Aesthetics
Fox's design is now a combination of his appearance in Star Fox Zero and his design used in Brawl and SSB4. His flight suit, boots, headset, and visible whiskers are from Zero, while he retains his gloves and weapon designs from SSB4. The proportions of his head have been slightly altered, and his fur is more pronounced. Lastly, the aesthetic used in Ultimate has resulted in Fox's overall color scheme being more vibrant.- Fox's jacket collar is smaller, and his holster is now indigo with vegas gold tints. Additionally, his headset is entirely gray. Lastly, Fox's toe boxes are much smoother and are brick red. These changes are unique to Ultimate.
- Like all characters, Fox is significantly more expressive than in previous games.
- Fox's idle, walking, and on-screen appearance animations are all slightly different. However, Fox reverts to his idle animation from Brawl while holding a small item.
- Opponents and items hit by Fox's lasers have a black puff of smoke appear out of them, as if they are being burned.
- Much like in Melee, Fox has a voice clip when performing his midair jump. Due to the changes in the last game, he vocalizes occasionally.
- Fox's taunts have been tweaked.
- Up taunt has a different ending animation, with him performing a short fist pump. He also says "Let's go!" instead of "Here I come!" during the taunt.
- Side taunt has an altered animation: Fox spins his Blaster in his hand rather than tossing it in the air.
- Down taunt has Fox saying "Come at me." instead of "Come on!".
- Fox's side-inputted victory pose now has the camera positioned behind Fox, rather than in front of him.
Attributes
- The changes to perfect shielding both benefit and hinder Fox. He can more easily punish the opponents out of shield with his fast moves and allows him to pressure shields because of perfect shields mostly being ineffective against multi-hits like his down aerial, but it also makes easier for the opponents to punish his safe aerials, most notably neutral aerial.
Like all characters, Fox's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 4).
Fox's weight has been decreased (79 → 77), resulting in him being lighter than Kirby and the 5th lightest character in the game.- Fox dashes faster (2.184 → 2.402).
- However, his initial dash is slower (2.4 → 2.09), no longer being the fastest in the game.
- Fox walks faster (1.45 → 1.523).
- Fox's air speed is noticeably faster (0.96 → 1.11), being average instead of below-average.
- Fox falls slightly faster (2.05 → 2.1), which allows him to land more safely, but makes him easier to combo.
- His fast-falling speed is faster as well (3.28 → 3.36).
- Fox's gravity is much higher (0.19 → 0.23), being as high as in Melee. While this makes his jumps faster and allows him to land more safely, it worsens his already poor endurance at higher percentages by a lot, particularly when coupled with his lower weight, and it also makes him much more susceptible to combos at lower percentages. It also shortens his air time, and makes his recovery more linear.
- Fox's traction is higher (0.06 → 0.115).
- The removal of un-techable reeling on the ground hinders Fox more than the rest of the returning veterans, as his up smash KO setups from his forward tilt, neutral aerial and down aerial at high percentages can always be teched.
- Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-14 → 4-12).
- Back roll has more ending lag (FAF 27 → 33).
- Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 25 → 24).
- Spot dodge has more startup and grants less intangibility (frames 2-15 → 3-14).
- Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 2-25 → 2-26).
- Air dodge has more ending lag (FAF 31 → 39), although it is the fastest in the game due to the universal changes.
Ground attacks
- Neutral attack:
- The first hit transitions into the second hit faster (frame 6 → 5), which transitions into the infinite faster (frame 7 → 5).
- The infinite has a shorter gap between hits (4 frames → 2) and a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.5×), allowing it to connect more reliably and making it harder to escape, despite its higher SDI multiplier (0.4× → 0.6×).
- The first hit and infinite deal less damage (2% → 1.8% (hit 1), 0.7% → 0.6% (infinite)).
- The first and second hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.8× (hit 1), 1.2× (hit 2)), giving opponents more time to SDI them.
- The second hit's hitboxes have a shorter duration (frames 2-3 → frame 2).
- The infinite has more startup (frame 3 → 5), no longer possessing an early hit that deals 0.4%, though this is mitigated by the second hit's faster transition into it.
- The infinite's finisher has more ending lag (FAF 33 → 39).
- The first and second hits have altered angles (35°/80°/20° (hit 1), 40°/76°/68° (hit 2) → 361°/180°) and knockback (hit 1: 15 base/40 scaling → 20/15 base/35/33/20 scaling, hit 2: 25/32 base/70/80 scaling → 20 base/35/33/20 scaling) to keep opponents close to Fox, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but worsens their guaranteed jab cancel setups.
- The first and second hits have altered animations, with Fox standing more upright rather than lunging forward.
- The infinite has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 6×. This allows it to lock opponents into their shields between each hit, and thus pressure them more effectively, but also allows them to cancel shieldstun and punish Fox more easily if they shield 10 hits or more.
- The infinite's finisher has higher base knockback (30 → 55), but lower knockback scaling (170 → 130).
