Aesthetics
Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Luigi's model features a subdued color scheme; the green of his shirt and hat are brighter while the blue of his overalls is noticeably darker, better matching his appearances in the Mario series. His clothing also features greater detailing, with the seams on his overalls being more accentuated, and his buttons having a more polished finish. He also has a slightly darker skin tone.- Luigi's idle animation has been slightly altered, with his head turned toward the screen and his arms moving in a more circular motion. However, he reverts to his previous idle animation while holding a small item.
- Like most of the returning roster, Luigi has become much more expressive than in the previous games. He shows an angry expression when charging Green Missile and during his forward aerial, has a winced face when throwing an opponent with his Poltergust, appearing scared when dodging, and surprised during Super Jump Punch.
- Luigi has a new dashing animation akin to how he runs in Luigi's Mansion and other games such as the Mario & Luigi series. Luigi has a more upright posture in this new animation, making his hurtbox taller but narrower. This makes him easier to hit vertically, but harder horizontally.
- Air dodge and backwards jump animations have changed. Additionally, Luigi now faces the screen instead of away while sleeping, like his brother.
- As with Mario, Luigi's on-screen appearance emits the Warp Pipe sound effect rather than the jump sound, similar to Smash 64.
- Luigi's right-inputted victory pose was slightly altered, with a different animation for gasping at the end.
Attributes
Like all characters, Luigi's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).- Luigi walks faster (1.08 → 1.134).
- Luigi runs faster (1.5 → 1.65).
- Luigi's initial dash is significantly faster (1.28 → 1.815).
- Luigi's air speed is slightly higher (0.7341766 → 0.77).
- Luigi falls faster (1.25 → 1.32). This improves his vertical endurance and makes him less susceptible to juggling, but makes him more susceptible to combos.
- Luigi's fast falling speed is faster (2 → 2.112). This improves his air mobility and makes him less susceptible to juggles.
- Luigi's gravity is higher (0.075 → 0.083). This makes his jumps faster and makes him less vulnerable to juggles, while his faster falling speed compensates for its faster vertical knockback.
- Luigi has significantly higher traction (0.024 → 0.096), no longer being the lowest in the game. This allows him to punish out of shield much more easily.
- Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).- Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
- Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
- Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
- Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 58).
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack:
- The first hit can be held for a consecutive jab, akin to Mario's.
- The third hit has static hitboxes with different sizes (4.5u/4.5u → 5u/3.5u), making its outermost hitbox bigger and the innermost one smaller, increasing its range overall.
- The first and third hits deal less damage (3% → 2% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 3)), with the third hit also having less base knockback (65 → 60).
- The first hit has an altered animation where Luigi doesn't lunge forward as much. In addition, its hitboxes were shrunk to match his arm and fist, reducing the attack's range (4.5u/3.0u/3.5u → 1.4u/1.7u/2.0u).
- The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Luigi, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but removes their guaranteed jab cancel setups.
- Forward tilt:
- Forward tilt deals more damage (8% → 9%) and has much more base knockback (2 → 50), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (100 → 75). This improves its safety on hit at low percents due to sending the opponent into tumble earlier (75% →17%), while also greatly increasing its KO potential overall, allowing it to KO below 200%.
- However, due to its increased knockback, it can no longer lock opponents.
- The outermost hitbox has been moved further outwards (X offset: 3.6u → 4u), slightly improving the move's range.
- It has lost the smallest hitbox located at Luigi's torso, and its knee hitbox has been slightly reduced (4.8/4u/3.4u → 4.8u/3.8u), worsening its coverage at point blank range.
- It has an altered animation, being a side kick instead of a spinning hook kick. Luigi also faces the camera during the kick.
- Up tilt:
- Luigi has a new up tilt: a jumping uppercut, similar to the one he possessed in the original Super Smash Bros.
- Due to the new animation, it has more range above and in front of Luigi, allowing it to reach opponents on the lower platforms of Battlefield, and opponents further in front of him.
- It has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 28), which combined with the previous change, this improves its combo potential.
- It can no longer hit opponents behind Luigi.
- Down tilt:
- Down tilt has significantly less ending lag (FAF 27 → 14), dramatically improving its safety and granting it combo ability.
- It no longer has a bonus trip chance.
- It deals less damage (8% → 5%). However, its knockback was not fully compensated (20 base/65 scaling → 32/72), further improving its combo potential.
- Dash attack:
- Dash attack has drastically less ending lag (FAF 76 → 48).
- It consists of five hits instead of seven, which deal much more damage (1% (hits 1-6), 2% (hit 7) → 2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5)) with knockback not compensated on the last hit, improving its KO potential.
- The first four hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (0.3× → 0.5×). Combined with the universally increased hitlag, this allows opponents to SDI them, which was previously impossible due to their lack of hitlag.
