

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachu) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. Its return to the series was confirmed on June 11th, 2013 during E3 2013, while it was also among the first wave of amiibo. Ikue Ōtani reprises her role as Pikachu's voice actor, albeit via recycled voice clips from Melee and Brawl.

Pikachu is currently ranked 15th out of 58 on the tier list, placing it at the top of B tier and results in it being the highest ranking high-tier character. This is a somewhat noticeable decrease from its ranking of 8th out of 38 in Brawl. Pikachu's positives include its fast overall speed, excellent approach, good neutral and combo games, and excellent recovery. However, it has weaknesses as well, most notably its poor survivability and weak KO potential. As a result, Pikachu has a high learning curve and minimal high-level representation compared to other high-tier characters, but it has nonetheless achieved notable tournament results, mostly thanks to ESAM.

The overall competitive community opinion of Pikachu has been volatile since SSB4's release. Initially, it was widely seen as an average character, but after a number of impressive tournament showings by ESAM (including his brief period of retirement having added to the "mystery" of Pikachu's potential), it was seen as high as a top 3 character by players like ZeRo and ESAM himself, culminating in an extremely close Winners' Finals set at Super Smash Con between the two. This resulted in Pikachu placing 5th on the first tier list.

In more recent times, however, public opinion has swayed again. Many considered Pikachu's ranking on the first official tier list to be far too high, which was reflected with Pikachu's placement dropping within the second tier list due to metagame development, ESAM's inconsistent showings at major tournaments, a dearth of results for Pikachu at national, regional, and even local levels of play, and downloadable content and/or game updates resulting in newfound high-tier and top-tier characters. Although update 1.1.5 nerfed some of Pikachu's hardest matchups, its current ranking on the tier list is still disputed even after the placement drop, with many players believing that Pikachu should be even lower on the tier list.

Attributes

As in previous installments, Pikachu is a small, agile lightweight. It has fast walking and dashing speeds, moderate falling speed, above average gravity, fast air acceleration, but low air speed. It also possesses the ability to wall jump, a quick jumpsquat that lasts for 4 frames, average traction and a relatively long initial dash that lasts for 14 frames. The latter three attributes grant Pikachu a moderately long perfect pivot, but also result in its dash dance and fox-trot being slow and extended.

Pikachu's arguably greatest strength is its flexible approach. Quick Attack is an excellent mobility option, and due to consisting of two hits, it allows Pikachu to weave in and out of danger and initiate combos. Quick Attack can also be edge-canceled, granting even faster movement with the aid of platforms. With this technique, Pikachu can chase opponents and maintain pressure without facing significant retaliation. Thunder Jolt is a useful projectile and has good utility for zoning or forcing approaches. When coupled with its fast walking and dashing speeds, short hop, and useful pivot, Pikachu possesses an overall strong neutral game.

Another advantage Pikachu has is its frame data. Most of its attacks come out in 10 frames or less, including its up smash, which is one of its KOing options. When combined with their low damage outputs and knockback, this grants Pikachu a formidable combo game. Up aerial can combo into itself or any other aerial and is useful for juggling. Up tilt can repeatedly chain into itself at low percents, while its low knockback growth allows it to combo into aerials at high percents. Down tilt has a chance to trip opponents, leaving them open to a dash attack or a grab. Pikachu's grab game is also integral to its combo game. Its forward throw can lead into a dash attack or a dashing up smash, while down throw launches opponents directly overhead, which can allow for aerial combos and juggles. At very high percents, both up and down throws are capable of chaining into Thunder, which can KO if its meteor hitbox connects. In addition, Pikachu is notorious for utilizing jab locks more than nearly any other character, being able to effectively rack up damage out of forward throw, forward tilt, neutral air, and down air; in addition, it can potentially KO an opponent using the landing hitbox of back aerial to set up a reset, and can guarantee a charged up smash confirm if it hits a jab lock out of down tilt.

