Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Ice Climbers (SSBU)

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This article is about Ice Climber's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Ice Climbers.
Ice Climbers
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Ice Climbers SSBU.png
IceClimberSymbol.svg
Universe Ice Climber
Other playable appearances in Melee
in Brawl

Availability Unlockable
Final Smash Iceberg
Ice Climbers (SSBU)
Back in the battle after a ten-year absence! There are two of them, so does that make them twice as strong as other fighters?
Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

The Ice Climbers (アイスクライマー, Ice Climber) are playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. They were confirmed on June 12th, 2018. The Ice Climbers are classified as fighter #15.

The Ice Climbers are once again voiced by Sanae Kobayashi, with her portrayal from Brawl being repurposed for Ultimate.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

  • Play VS. matches, with the Ice Climbers being the 10th character to be unlocked.
  • Clear Classic Mode with Link or any character in his unlock tree, being the second character unlocked after King K. Rool.
  • Have the Ice Climbers join the player's party in World of Light.

With the exception of the third method, the Ice Climbers must then be defeated on Summit.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Aesthetics

  • Change Both Ice Climbers always face the screen regardless which direction either of them turn, making both their stances mirrored.
  • Change The Ice Climbers gain additional detail due to the game's graphical improvements. The duo now wear coats with detailed furry lining, and their boots and hammers are covered in powdered snow. They have slightly smaller heads, and the proportions of their facial features and bodies have also been adjusted.
  • Change Like other fighters, Nana is more expressive than ever before. She cheers Popo on when he throws an opponent, and panics in place when he is grabbed or stunned. Popo will do the same if the roles are reversed.
  • Change Either Ice Climber now hangs onto the ledge with one hand instead of two.
  • Change Sidestep animation has been altered, showing them resting their hammers on their shoulder while looking back.
  • Change The Ice Climbers have a new idle pose of them turning to look behind themselves. It replaces the animation of them dropping their hammers then lifting them back up.
  • Change The Ice Climbers only jump once when using up taunt as opposed to three times.
  • Change Their victory theme has been shortened to only contain the second half.

Attributes

  • Buff Like all characters, both of the Ice Climbers' jumpsquat animations now take three frames to complete (down from 4).
  • Buff The Ice Climbers walk faster (0.96 → 1.008 (Popo), 1.1088 (Nana)).
  • Buff The Ice Climbers dash faster (1.388 → 1.53 (Popo), 1.683 (Nana)). Their initial dash is also faster (1.4 → 1.68).
  • Buff The Ice Climbers' air speed is faster (0.7708 → 0.83 (Popo), 0.8715 (Nana)).
  • Change The Ice Climbers' falling speed is faster (1.2 → 1.3).
  • Buff The partner climber has higher air acceleration (0.09 → 0.0945).
  • Buff The partner climber is now faster than the leader. This helps them keep up if the two are separated.
    • Nerf This however makes desyncing slightly more difficult.
  • Nerf The removal of chain grabbing harshly reduces the Ice Climbers' damage racking and KO abilities.
  • Buff The duration enemies are frozen from the Ice Climbers' ice attacks are much longer, allowing for easier unavoidable followups at high percentages. At very high percentages, it can even freeze them long enough to be unable to recover from near the ledge.
  • Buff Ice Climbers arguably benefit the most from the reintroduction of wavedashing because of their very low traction, significantly increasing their approach and mobility, as well as giving them more mixups with grabbing and attacking opponents.

Ground attacks

  • Neutral attack:
    • Buff Neutral attack can now lock opponents.
    • Nerf Neutral attack does less damage (11% → 9.6%).
    • Nerf Second hit of neutral attack has more ending lag (frame 20 → 30) and both hits have a shorter duration (frames 4-7 (hit 1), 4-6 (hit 2) → 4-5 (both)).
  • Forward tilt:
    • Nerf The partner's forward tilt deals less damage (7% → 6.75%).
    • Nerf Forward tilt has a shorter duration (frames 9-12 → 9-10).
  • Up tilt:
    • Buff The final hit of up tilt has a longer duration (frame 23 → 24-27) and has more combo potential due to the removal of hitstun canceling.
    • Nerf Up tilt deals less damage (17% → 15.4%) and the final hit has more startup lag (frame 23 → 24).
  • Down tilt:
    • Buff Down tilt deals more damage (10% → 10.5%) and has higher knockback improving its edgeguarding pontential.
    • Nerf Down tilt has more ending lag (frame 27 → 31).
  • Dash attack:
    • Buff Dash attack deals more damage (10% → 10.5%) and has a longer duration (frames 11-12 → 11-14).
    • Nerf Dash attack causes less hitlag making it connect far less reliably at higher percents when both climbers are present.
  • Forward smash:
    • Buff Forward smash has less startup lag and a longer duration (frames 12-13 → 11-13). It also has less ending lag (frame 49 → 47) and deals much more knockback.
    • Nerf Forward smash has less range and no longer has a sweetspot which deals more damage (23% → 21%).
  • Up smash
    • Buff Up smash has less startup lag (frame 13 → 12).
    • Nerf Up smash no longer has sweetspots and it has more ending lag (frame 48 → 50).
  • Down smash:
    • Change Down smash is now a sweep that hits one side. The partner will use the same attack facing the other way.
    • Buff Down smash covers more horizontal ground when together. It also has less ending lag (frame 44 → 41) and has more KO potential.
    • Nerf Down smash only hits on one side when solo. It is also drastically harder to connect with both climbers and even if it does, its maximum damage output is much lower (41% → 22.7%).