- Forward tilt:
- Forward tilt angled up deals less damage (8% → 7%).
- For all angles, forward tilt has higher base knockback (10 → 40), but lower knockback scaling (110 → 80). This makes it safer on hit at low percents, but hinders its KO potential while also hindering its locking potential.
- Up tilt:
- Up tilt's animation has been changed, with Fox's foot being higher and at a raised angle on the frame that the hitbox first comes out. This prevents it from 2-framing.
- The clean hit's grounded sweetspot deals less damage (9% → 8%).
- The sourspots take priority over the sweetspots, diminishing the move's damage potential.
- Every hitbox except the sweetspot has been reduced (5.5u/5u/4u → 5u/4.5u/3.5u).
- The sourspots deal more knockback (18 base/110 scaling → 20/125). This improves their KO potential, but worsens their combo potential. Conversely, the sweetspots have consistent base knockback (22 (grounded)/18 (aerial) → 20), and effectively deal less knockback as a result of their scaling values remaining unchanged.
- The sourspots launch opponents towards Fox like the grounded sweetspot (80° → 110°). As a result, combined with their higher knockback, they can no longer true combo into an up aerial as a KO option at high percents.
- Down tilt:
- Down tilt launches opponents at overall higher angles (45°/65°/80°/90° → 77°/75°/72°), has higher base knockback (25 → 70) with lower knockback scaling (100 → 50), and has gained a hitstun modifier of 3. This noticeably improves its combo potential.
- Its hitboxes have been slightly reduced, with the farthest hitbox having been removed altogether (3.3u/3.2u/3u/2u → 3.2u/2.8u/3u).
- Due to the farthest hitbox's more horizontal angle, it can no longer true combo into an up aerial as a KO option at high percents.
- It uses a slap SFX instead of a punch SFX on hit.
- Dash attack:
- Dash attack has less ending lag (FAF 36 → 32), improving its combo potential.
- It has gained a shieldstun multiplier of 1.8×. Combined with its lower ending lag and the increased shieldstun for ground attacks, this makes it safer on shield.
- Due to the changes to jostle mechanics, it can no longer cross-up shields, allowing it to be punished more easily despite its increased shieldstun.
- It has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.15×).
- Forward smash:
- Forward smash deals more knockback (20 base/98 scaling → 28/100 (clean), 20 base → 30 (late)), improving its KO potential and improving its safety at lower percentages.
- It has a shorter duration (frames 13-15 → 13-14 (clean), 16-18 → 15-16 (late)) and travels a shorter distance.
- Up smash:
- Up smash's clean hit has increased knockback scaling (94 → 97), slightly improving its KO potential.
- The early clean hit deals consistent damage (16%/14% → 16%).
- The animation is faster with the hitbox duration unchanged. While this makes it easier to hit behind Fox, it also makes the clean hit harder to land, making it more inconsistent as a KO option.
- It no longer grants intangibility on Fox's head at frames 1-9, making it worse as an anti-air tool.
- The move's ending animation has been modified: Fox does a three point landing after doing his up smash.
Aerial attacks
- All aerials have less landing lag (11 frames → 7 (neutral), 27 → 18 (forward), 15 → 9 (back), 22 → 13 (up), 25 → 17 (down)).
- Neutral aerial:
- Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 39).
- The hitbox on Fox's non-kicking leg has been removed, slightly reducing the move's range below Fox.
- Its hitboxes have a shorter duration (frames 4-25 → 4-23).
- Forward aerial:
- Forward aerial deals significantly more damage (2%/1%/0.6%/0.8%/3% → 1.8%/1.3%/1.8%/2.8%/4.8% (hits 1-5), 7.4% → 12.5% (total)), with knockback scaling compensated on the last hit (130 → 103).
- The linking hits have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.66×), making them harder to SDI out of.
- All hits after the first come out faster (frame 13, 19, 26, 32 → 11, 16, 21, 26), allowing them to connect more reliably, and giving the move faster interruptibility as a result (FAF 51 → 44).
- Due to the move's auto-cancel window remaining unchanged, this effectively increases its ending lag before it can auto-cancel.
- Due to the shorter gaps between hits, and rage no longer affecting set knockback, the move cannot lead into a footstool as effectively, hindering its gimping potential.
- Due to Fox's higher gravity, and no compensation on the vertical boosts from the kicks, the move is much less effective at extending Fox's jumps, stalling him in the air and makes it much harder to auto-cancel in a full hop.
- The move has gained a landing hitbox, which improves its safety on landing, but hinders its tech-chasing capabilities.
- It has an altered animation.
- Back aerial:
- Back aerial auto-cancels slightly later (frame 15 → 18), making it harder to auto-cancel in a short hop fast fall.
- It has an altered animation, with Fox facing more towards the screen, and leaving his leg outstretched for the entirety of the hitbox duration, effectively increasing the range of the last 2 frames of the active frames.
- Up aerial:
- The second hit of up aerial deals less damage (11% → 10%), although with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 108).