Finally, Pikachu possesses a superb recovery and, by extension, edge-guarding game. Like in Brawl, Pikachu is able to wall jump, while it has two special moves that round out its recovery. Skull Bash, although linear and telegraphed, is chargeable and deals high knockback while not rendering Pikachu helpless. Quick Attack is extremely fast and can be angled in two consecutive directions, which make it a very unpredictable and difficult move to intercept, as well as a favorable recovery option from virtually any position while off-stage. Altogether, these traits grant Pikachu the luxury of going far off-stage and challenging recovering opponents while still being able to recover itself. Its edgeguarding game is further enhanced by its grounded normals and its aerials. Jab consistently hits recovering characters during their two frames of ledge-snap vulnerability, sending them at a low angle with low hitstun that can open certain characters' recoveries to Pikachu's other edgeguarding options. Its forward and back aerials use the auto-link angle, which can be used in two unique ways. Forward aerial can send opponents downwards without a special collision, but much less reliably. Back aerial has many hitboxes with very low knockback and moderately low hitstun, so if it trades with a recovering opponent, the opponent will be spiked. Down aerial is Pikachu's most disjointed move downwards, and will beat or trade with most up specials, excepting extremely disjointed ones such as those of Mario and Bayonetta. Neutral aerial's "clean" hitbox is slightly disjointed and useful for covering the ledge. Each of Pikachu's smash attacks reach slightly below the ledge, which allows Pikachu to KO opponents even if they hang on the ledge.

However, Pikachu has noticeable flaws, the most glaring of which is its endurance. While its small size, light weight, and average falling speed make it difficult to combo, these attributes and its above average gravity make it susceptible to KOs. The rage mechanic further exacerbates this problem, since Pikachu's unimpressive KOing ability commonly results in skilled opponents being able to survive up to very high percents, while it in turn cannot reliably take advantage of the mechanic due to its problematic endurance. While its impressive recovery somewhat mitigates its endurance issues, Quick Attack is a difficult move to master. When using it for fast movement, inexperienced players can often veer off-stage or angle it the wrong way and miss the edge entirely while attempting to recover, causing Pikachu to fall helplessly and self-destruct.

Pikachu also suffers from poor range, as most of its attacks' hitboxes are very close to its body. Despite its speed, Pikachu's aerials have abnormally high landing lag, with its down aerial being tied with Toon Link's for having the highest amount of landing lag of any aerial in the game. When coupled with the previous point, only forward aerial is fairly reliable for approaching and pressuring, which leaves Pikachu susceptible to characters with capable aerial approaches, such as Sheik. This issue is further compounded by its slow air speed.

Additionally, Pikachu's overall damage output is poor despite its powerful combo game, which results in it commonly taking time for opponents to be brought within KOing range. This in turn is further compounded by another issue: Pikachu has significant trouble KOing. Its set-ups off of up and down throws into Thunder require reads and proper spacing and timing. Aside from these few situations, it has no reliable set-ups into its KOing options. Up smash has short range, which makes it very punishable. While it has good range, forward smash has noticeable start-up, which makes it unsafe in close quarters despite its low ending lag. Down smash is relatively weak and has odd hitboxes; they don't hit very far in front or behind, but have deceptive upwards range. Pikachu's edge-guarding game, although potent, is unreliable when Pikachu is forced to rely on it as a main KO option. Down smash and forward smash only hit slightly below the ledge, meaning Pikachu will often attempt to take stocks by using the auto-link angle on forward or back aerials, or knocking the opponent away with the small and brief hitboxes on down and neutral aerials. Each of these options is inconsistent and requires matchup experience to pull off effectively.

Pikachu receives little benefit from its custom moves, though they still have their uses. Thunder Wave paralyzes grounded opponents, opening up opportunities for follow-ups at the cost of having much less range. Heavy Skull Bash travels and charges faster, and has immense power if used at point-blank range. Meteor Quick Attack covers less distance, but as its name implies, both of its hits are meteor smashes and deal much higher knockback at the start of each dash. Quick Feet travels farther and has more power, but it loses its unpredictability due to consisting of only one dash. Distant Thunder has more start-up and a much weaker shockwave hitbox around Pikachu, but it has more vertical range, much more power near the thundercloud, and cannot meteor smash. This allows for easier Thunderspiking, which restores most of the technique's usefulness.

Overall, Pikachu is a viable character courtesy of its mobility, frame data, combo game, recovery and edge-guarding game. While it has a high learning curve, largely due to the skill required for proper use of Quick Attack and its heavy reliance on reads to score KOs, its strengths generally make up for its weaknesses. While Pikachu has low tournament representation, the efforts of a few dedicated mains, such as ESAM, have resulted in it achieving strong tournament results. In spite of this, some players are critical of its high-tier ranking due to ESAM being the only notable Pikachu main that has generally placed well, which is further compounded by his results becoming noticeably inconsistent and worse over time.

