Jolt Haymaker
| Jolt Haymaker | |
|---|---|
 Jolt Haymaker | |
| User | Little Mac |
| Universe | Punch-Out!! |
Jolt Haymaker (ジョルトブロー, Jolt Blow) is Little Mac's side special move in Super Smash Bros. 4.
Overview
Little Mac leaps forward and performs a downward hook at the end of the move. The punch can be thrown early during the jump by pressing the special button. If the move is used on the ground, Little Mac will be briefly invincible as he leaps, allowing him to avoid projectiles and attacks (as shown in Mac's intro trailer where he jumps through Mega Man's Charge Shot). Like many of Little Mac's ground moves, Jolt Haymaker has high knockback scaling, and can KO at 105% near the edge-- this applies to the aerial version as well. By way of a short hop, this move can be used to hit opponents near the edge of the stage, and can be used to edgehog in a way by punching an opponent against the edge should they lose their edge invincibility; this is deadly on stages with slanted ledges such as Final Destination, as this move stage spikes with surprisingly high power should Little Mac land it on a hanging opponent. This move can also be used as a recovery if Mac is close to the stage, although the move gains much more distance if used on the ground than in the air and grants mediocre horizontal distance at best. As Jolt Haymaker does not stop at the edge and Little Mac keeps all his forward momentum even if he swings his fist during the first few frames, the move's total distance cannot be changed (except the aerial version, which gains less distance if his fist is swung early). This makes it extremely risky to use on small platforms or near edges, as players can easily underestimate the distance Little Mac jumps, easily sending him flying offstage with no way to recover as the move renders him helpless; this is especially dangerous with the grounded version, as it boosts Little Mac forward almost the length of half of Final Destination.
As of the 1.0.4 update, Jolt Haymaker has even less horizontal reach when used in midair [1], while the 1.0.6 update increased the move's knockback by a good amount. This hurts Little Mac's almost nonexistent horizontal recovery even more, but allows him to use Jolt Haymaker as a surprise finisher due to its increased knockback (especially since the move grants invincibility during the leap while still boosting Little Mac forward significantly when grounded), and allows him to combo an aerial Jolt Haymaker after a down tilt for effective damage racking or as a KO option, as the reduced horizontal reach prevents Little Mac from accidentally SDing if near the edge while still reliably KOing as early as 105%.
Customization
Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the known variations:
| 1. Jolt Haymaker | 2. Grounding Blow | 3. Guard Breaker |
|---|---|---|
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 |
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| "Leap forward, dodging low attacks, and deliver a punch. Press again to punch early." | "Jump high into the air to whack opponents downward and bury them." | "A slower but more powerful Jolt Haymaker that can't be blocked by shields." |
- Jolt Haymaker: Default.
- Grounding Blow: Little Mac leaps high into the air, then shoots downward for the punch. Buries grounded foes, and can meteor smash airborne ones if sweetspotted. Thanks to its high vertical reach, it can be an effective anti-air move and a general followup option against foes launched above the range of Little Mac's other ground attacks. It is worse for recovery, however, thanks to its lower horizontal distance and the fact that it makes Little Mac fall quickly. Additionally it gives no invincibility frames, though the jump itself helps for avoiding low attacks.
- Guard Breaker: Has reduced distance, start-up, and speed, but also has knockback resistance, is much more powerful, and is unblockable. Pressing B a second time won't throw the punch quicker. This move has an unusual property where it gives no horizontal distance if used immediately out of knockback. In other words, if Little Mac gets knocked off the stage and then tries to use this move to recover while he is still moving backwards, he will not move forward at all and will most likely fall to his death.
Origin
The Jolt Haymaker has no direct origin in Little Mac's abilities in the Punch-Out!! games. However, one of the series' recurring opponents, Von Kaiser, uses a similar jumping overhead punch in his Title Defense match in Punch-Out!! on Wii, which would knock out Little Mac in one hit if not dodged.
