Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Pichu (SSBU)

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This article is about Pichu's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Pichu.
Pichu
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Pichu SSBU.png
PokemonSymbol.svg
Universe Pokémon
Other playable appearance in Melee


Availability Unlockable
Final Smash Volt Tackle
Pichu (SSBU)
Pichu is back after 17 years! Pichu's electric attacks have greater range and do more damage than its other attack types – but they also damage Pichu.
Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Pichu (ピチュー, Pichu) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Pichu is classified as fighter #19. As Pichu has considerably altered basic attributes compared to Pikachu (being among the lightest and smallest characters in the game), and a self-inflicting damage mechanic, it is not classified as an Echo Fighter.

Pichu's voice actress from Melee and the Pokémon anime, Satomi Kōrogi, reprises her role with new voice clips.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Melee

Like in Melee, Pichu is significantly lighter than Pikachu, and damages itself when using electric attacks. However, it is not labeled as an Echo Fighter.

Aesthetics

  • Change Pichu's design and proportions now match the latest games in the Pokémon franchise. Its colors are more subdued than they were in Melee.
  • Change Pichu's voice clips were all replaced.
  • Change Pichu is much more expressive. Like Pikachu, its eyes become swirls when dazed, a detail derived from the Pokémon anime from when a Pokémon faints. It also looks angry when dashing. Pichu also now has squash and stretch in its animations, giving it a more bouncy feel than in Melee.
  • Change Pichu's stance is now mirrored as it faces more on the screen regardless of the direction it turns towards.
  • Change Pichu has a new idle animation where it wobbles left to right then looks back to twitch its tail.
  • Change Pichu now has an on-screen appearance and an up taunt. Its up taunt is very similar to Pikachu's up taunt, except it humorously becomes dizzy afterwards. Its left-facing taunt from Melee is now its side taunt and its right-facing taunt is now its down taunt.
  • Change Pichu's goggles and ribbon alternate costumes no longer have a neck scarf. Pichu has also received five new alternate costumes.
  • Change Pichu is much more vocal, with more voice lines during certain attacks, or when hurt.
  • Change Pichu has a new air dodge animation where it twirls in the air at an angle, instead of scrunching up.
  • Change Pichu no longer appears to sleep while crouching.
  • Change Pichu has new victory animations. One involves Pichu jumping while spinning before striking a joyful pose, with its arms spread out.
  • Change Pichu now has a Boxing Ring title, which is "Shockingly Adorable."

Attributes

  • Buff Pichu can now crawl. This allows for an easier approach while dodging projectiles.
  • Buff Pichu walks faster (1.24 → 1.302).
  • Buff Pichu dashes much faster (1.72 → 1.892) although relative to the cast, it now has the 25th fastest dash speed out of 78 characters compared to the 5th fastest out of 26 characters.
  • Buff Pichu's air speed is higher (0.85 → 1.029).
  • Buff Pichu's air acceleration is much higher (0.05 → 0.1) going from being the 12th highest out of 26 characters to the 9th highest out of 78 characters.
  • Change Pichu's falling speed remains unchanged although relative to the cast, Pichu falls much faster now having the 5th highest fall speed out of 78 characters compared to having the 12th highest out of 26 characters.
  • Buff With the implementation of rage, Pichu's self-inflicted damage can now gradually increase its launching power, and also keep itself out of kill confirm percentages.
  • Buff The removal of chain grabs immensely aids Pichu's endurance and longevity.
    • Nerf However, this also removes some chain grabs Pichu was capable of performing on fast-fallers.
  • Buff Pichu is heavier (55 → 62), which improves its survivability, though it remains the lightest character in the game.