Changes from Brawl

Pikachu received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to SSB4. The changes to hitstun canceling greatly aid its combo game and grant it a few notable KO set-ups from its throws, while its up and forward smashes have become stronger, with the former having regained some of its power from Melee. Pikachu has also gained access to a new technique know as the Quick Attack edge cancel, which gives Quick Attack new mobility options when used with edges and platforms. As many of its moves deal electric damage, it benefits from the increased shieldstun. A few of its moves' ranges were increased, such as its forward tilt, dash attack, and down aerial, somewhat mitigating one of its more glaring issues.

However, Pikachu has also received significant nerfs. Quick Attack can no longer be canceled into the ground, making it less flexible as an approach option, and its new Quick Attack edge cancel technique does not fully compensate for this. Pikachu's grab game, a pivotal part behind its success in Brawl, has been heavily nerfed: its grab range is shorter, its up and down throws deal less damage, with the latter's increased knockback growth worsening its combo potential at higher percents, and the removal of chain grabbing removed its forward and throws' highly damaging chain grabs. While the changes to hitstun canceling have given it new combos, they are nonetheless inferior to its chain grabbing ability in Brawl. When coupled with the reduced damage outputs on most of its attacks, such changes noticeably worsen its already low overall damage output. Although the new edge mechanics supplement Pikachu's already impressive recovery, they also give it a more difficult time while edge-guarding, especially with the improved recoveries of the rest of the cast. The introduction to rage also worsens its already unimpressive endurance.

Although Pikachu was universally agreed upon as being a high-tier character in Brawl, its ranking in SSB4 has a mixed perception. Players consider it to be either better or worse than it was in Brawl, while others may fall in between and view it as a capable character, but that it should not be ranked so highly in SSB4's high-level play. Despite having a rather small playerbase in competitive play due to its very high learning curve and requiring a degree of technical skill in order to fully thrive, Pikachu is still considered a notable force in the metagame thanks to players such as ESAM. However, Pikachu's current ranking on the tier list is still debatable among the SSB4 competitive community, due to its below average representation in comparison to other high-tier characters.

Aesthetics

• Due to the aesthetic used in SSB4, Pikachu's overall coloration is noticeably more vibrant, which makes it resemble the Pikachu from the PokéPark games. Additionally, its proportions are more akin to its appearances in the Pokémon core series as of generation VI. This includes a very slightly smaller nose and the black portions of its ears being distinct from the yellow portions, rather than blending into them.
• Pikachu is more expressive. It now smiles more often or sports a stern look when performing a number of moves, grimaces while being grabbed and while hanging on an edge, and sports swirly eyes while being stunned, the latter of which is a reference to the expression that fainted Pokémon display in the Pokémon anime.
• Pikachu is more bipedal.
• Walk's animation has slightly changed. Pikachu now walks in a more slanted motion.
• Down taunt's animation has slightly changed. Pikachu now keeps its eyes open, rather than closing them.

Attributes

• Pikachu dashes faster (1.765 → 1.85325).
• Pikachu falls faster (1.5 → 1.55).
• Pikachu's gravity is higher (0.087 → 0.095).
• Jump is lower.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack deals less damage (2% → 1.4%/1.2%/1%).
• Neutral attack has slightly improved jab lock potential.
• Neutral attack pushes the opponent away, rather than keeping them in place. This improves its spacing ability, but hinders its damage racking ability.
• Forward tilt has increased start-up lag (frame 5 → 6) and a shorter duration (frames 5-10 → 6-8).
• Forward tilt has increased range.
• Up tilt deals less damage (7%/6%/5% → 5%) and has increased ending lag (FAF 24 → 27).
• Up tilt has decreased knockback growth (124 → 120), significantly improving its combo potential.
• Down tilt deals 1% less damage (7% → 6%), has a shorter duration (frames 7-9 → 7-8) and has decreased range.
• Dash attack no longer deals consistent damage (7% → 10% (clean)/6% (late)) due to consisting of a clean hitbox and a late hitbox.
• Clean dash attack has increased knockback (40 (base)/70 (growth) → 70/90), improving its KO potential. Dash attack also has increased range.
• Dash attack has increased start-up lag (frame 5 → 6).
• Clean forward smash deals 1% more damage (17% → 18%) and its hitbox is larger.
• Early and late forward smash deal less damage (20% (early)/14% (late) → 15%/12%) and has decreased range.
• Forward smash hits twice and has decreased ending lag (FAF 50 → 49).
• Forward and down smashes are much harder to SDI out of.
• Clean up smash has altered knockback (40 (base)/90 (growth) → 50/89), improving its KO potential. It can also partake in combos and punish rolls, granting it utility.
• Late up smash has altered knockback (40 (base)/90 (growth) → 55/48) and decreased hitstun, significantly hindering its utility.
• Up smash has increased start-up (frame 9 → 10) and ending lag (FAF 44 → 45).
• Down smash deals 2% less damage (15% → 13%) due to consisting of six hits instead of seven. It also has increased start-up (frame 6 → 8) and ending lag (FAF 55 → 66).