- The first four hits have a different angle (10°/65° → 0°(hits 1-3)/15°/10° (hit 4)) and altered base knockback (26/60 → 38/60 (hits 1-3)/24/48 (hit 4)). Combined with the increased traction across the cast, this generally helps them connect more reliably.
- The final hit has lost its closest hitbox (5u/4u/3u → 5u/4u), but its second innermost hitbox has been moved more inwards to compensate (Z offset: 6u → 5u).
- Forward smash:
- Forward smash launches at a lower angle (65° (up)/53° (non-angled)/45° (down) → 52°/42°/37°), with the upward and non-angled variants also having higher knockback scaling (121 (up)/116 (non-angled) → 131/121), greatly improving their KO potential despite the downward variant's slightly lower knockback scaling (117 → 116).
- Up smash:
- Up smash has increased knockback scaling (98 → 102), improving its KO potential.
- Luigi's nose is intangible along with his head while the hitboxes are active, instead of only his head being intangible.
- The move's animation has been reversed, with Luigi facing towards the screen rather than away from it.
- Down smash:
- Down smash's sweetspots on both hits take priority over the sourspots, making them easier to land.
- Both hits launch at lower angles (120° (hit 1)/60° (hit 2) → 52°/48°), with the first one no longer launching opponents towards Luigi. This hinders their setup and KO potential, without meaningfully improving their ability to get opponents offstage.
- The sweetspot on the first hit has been moved inwards (Z offset: 6.8u → 6.5u), slightly reducing its range.
Aerial attacks
- All aerials have less landing lag (14 frames → 8 (neutral), 22 → 13 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 12 → 7 (up), 20 → 12 (down)).
- Neutral aerial:
- Neutral aerial is interruptible, giving it one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45).
- Luigi's head is slightly repositioned when using it.
- Forward aerial:
- Forward aerial's animation has been altered, with Luigi's arm swinging in a fuller arc ending slightly further down while the hitbox is active, increasing its range below him.
- Luigi sports an angry expression when using the move.
- Back aerial:
- Back aerial always launches opponents towards Luigi's back, akin to most other back aerials, improving its reliability for edgeguarding.
- It has one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45), allowing Luigi to act just before the animation ends.
- Luigi has a neutral expression when using the move instead of a scared expression.
- Up aerial:
- Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27), improving its combo potential. This also allows Luigi to perform two up aerials in a short hop and auto-cancel the second one, like in Brawl and Smash 64.
- It has an altered animation, with Luigi no longer bends over at the waist when he kicks.
- Down aerial:
- Down aerial's clean hit has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and a bigger hitbox (2.5u → 3u), improving the meteor smash's KO potential without worsening its combo potential due to the decreased jumpsquat and landing lag.
- The clean hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.4×).
- Luigi gained a grab aerial, the Suction Shot, effectively gaining an extra attack. Unlike other grab aerials, it has considerable landing lag and cannot be used as a tether recovery, but produces a projectile in the form of a plunger that drops a set distance downward. It can be shot even during landing lag depending on timing, allowing it to be used as a new edgeguarding option and combo starter. Lastly, it can hit opponents at the ledge if the plunger is falling. It is incapable of connecting when Luigi is grounded, but will connect if the opponent is hanging on the ledge.
Throws and other attacks
- Luigi has a tether grab, using his Poltergust G-00 from Luigi's Mansion 3 to shoot a plunger attached to a rope, the Suction Shot. His pummel and all his throws except down throw have received new animations reflecting this change.
- Because of this, all grabs have much longer range, as well as a longer duration (2 frames → 7).
- However, all grabs have noticeably increased startup (frame 6/8/9 (standing/dash/pivot) → 14/16/17) and ending lag (FAF 29/36/34 → 48/52/50), making them riskier to use at close range, and easier to punish if they miss.
- Due to the Poltergust G-00 having a right-handed design, Luigi turns his back toward the screen when using the grab facing left.
- Pummel:
- Pummel has Luigi squeeze the opponent with the Poltergust.
- It deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 16 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 24 → 7), shortening its duration.
- It deals much less damage (3.2% → 1.3%).
- The speed of Luigi's throws is no longer weight-dependent. This improves his up and down throws' combo potential on heavyweights, but reduces it on lightweights.
- Forward and back throws trigger a hitlag effect on both Luigi and the opponent prior to release, while down throw no longer inflicts hitlag on the opponent when released.
- Forward throw:
- Luigi has a new forward throw: the Slam used in Luigi's Mansion 3.
- It releases opponents slower (frame 13 → 15) with 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, but has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 38).
- Back throw:
- Luigi has a new back throw: a backward Slam with the Poltergust.
- It releases opponents drastically faster (frame 44 → 15) and inflicts 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 67 → 38), making it harder to DI and much more consistent for KOs.
- Luigi releases the opponent farther away from him, slightly improving its KO potential.
- Its collateral hitbox has been removed. As a result, it can no longer hit bystanders.
- Up throw:
- Luigi has a new up throw: he swings his opponent upward with the Poltergust.
