Volt Tackle
| Volt Tackle | |
|---|---|
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| User | Pikachu Pichu |
| Universe | Pokémon |
| Article on Bulbapedia | Volt Tackle (move) |
Volt Tackle (ボルテッカー, Volteccer) is Pikachu's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. 4 and Pikachu and Pichu's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Overview
When this attack is used, the user turns into a ball of electricity and deals contact damage while moving around the stage. In Brawl and SSB4, the ball can be steered around the stage, and pressing the attack button releases an electrical discharge that adds significant knockback.
In Brawl and SSB4
When used, Pikachu temporarily turns into a gigantic ball of electricity. Pikachu will then fly around the stage at great speeds, and the direction Pikachu goes during this move can be controlled by the player. When an opponent is hit, they take about 11% damage and minor knockback, depending on how much of the attack hits the opponent and how fast Pikachu is moving. The move can deliver significant knockback when the attack button is pressed, creating a large discharge. The Final Smash lasts around 10 seconds, and is generally accepted as extremely powerful by fans, though the difficulty of controlling it and its short length are major drawbacks.
The move has relatively unusual controls, as the player cannot control Pikachu's movements directly. Instead, they control a sort of pivot point; Pikachu gravitates towards this point with elastic physics. The pivot point cannot pass through solid terrain, but Pikachu can. The move's elasticity is reduced in its final moments, which is why Pikachu then moves slower and cannot move through walls. In SSB4, a graphical effect is added to illustrate the pivot point's current location; while this does not naturally make the move easier to control, it helps the player visualize what exactly they are doing.
In Ultimate
In Ultimate, the Final Smash is made non-controllable like similar previous Final Smashes. The user dashes forward with an electric tackle and if it connects, the user dashes around the stage to deal more damage and ends with an electric blast at the center of the stage. Pichu's version is identical to Pikachu's, except that it is stronger, and Pichu takes recoil damage as with all of its other electrical attacks.
Instructional quotes
 instruction booklet |
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Generate high-current electricity and use the Control Stick to zoom around the stage. Press the A Button to launch more sparks. Controlling this move requires patience. |
 case foldout |
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Fly around and shock foes. Press A/B to surge. |
 Move List |
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Pikachu turns into a ball of electricity that darts all over the stage. If an opponent gets caught in this attack, they'll be constantly hit. Finally, Pikachu unleashes a powerful spark with high launch power. |
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Pichu turns into a ball of electricity that darts around at high speed. If an opponent gets caught in this attack, they'll be constantly hit. Pichu also takes damage from this attack. |
Trophy Descriptions
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- Volt Tackle
Pikachu, transformed into a ball of light that can slam into foes. It can also fly to chase down those who try to jump out of range. Sparks get stronger when you press the attack button. However, its increased inertia makes midair movement tough. If you get carried away flying, the effect will end, and you'll destroy yourself. Be careful it doesn't happen to you.
: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- 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!
Origin
Volt Tackle, introduced in Generation III, is the signature move of Pikachu's evolutionary family. Starting with Pokémon Emerald, when a female Pikachu or Raichu holds a Light Ball and is put into the Day Care with a compatible partner, all of its offspring Pichu will know Volt Tackle upon hatching. Starting with Pokémon Sun and Moon, it is also a move tutor attack. Volt Tackle is a physical Electric-type move that is as powerful as its special-counterpart, Thunder, though Thunder's power was slightly nerfed in Generation VI while Volt Tackle kept its power. While also more accurate, it has a drawback of the user receiving recoil damage equal to one-third inflicted to the target.
This move in Pokémon is a direct reference to Voltteccer, the signature move of the titular character of a Genesis/Mega Drive game called Pulseman made by Game Freak, which itself is named after Voltekka, the signature attack of Tekkaman in Tatsunoko Productions' 1975 series Tekkaman: The Space Knight. The move's look and controls in Brawl and SSB4 are also direct references to the move's look and controls from Pulseman.
Pikachu's cry when performing Volt Tackle highly resembles the one when Ash's Pikachu performs Thunderbolt in the Pokémon anime.
Gallery
Volt Tackle in Generation V.
Volt Tackle in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Volt Tackle in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Pikachu using Volt Tackle as shown by the Move List in Ultimate.
Pichu using Volt Tackle as shown by the Move List in Ultimate.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese |
ボルテッカー, Volteccer |
 English |
Volt Tackle |
 French |
Électacle |
 German |
Volttackle |
 Spanish |
Placaje Eléctrico |
 Italian |
Locomovolt |
 Chinese (Simplified) |
伏特攻击 |
 Chinese (Traditional) |
伏特攻擊 |
 Korean |
볼트태클, Volteccer |
 Dutch |
Volttackle |
 Russian |
Вольт-Бросок |
Trivia
- In Brawl, the game will lag significantly if the pause camera is zoomed into an active Volt Tackle, especially during its discharge. This is due to the high amount of visual effects caused by the move.
- Volt Tackle and Psystrike are the only Final Smashes from the Pokémon universe that have the names of actual moves from the series, excluding Triple Finish's usage of three canonical moves and Max Malicious Moonsault's resemblance.
- In Ultimate, Volt Tackle will occasionally fail for an unknown reason even if it catches an opponent. If this occurs, the user will skip immediately to the final electric explosion.
- Despite being a move that causes recoil in the Pokémon series, Pikachu does not take damage from using Volt Tackle. Pichu, however, does, making its version closer to the move in the games.
- Volt Tackle is the only Final Smash to cause damage to the user, however this is only true for Pichu.
- Volt Tackle is one of the only Final Smashes shared by multiple characters, along with Light Arrow, Triforce Slash, Landmaster, Critical Hit, Team Star Fox, Grand Cross and PK Starstorm.
External links
- [1] The Volt Tackle can be seen near the end of the clip.