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial deals less damage (12% (clean)/6% (late) → 8.5%/5.5%), has a shorter duration (frames 3-25 → 3-20) and decreased range.
• Neutral aerial has decreased ending lag (FAF 40 → 39).
• Forward aerial deals 1.2% less damage (11% → 9.8%) and has increased ending lag (FAF 40 → 42).
• Forward aerial's hits connect together better and its last hit has altered knockback (70 (base)/90 (growth) → 50/150), granting it KO potential while off-stage. It also auto-cancels earlier (frame 35> → 32>).
• Back aerial deals 2.4% less damage (11% → 8.6%) and its last hit has a shorter duration (frames 32-37 → 32-33).
• Back aerial's hits connect together better. It also has decreased ending lag (FAF 60 → 59) and auto-cancels earlier (frame 50 → 48>).
• Forward and back aerials received some meteor smashing capabilities, improving their edge-guarding potentials.
• Up aerial deals less damage (6%/5% (clean)/5%/4% (late) → 5% (clean)/4% (late)), slightly less shield damage and has increased start-up lag (frame 3 → 4).
• Clean up aerial has increased knockback (40 (base)/60 (growth) → 50/113). Up aerial also has decreased ending lag (FAF 28 → 27) and its angle has been altered (80° → 68°). Altogether, these changes improve its combo and juggling potentials, and grant it KO potential at very high percents.
• Down aerial's first hit has increased knockback growth (80 → 84), making it more difficult to connect with its second hit.
• Down aerial's second hit deals slightly more shield damage and has increased range.

Throws/other attacks

• All grabs have decreased ending lag (FAF 30 → 28 (standing), FAF 39 → 35 (dash), FAF 36 → 33 (pivot)). Dash and pivot grabs also have decreased start-up lag (frame 9 → 8 (dash), frame 10 → 9 (pivot)).
• All grabs have decreased ranges, though not as severely as in Melee.
• The removal of chain grabbing significantly hinders Pikachu's grab game and damage racking ability.
• Pummel deals 0.1% less damage (2% → 1.9%).
• Pummel is faster and its hitbox is larger.
• Up throw deals 6% less damage (10% → 4%).
• Up throw has altered knockback, granting it KO potential at very high percents.
• Down throw deals 2% less damage (10% → 8%) and has increased knockback growth (38 → 100), hindering its combo potential at medium to high percents and making it unable to KO at reasonable percents.
• The changes to hitstun canceling improve up and down throws' combo potentials. Up throw can now combo into Thunder at high percents, while down throw is more reliable for aerial follow-ups at low percents.
• Front floor attack has decreased knockback.
• Back floor attack has increased knockback and range. It also has decreased start-up lag.

Special moves

• Aerial Thunder Jolt deals 4.2% less damage (9% → 4.8%).
• Skull Bash deals less damage (7% (uncharged)/25% (fully charged) → 6%/22%) and has increased ending lag (FAF 91 → 97). Additionally, uncharged Skull Bash has altered knockback (15 (base)/90 (growth) → 40/62), hindering its KO potential.
• Partially and fully charged Skull Bash cover more distance.
• Quick Attack's second hit has increased knockback, improving its combo potential.
• Quick Attack covers less overall distance. Its second hit also has increased start-up (frame 30 → 43) and ending lag (FAF 9 → 29).
• Quick Attack has a new technique, Quick Attack edge-canceling, which can be used on edges, moving platforms and tilting stages.
• The changes to Quick Attack canceling significantly hinder Pikachu's air game and approach.
• Thunder has received a hitbox near its thundercloud that deals 6% and is a meteor smash, improving its combo potential and granting it new KO set-ups. It also has decreased ending lag (FAF 79 → 75) and its shockwave has increased intangibility frames (frames 43-50 → 34-44).
• Thunder deals less damage (10% (thunderbolt)/17% (shockwave) → 8%/15%), has decreased vertical range and is harder to land, hindering its edge-guarding potential. Its shockwave also has a shorter hitbox duration (frames 43-74 → 34-36) and its new meteor smash hitbox makes Thunderspiking very difficult to perform, hindering its KO potential.
• Volt Tackle deals less damage (13%-25% → 1%/8%), has decreased knockback, and is slower.
• Volt Tackle is now accompanied by a small, whitish blue ball of electricity that is analogous to a cursor, making it easier to aim. It also has a longer duration.