Ground attacks

  • Buff Forward tilt has a different animation, is able to trip opponents, and also has more range.
  • Nerf Forward tilt now has an electric effect, thus dealing recoil damage to Pichu.
  • Nerf Up tilt now deals less damage.
    • Buff Up tilt has better combo potential.
  • Nerf Down tilt now deals less damage.
  • Buff Dash attack has noticeably less ending lag.
  • Buff Dash attack now deals slightly more damage.
  • Buff Forward smash's hits connect more reliably than in Melee, where it could be SDIed out of before the finishing hit.
  • Buff Forward smash deals less recoil damage to Pichu.
  • Buff Forward smash deals considerably more damage to opponents.
  • Nerf Up smash deals less damage.
  • Nerf Down smash has an electric effect, dealing recoil damage to Pichu.

Aerial attacks

  • Buff All aerials have less landing lag.
  • Nerf Neutral aerial deals less damage.
  • Buff Forward aerial does considerably less recoil damage to Pichu.
  • Buff Forward aerial deals more damage.
  • Nerf Back aerial now has an electric effect, causing recoil damage to Pichu.
  • Buff Back aerial appears to have better combo potential.
  • Buff Up aerial deals more knockback.
  • Buff Down aerial deals more damage.
  • Buff Down aerial is now capable of meteor smashing opponents.

Throws/other attacks

  • Change When grabbing, Pichu swipes one hand sideways, instead of grabbing overhead like Pikachu.
  • Buff Grab range has been increased.
  • Buff Pummel deals more damage.
  • Buff Back throw deals slightly more damage.

Special Moves

  • Buff Thunder Jolt causes considerably less recoil damage to Pichu.
  • Buff Skull Bash causes Pichu to bounce back when it hits an opponent, making it safer to use.
  • Buff Skull Bash deals more damage.
  • Nerf Skull Bash deals more recoil damage.
  • Buff Agility travels further and does less recoil damage.
  • Buff Thunder meteor smashes targets hit high above Pichu and can drag them down into the launching hit, as with Pikachu's version of the move.
  • Change Like with Pikachu's Thunder, the electricity discharged when the lightning strikes Pichu is now yellow rather than blue and has Pichu flash with a dark tint, and does not cry if struck.
  • Change Pichu now has a Final Smash, Volt Tackle, which is nearly identical to Pikachu's: it has Pichu dash quickly around the stage at different angles while surrounded in a ball of electricity, then launching opponents with an electric blast at the end of the move as the ball disappears. It also causes recoil damage, unlike Pikachu's version of the move.

Classic Mode: Lightweight Fracas

Pichu fights against opponents that are lightweights like itself.

Round Opponent Stage
1 Jigglypuff Pokémon Stadium 2
2 Squirtle Peach's Castle
3 Mr. Game & Watch Skyworld
4 Olimar Pilotwings
5 Kirby and Meta Knight Skyloft
6 Mewtwo Prism Tower
Bonus Stage
Final Master Hand Final Destination

Note: When fighting Squirtle, its Pokémon Trainer is absent.

Role in World of Light

Although Pichu does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, it was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light.

Alternate costumes

Pichu Palette (SSBU).png

Gallery

Character Showcase Video

<youtube>9ZD89yfBCyE</youtube>

Trivia

  • Pichu and Young Link share the longest gap between playable appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series, with seventeen years between Melee and Ultimate.
    • This has been noted by both of their Super Smash Bros. blog's "Today's Fighter" descriptions.
  • One of the poses Pichu strikes in its new taunt resembles its trophy from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
  • Pichu is the only veteran absent from SSB4 to not appear in the full group artwork version of the box cover.
  • Pichu is the only veteran who is unaffected by the new universal 3-frame jumpsquat; in Melee, its jumpsquat animation also took three frames to complete.
  • One of Pichu's alternate costumes is the Spiky-eared Pichu from Arceus and the Jewel of Life and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Being one of a kind, the Spiky-eared Pichu is female, making it the only one of Pichu's alts with a definitively known gender.
    • This means that Pichu's gender may differ per costume, similar to Pikachu and Robin.
  • As of Ultimate, Pichu is the only character who takes damage while using their Final Smash.
    • This also makes Pichu the only character so far that can take damage from all of its special moves.