- It has increased combo ability due to Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed.
- It has gained a collateral hitbox in front of Luigi that deals 6% damage and has similar knockback to the throw, allowing it to hit and even start combos against bystanders.
- Down throw:
- Down throw's animation has been slightly changed, with the Poltergust being visible throughout it.
- It has gained a hitbox before the throw that lasts on frames 18-28, with its damage redistributed (6% → 3% (hit 1 and throw)) and knockback compensated on the throw (55 base/83 scaling → 45/135). This allows it to hit bystanders.
- It releases the opponent slower (frame 18 → 29), but it no longer causes 6 frames of hitlag to the opponent. Overall, since its total duration is unchanged, this reduces its effective ending lag by five frames. Combined with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed, this significantly improves its combo potential, granting it multiple KO setups at high percents.
- Edge attack:
- Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).
- Down taunt:
- Due to Luigi's down taunt using set knockback, it is unaffected by Ultimate's knockback speed up mechanic and thus does not have reduced hitstun like other moves that cause tumbling, greatly improving its combo potential onstage in conjunction with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed. This is further compounded by grounded meteor smashes no longer being techable, allowing it to guarantee combos and KO setups at high percents if it hits.
- Due to the inability to taunt in Quickplay matches (except to discard Copy Abilities as Kirby), Luigi cannot take advantage of his down taunt's offensive capabilities in said online mode.
Special moves
- Fireball:
- It has received negative shield damage (0 → -3 (clean)/-2.5 (late)), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
- Green Missile:
- Green Missile has less ending lag in the air (FAF 86 → 81) and on hit (FAF 42 → 33).
- It travels farther when fully charged.
- The regular version has intangibility after releasing the charge (frames 1-5).
- The regular version has increased base knockback (20 → 30), improving its KO potential when charged.
- The regular version has larger hitboxes (4.2u → 4.8u).
- Misfire covers more horizontal distance, but less vertical distance. Therefore, it's easier to land a misfire while grounded.
- Luigi's misfire animation has been changed, having him spin.
- Luigi's charging animation has been changed, appearing angrier and has an altered pose with his arms in behind him in a shoulder tackle position.
- Super Jump Punch:
- Super Jump Punch has significantly decreased landing lag (68 frames → 45).
- It grants more vertical distance.
- The sweetspot has increased knockback scaling (77 (grounded)/66 (aerial) → 88/80), greatly improving its KO potential.
- The sweetspot reaches further into the Z axis, making it more consistent at hitting some fighters.
- It has less aerial drift when Luigi starts facing downwards, making it riskier to use farther away from the ledge.
- The sourspot has smaller hitboxes (7.68u/6.24u → 5.8u/4.7u).
- The move has issues connecting against certain characters due to the changes to jostle mechanics.
- Like several other powerful attacks in the game, the grounded version's sweetspot triggers the Special Zoom when it successfully hits an opponent.
- Luigi Cyclone:
- Luigi Cyclone grants Luigi full invincibility on frames 4-8 for the grounded version and frames 1-7 for the aerial version. This allows it to tank through opposing attacks and break combos very effectively.
- The last hit comes out faster (frame 44 → 40), allowing it to connect more reliably, and giving the move faster interruptibility as a result (FAF 90 → 86).
- It deals more damage (1.5% → 2% (hits 1-4), 3% → 4% (hit 5); 9% → 12% (total)), and has increased knockback on the last hit (80 (base)/130/120 (scaling) → 85/140/130), significantly improving its KO potential.
- It has gained a windbox that pulls opponents into the move. The looping hits also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× (grounded)/1.3× (aerial) → 0.8×) and SDI multiplier (1× → 0.8×), and their aerial version deals less knockback (60 base/120 scaling → 80/30), allowing them to connect more reliably.
- It has larger hitboxes (4.5u/5u/5u → 5.5u/5.5u/6u (multi-hits), 6u/6u/6u → 7.5u/7.5u/6.5u (last hit)) and the grounded version's stomach hitbox was moved down, greatly increasing its range and coverage around Luigi, while also allowing it to hit some characters hanging on the ledge.
- Luigi Cyclone has much less horizontal maneuverability on the ground.
- It gains significantly less height from button mashing, essentially removing its usefulness in recovery, and considerably weakening Luigi's recovery overall.
- The addition of the windbox to the move and the aerial loop hits' lower knockback completely remove its ability to gimp opponents offstage.
- Luigi Cyclone has a more opaque vortex form around Luigi when used.
- The aerial version uses the same ending animation as the grounded version.
- Final Smash:
- While Luigi's Final Smash is the same as in Smash 4, he uses his new Poltergust from Luigi's Mansion 3, the Poltergust G-00.[1] Much like his grabs and throws, the animation is slightly different; he turns his back to the screen when used while facing left.
- The release deals less knockback (80 base/160 scaling → 70/142), noticeably weakening its KO potential.
- It releases multiple victims slower.