Update history

Pikachu has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in updates. While update 1.0.4 buffed some of Pikachu's KOing options by increasing their power, it then received only direct nerfs afterward. Update 1.0.6 standardized Pikachu's edge grab animation, making it slower and effectively weakening its edge-trumping ability, while update 1.1.0 removed Thunder Wave's ability to lock and thus its ability to perform zero-to-death combos in custom matches. Update 1.1.5 also removed a glitch where Pikachu could edge-cancel Quick Attack on both versions of Umbra Clock Tower. However, the changes on shield mechanics benefit its electric attacks, most notably its forward smash and Thunder's grounded hitbox, making them safer on shield due to their high hitlag. Overall, Pikachu's potency in the metagame has not been reduced.

1.0.4

• Forward smash's early and late hits have higher knockback scaling (65 (clean)/100 (late) → 73/102).
• Thunder Jolt can no longer hit damageable floors, making the projectile considerably more versatile on stages with breakable floors.
• Skull Bash has higher knockback scaling (60 → 62)
• Thunder is now a single projectile instead of a stream of four separate projectiles, meaning it cannot be absorbed four times (by Oil Panic, for example.)
• Thunder's (and Distant Thunder's) shockwave has higher knockback scaling (62 → 66).

1.0.6

• Edge grab animation standardized. This makes it slower.

1.1.0

• Thunder Jolt and Thunder Wave's projectile hitbox angles have been altered to 0°.
• The angle change removes Thunder Wave's ability to lock.

1.1.5

• Quick Attack canceling has been removed on both the Ω form and regular version of Umbra Clock Tower, removing Pikachu's intricate infinite combos on that stage.
• Thunder Jolt Glitch removed.