- Fox's higher falling speed and gravity prevents up aerial to auto-cancel in a short hop unless inputted in the first frame of jumpsquat.
- Due to the lower landing lag, the first hit can combo into other moves, and possesses a KO setup into up smash at high percents.
- The first hit of up aerial uses a slap SFX instead of a punch SFX on hit.
- Down aerial:
- Down aerial's linking hits deal more knockback (5 set/38 base → 20/65) and their upper hitboxes use a different angle (250° → 325°), allowing them to connect better.
- They also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× → 0.66×), making them harder to SDI out of.
- It auto-cancels slightly earlier (frame 29 → 28).
- The hitbox on the foot is slightly larger (3u → 3.2u), but is no longer extended.
- The final hit's foot hitbox is noticeably smaller (8.5u → 7u).
- The move can no longer be frame canceled, worsening its landing hit's combo potential at higher percents despite its lower landing lag.
Throws and other attacks
- All grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 29 → 37 (standing), 36 → 45 (dash), 34 → 40 (pivot)).
- All grabs are less extended (Z2 offset: 9u → 8u (standing), 10.8u → 9.6u (dash), -15u → -13.5u (pivot)), reducing even further his already poor grab range.
- Pummel:
- Pummel deals less damage (1.2% → 1%).
- It has less startup (frame 2 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 10 → 6), but deals considerably more hitlag (4 frames → 11), increasing its effective duration.
- Pummel has an extended hitbox (Z offset: 6.5-9.5), improving its ability to hit bystanders.
- Forward throw releases opponents 1 frame earlier, but with the same FAF, increasing its ending lag.
- Back throw launches opponents at a higher angle (45° → 56°), worsening its ability to set up edgeguards.
- Down throw:
- Due to the new knockback speed up effect decreasing hitstun for higher knockback values, as well as Fox's slower initial dash speed, the move has lost its combo potential almost entirely, only leading into a forward aerial at very low percents if the opponent does not DI away.
- Down throw fires three lasers instead of four, but they deal more damage (1.5% → 2%), leaving the total damage unchanged.
- Edge attack:
- Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).
Special moves
- Blaster:
- Blaster has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 37 (grounded), 38 → 35 (aerial)), improving its camping ability.
- The lasers have a slightly longer duration (20 frames → 22), and thus more range.
- Fox Illusion:
- Fox Illusion deals more damage (3% → 8% (grounded), 5% (aerial)), with knockback only fully compensated on the aerial version (10 base/170 scaling → 30/110 (grounded), 10/200 → 15/148 (aerial)). This drastically increases the grounded version's knockback, allowing it to KO middleweights under 180%.
- It can no longer send opponents behind Fox, allowing the aerial version to start combos more consistently.
- The grounded version has much less ending lag (FAF 70 → 56).
- Fox Illusion has more startup lag (frame 21 → 25).
- The aerial version has more ending lag (FAF 70 → 73).
- The move covers slightly less distance, and it immediately halts when it hits an opponent's shield, making it easier to punish.
- Fire Fox:
- Fire Fox deals less damage on the initial hits (2% → 1.8%), but more on the dash (14% → 16% (clean), 8% → 10% (late)), allowing it to still deal slightly more total damage (28% → 28.6%).
- The initial hits deal less knockback (28 base/30 scaling → 20/20), and have lower hitlag (1× → 0.8×) and SDI multipliers (1× → 0.6×), allowing them to connect more effectively despite launching at a more vertical angle (110° → 105°).
- The dash deals more knockback (60 base → 70 (clean), 60 base/60 scaling → 85/50 (late)), which alongside its increased damage improves its KO potential, despite launching at a lower angle (80° → 60°).
- It also has larger hitboxes (5.3u (clean)/4.7u (late) → 7.2u/5u).
- Fire Fox travels a shorter distance.
- Its charging animation has been altered, and Fox glances up before firing.
- Reflector:
- Reflector has less startup (frame 6 → 3) and ending lag (FAF 41 → 37).
- It has gained intangibility on frames 2-3, improving its utility as a combo breaker and as a gimping tool.
- The aerial hitbox launches at a lower angle (40˚ → 24˚), improving its edgeguarding potential.
- Its hitbox has a shorter duration (2 frames → 1).
- Only the first use will stall Fox in the air before landing.
- Reflector is a darker shade of blue.
- Final Smash:
- Fox has a new Final Smash called Team Star Fox, which involves an Arwing strike. Upon activating, Fox yells, "It's go time!" If the Arwings successfully catch their target, Fox yells, "Star Fox, fire at will!" with it captioned on screen during the cinematic.
- If Team Star Fox is used against Wolf, Fox will say, "This is the end for you, Wolf!"
- Team Star Fox is easier to avoid compared to the Landmaster and has less versatility.
- Team Star Fox can potentially deal more damage than the Landmaster, and the single hit has increased KO power, making it more consistent.
- Due to being a cutscene Final Smash, Fox can no longer accidentally self-destruct like he could in the Landmaster.