Moveset

• Pikachu can crawl and wall jump.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			1.4% (tip), 1.2% (mid), 1% (base)	A headbutt. Deals negligible damage and knockback, but its outstanding speed makes it fairly spammable if the attack button is held, allowing it to deal more damage and potentially trip opponents.
Forward tilt	↗		10%	A double hind leg kick. It deals increased damage when angled upward and has a chance to trip when angled downward. KOs around 110% near the edge.
	→		9%
	↘		8%
Up tilt			5%	Flicks its tail in an overhead arcing motion. Its fast speed and low knockback make it a reliable combo option, particularly into itself and aerials.
Down tilt			6%	Crouches and spins around to swing its tail forward. It has very minimal start-up and ending lag, and has the potential trip opponents even at high percentages, allowing it to setup for a jab lock using three neutral attacks.
Dash attack			10% (clean), 6% (late)	A dashing headbutt. Very laggy and easily punished if whiffed, but it deals high knockback, allowing it to KO near the edge at very high percents.
Forward smash			15% (early), 18% (clean), 12% (late)	Rears back and then leans forward to discharge a bolt of electricity from its cheeks. Its strongest hitbox is located the inner portion of the bolt, while its weakest one is located at Pikachu's cheeks during start-up.
Up smash			13% (clean tail), 14% (clean body), 11% (mid), 7% (late)	Backflips to strike with its tail. This move is slightly stronger when hit close during start-up and is one of Pikachu's most viable KOing options.
Down smash			2% (hits 1-5), 3% (hit 6)	Repeatedly spins around while discharging electricity. Hits multiple times and has decent knockback, but has punishable ending lag.
Neutral aerial			8.5% (clean), 5.5% (late)	A somersaulting tackle. Extremely fast start-up and deals decent horizontal knockback, making it a good aerial finisher or edge-guarding option. Can be auto-canceled when performed alongside a non-fast-fallen short hop, though it has high landing lag otherwise.
Forward aerial			1.7% (hits 1-4), 3% (hit 5)	An electrified, corkscrew battering ram. Hits multiple times, with the last hit dealing decent horizontal knockback. The move has little landing lag, which when coupled with a fast-fallen short hop, can allow it to potentially set up into a grounded move or grab. This move has minor meteor smashing capabilities due to most of its hits having the auto-link angle.
Back aerial			0.8% (hits 1-7), 3% (hit 8), 4% (landing)	A series of belly turns, a technique used in parachuting. Hits multiple times, with the last hit dealing decent knockback, but has high ending lag and very high landing lag if not used alongside a full hop.
Up aerial			5%/4% (clean), 4% (late)	Somersaults while flicking its tail in an overhead arcing motion. Extremely quick with low knockback, it can combo into itself or act as a set-up into a neutral aerial. Can be auto-canceled when performed alongside a fast-fallen short hop, although it has high landing lag otherwise.
Down aerial			12% (attack), 4% (landing)	An electrified, corkscrew battering ram. A lingering single hit with decent horizontal knockback, it can be auto-canceled from a short hop. If Pikachu lands during the attack's duration it causes a small shockwave to appear around it, which deals little damage and has very high landing lag.
Grab			—	Reaches out. Pikachu's grabs are quick, but short-ranged.
Pummel			1.9%	Electrocutes the opponent. A fairly good pummel due to its fast speed and damage output.
Forward throw			2% (hits 1-4), 2% (hit 5)	Places the opponent on its back and zaps them. It can be followed up with a dash attack, a dashing neutral aerial, or a dashing up smash at low percents.
Back throw			9%	Rolls backward repeatedly with the opponent in tow before performing the tomoe nage, a Judo throw. Best used near the edge to set up for an edge-guard. Appears almost identical to the anime's depiction of Submission.
Up throw			1% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2)	Places the opponent on its head and then headbutts them upward. Can be followed up by Thunder at high percents, allowing for potential KOs, but DI can make this difficult.
Down throw			3% (hit 1), 5% (hit 2)	Places the opponent on the ground, then jumps on them. Can be followed up with any aerial at low percents. Like up throw, it can be used as a set-up to Thunder at high percents, but DI can make this difficult.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%	Spins around while swinging its tail around itself.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%	Spins around while swinging its tail around itself.
Edge attack Edge getups			7%	Swings its tail forward while climbing up.
Neutral special	Default	Thunder Jolt	4.8% (ball), 6%/5% (jolt clean), 5%/4% (jolt mid), 4%/3% (jolt late)	Discharges a semi-circular bolt of electricity. Pikachu's primary projectile and a very useful move for keeping on-stage opponents at bay and threatening off-stage opponents. The grounded version travels forward while bouncing along the ground, it can also travel up walls, below the edge, and along ceilings. The aerial version travels downward diagonally and in the shape of a ball. Disappears after about three seconds.
	Custom 1	Thunder Wave	3%/1% (ball), 3%/1% (wave clean), 2% (wave late)	Discharges a bolt of electricity that deals less damage and has considerably less range, but can paralyze grounded opponents.
	Custom 2	Thunder Shock	3% (ball), 10% (explosion)	Discharges a ball of electricity, which moves almost horizontally and explodes as it disappears. As a result, it does not bounce and disappears upon hitting the ground.
Side special	Default	Skull Bash	6% (uncharged), 22% (fully charged)	Crouches and then shoots itself forward to perform a flying battering ram, similarly to Green Missile. It is chargeable and when nearly or fully charged, it has KO power. Primarily used as a recovery move due to it granting considerable horizontal distance, especially when charged, and because it does not render Pikachu helpless. On the ground, it has high landing lag and is very punishable.
	Custom 1	Shocking Skull Bash	1.2% (loop), 3% (last)	Hits multiple times, with the last hit launching the opponent. However, it deals considerably less damage.
	Custom 2	Heavy Skull Bash	15%/10%/5%/2% (uncharged), 32%/21%/10%/4% (fully charged), 6%-0% (running)	Grants less distance, but deals more damage near its beginning. If used while uncharged to cancel reeling from an attack's knockback, the distance traveled nearly doubles, and Pikachu retains some forward momentum while falling after the move.
Up special	Default	Quick Attack	2% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2)	Dashes at a blindingly fast speed in two directions that can be selected via the control stick. Pikachu's main recovery move, its speed and unpredictability also enable it to partake in combos. The second dash is optional, but if used, the direction must be at least 45° different than the first direction in order to be used. Renders Pikachu helpless when used in the air. Massively expands Pikachu's hurtbox when used.
	Custom 1	Meteor Quick Attack	1% (hit 1), 2% (hit 2)	Both dashes deal less damage and grant less distance. However, both dashes deal stronger knockback at their beginnings and meteor smash aerial opponents.
	Custom 2	Quick Feet	5%	Grants more distance than Quick Attack and deals more damage, but only one dash can be performed.
Down special	Default	Thunder	6% (thunderbolt meteor), 8% (thunderbolt), 15% (shockwave)	Generates a thundercloud to drop a large thunderbolt onto itself. The move is laggy overall, although the shockwave around Pikachu deals high damage and knockback. The immediate beginning of the thunderbolt deals moderate vertical knockback, which allows for Thunderspiking. However, Thunderspiking is both very difficult to land and less effective compared to how it was in Brawl, due to the thundercloud shortening the thunderbolt's length. As a result, Thunderspiking is only effective against opponents that are very slightly above the thundercloud, or when using it alongside a jump in order to surprise them while they are near the upper blast line. It also has a meteor smash hitbox near the thundercloud that launches opponents straight down, which allows for potential combos and KO set-ups, although landing it in a favorable position to do so is difficult.
	Custom 1	Thunder Burst	2% (early), 15%/12% (clean)	Instead of dropping a thunderbolt onto itself, Pikachu discharges electricity around itself, as if the thunderbolt had struck it. Has slow start-up, but deals more knockback.
	Custom 2	Distant Thunder	13%/9%/5% (thunderbolt), 6% (shockwave)	The thunderbolt deals more damage, but cannot meteor smash. The shockwave also deals noticeably less damage. However, the thundercloud is generated higher, which makes Thunderspiking much easier.
Final Smash		Volt Tackle	1% (collision), 8% (discharge)	Performs Volt Tackle, its evolutionary line's signature move. Pikachu surrounds itself in a sphere of electricity and flies around the stage, charging through opponents. Pressing the attack button will cause the ball to discharge electricity, causing significantly more damage and knockback. Unlike in Brawl, Volt Tackle now emits a small, purple spark of electricity that is analogous to a cursor, which makes it easier to aim its trajectory.

On-screen appearance

• Emerges from a Poké Ball, then briefly discharges electricity around itself.

Taunts

• Up taunt: Huddles down and discharges electricity around itself while saying "Piiiii!"
• Side taunt: Faces the screen and waves its left paw twice and then its right paw twice while saying "Pika Pika!"
• Down taunt: Rolls on its back while saying "Pikaaaaa!"

Up taunt	Side taunt	Down taunt

Idle poses

• Scratches its right ear.
• Stands up straight, then looks right, and then left, twitching its ears.

Crowd cheer

	English	Japanese
Cheer
Description	Pi-ka-chu!	Pi-ka-chu!
Pitch	Group chant	Female

Victory poses

An orchestral excerpt of the title theme from Pokémon Red, Blue and Green Versions, which has since become the main theme of the Pokémon series.

• Twitches its ears, then scratches its right ear.
• Jumps up and somersaults while saying "Pi!", then spins around once before happily facing the camera. It is almost identical to its "character chosen" animation in Super Smash Bros.
• Sleeps while laying sideways on the ground, while saying "Piiika" drowsily.

In competitive play

Official Custom Moveset Project

Character	Custom sets available
Pikachu	1311	2311	2312	1312	1313
	1331	2313	2331	3311	1321

Notable players

•  Captain L
•  ESAM
•  NAKAT
•  PikaPika!
•  NCJacobT
•  Rideae
•  Shimitake
•  Z

Tier placement and history

Thanks to ESAM's efforts, Pikachu was initially perceived as a top-tier character and this was reflected in being ranked 5th on the first tier list. ESAM demonstrated the usefulness of Quick Attack in enhancing Pikachu's mobility, along with showing its strong combo game and off-stage presence, its ability to evade attacks thanks to its small size and crouch, and its jab lock set-ups into KOs. However, there was also a vocal fraction of players who did not agree on Pikachu's high placement, mainly due to ESAM being the only notable Pikachu player who placed well in tournaments, which in turn was not sufficient enough to prove significant results and representation compared to other high-tier characters.

As ESAM's results declined, players began to point out Pikachu's lack of reliable KO set-ups and power, the high landing lag of its aerials, and its poor reach. Additionally, Pikachu's unfavorable matchups against Mario and Ness also began being frequently cited as a major hindrance, due to the latter being commonplace. Along with having fairly weak representation for a high-tier character, such weaknesses negatively affected opinions on Pikachu and resulted in its ranking on the first tier list being met with widespread disapproval. As expected, Pikachu's ranking saw a noticeable drop on the second and third tier lists, as it is now ranked 15th and has thus transitioned from a top-tier character to a high-tier character.

Trophies

Pikachu

Recognized the world over, Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon that stores energy in its cheeks for use in battle. In Smash Bros., Pikachu is a well-rounded fighter with speedy, powerful electric attacks. Quick Attack can be used twice in a row if two directions are input, one after another.

Pikachu is famous worldwide as the face of the Pokémon series. There's a lot of electricity stored in those rosy cheeks, and in this game, that allows for some devastating attacks, like Thunder Jolt. Tip: Input another direction after using Quick Attack to get a second burst. It's top-notch for recoveries!

: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue (09/1998)

: Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition (10/1999)

Pikachu (Alt.)

Pikachu's Thunder Jolt fires off a ball of electricity that bounces across the stage, getting weaker as it travels. It does more damage to enemies in the air. The default down special, Thunder, causes a lightning strike that both shocks opponents and turns Pikachu invincible for a split second.

Pikachu's Thunder Jolt fires off a ball of electricity that bounces across the stage, getting weaker as it travels. Airborne enemies will take extra damage from it and get launched further. The default down special, Thunder, causes a lightning strike that both shocks opponents and turns Pikachu invincible for a split second.

: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue (09/1998)

: Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition (10/1999)

Volt Tackle

Pikachu's Final Smash turns its whole body into a powerful ball of electricity that darts around at high speed, tackling opponents. While Pikachu is charging around, press the attack button to unleash powerful sparks. There's also a little ball of light that flies ahead of Pikachu itself. Use that as a guide if Pikachu seems out of control!

For Pikachu's Final Smash, it surrounds itself with a ball of electricity and darts around at high speed, tackling opponents. While it's charging around, press the attack button to unleash powerful sparks. You can also use little ball of light that flies ahead of Pikachu as a guide if it seems out of control!

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  Classic (3DS)

• PikachuAllStarTrophy3DS.png

  Alt. (3DS)

• 

  Classic (Wii U)

• 

  Alt. (Wii U)

• 

  Volt Tackle

In Event Matches

Solo Events

• All-Star Battle: Regulars: Pikachu is one of the opponents fought in this event. All of the opponents are the eight starter characters of the "perfect-attendance crew" from Super Smash Bros.
• Fire-Type Frenzy: As Charizard, the player must defeat Pikachu, Greninja and Lucario.
• Pokémon Battle: As Greninja, the player must defeat Pikachu, Charizard and Lucario.
• When Lightning Strikes: A small Pikachu and must defeat three giant Pikachu.
• Yellow Devils: As Mega Man, the player must defeat a giant Pikachu, a giant Pac-Man, along with the Yellow Devil in a Stamina Battle.

Co-op Events

• Pokémon Multi Battle!: Pikachu is one of player 1's Pokémon to use, as well as being one of the opponents.
• The Ultimate Battle: Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

• 

  Pikachu's appearance during the Smash Direct.

• 

  Pikachu's amiibo.

• 

  Pikachu's appearance during E3 2013.

• 

  Using Thunder Jolt against Pit's Upperdash Arm.

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  Using Skull Bash on Bowser.

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  Using Thunder on Bowser and Samus.

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  Using its side taunt.

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  Alongside Kirby on Spirit Train.

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  Pikachu, Mario, Bowser and Pit on Pilotwings.

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  Alongside Mega Man.

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  Down smash's new ending animation.

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  Alongside Luma and Starfy.

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  Pikachu alongside Toon Link and Kirby.

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  Pikachu alongside Mega Man as he uses Rush Coil.

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  Footstool jumping on Donkey Kong.

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  Alongside Donkey Kong as he uses Spinning Kong.

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  Using Thunder to meteor smash Bowser and follow up into its shockwave hitbox.

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  Taunting alongside Lucario, Charizard and Greninja.

Trivia

• SSB4 is the first installment in the series where Pikachu's teeth are visible. They can be seen when Pikachu is being grabbed by an opponent or when it is hanging on an edge.
• When Pikachu is stunned, its eyes turn into swirls. This is a reference to the Pokémon anime, in which Pokémon typically display the same expression after fainting.
  • It is also the second character to have this unique detail, with the first being Kirby, who had this detail in SSB.
• Pikachu knows five official Pokémon moves in SSB4, all of which it can learn legally in the Pokémon core series. In addition to Skull Bash, Thunder and Volt Tackle, it can also use Thunder Wave and Thunder Shock as custom moves.
  • One of its custom moves, Quick Feet, has the same name of an Ability rather than a move, similarly to Victini's and Munchlax's Poké Ball effects. However, Pikachu cannot legitimately have Quick Feet as an Ability.
• Pikachu's official art for SSB4 is almost identical to its official art for SSB. The only difference is that it is standing erect in its SSB4 art, rather than slightly slouching to the side.