Aerial attacks

  • Buff All aerials have less landing lag (15 frames → 7 (neutral/back), 20 frames → 10 (forward), 30 frames → 14 (up), 42 frames → 20 (down).
  • Nerf The Ice Climbers can no longer use two back or up aerials in a short hop.
  • Neutral aerial
    • Nerf Neutral aerial connect less reliably when both climbers are present especially at higher percents.
  • Forward aerial:
    • Buff The partner's sourspot forward aerial deals more damage (7% → 9%) improving its KO potential when both climbers are present. The removal of meteor canceling also improves the sweetspot's reliability.
  • Back aerial:
    • Nerf Back aerial deals less damage (19% → 17.5%) and connects less reliably when both climbers are present especially at higher percents.
  • Up aerial:
    • Buff The Ice Climbers have a new up aerial: an upwards hammer swing in a horizontal arc. Compared to the old up aerial, it provides much more horizontal range and hits in front of them, covering them more efficiently than before.
    • Nerf New up aerial deals less damage (17% → 15.75%), has more startup lag, a shorter duration (frames 6-23 → 7-11) and more ending lag (frame 30 → 36) compared to the previous one. It also has less vertical range making it much harder to connect against grounded opponents.
  • Down aerial:
    • Buff Down aerial deals more damage (13% (clean), 8% (late) → 14%/11%).
    • Change The Ice Climbers now bounce up before performing down aerial similar to Sheik's down aerial.
    • Nerf Down aerial has more startup lag and a shorter duration (frames 9-51 → 12-51) and the sweetspot is harder to land.

Throws/other attacks

  • Nerf Grabs have more startup (frame 6 → 8 (standing), frame 8 → 10 (dash/pivot)) and ending lag (frame 30 → 40 (standing), frame 40 → 48 (dash), frame 40 → 41 (pivot)).
  • Nerf Nana cannot act while Popo is held by an opponent's grab, and enters a panicking animation instead.
  • Nerf Nana is unable to grab at all, and will taunt during Popo's throw. These changes prevent chain grabs and locks the Ice Climbers were infamous for in previous titles.
    • If Nana is still in midair in the above situations, she can act, but it is unknown to what extent.
  • Buff Up throw does more damage (6% → 8%).
  • Change Down throw now has Popo grab the opponent with both hands, lift them up in the air, and slam them on the ground.
    • Buff The changes to hitstun canceling improve down throw's combo potential beyond lower percents.

Special Moves

  • Ice Shot:
    • Buff Ice shot deals more damage (6% → 14% (close), 4% → 7% (far)) and has less ending lag (frame 60 → 56).
    • Change Ice shot makes a different sound effect.
    • Nerf Ice Shot has more startup lag (frame 17 → 18) and now damages the Ice Climbers when it's reflected back by a normal attack.
  • Squall Hammer:
    • Buff Squall Hammer now ends with a strong hit that deals high upward knockback after the initial spin if Popo and Nana perform the move in sync. Performing the move solo ends with a weaker hit that deals mild diagonal damage and knockback. The move also has less startup (frame 12 → 10) and ending lag (frame 90 → 78).
    • Buff Desynced Squall Hammer can be used to trap opponents between both Ice Climbers.
    • Change Squall Hammer now makes a twinkling sound effect when used.
    • Nerf Squall Hammer grants much less vertical distance with mashing.
  • Belay:
    • Buff Belay covers slightly more distance with a solo climber and the solo climber has more control while using it.
    • Change When both climbers are present, the solo climber covers more vertical distance but less horizontal.
    • Change Belay now has unique sound effects once used rather than their regular jump sound, presumably taken from their original game Ice Climber.
    • Nerf The partner's hitbox on Belay can be out prioritized. If it is, then the leader will rise no higher than when he does this move solo.
    • Nerf Belay has a smaller hitbox making it harder to land against grounded opponents.
  • Blizzard:
    • Change Both Ice Climbers aim Blizzard forwards on the ground, similarly to their aerial version in previous games. This increases its damage output when used on the ground, but means that Blizzard can no longer hit opponents behind them hindering its spacing potential.
    • Nerf Blizzard's maximum damage output is lower (33% → 31.5%) and it has more ending lag (frame 80 → 85).
  • Iceberg:
    • Buff Iceberg now spins and features a teetering Polar Bear that launches opponents with greater knockback. During the move, a Condor will circle around the top of the screen, which the lead Ice Climber can grab onto, and it will also deal damage to opponents that touch it.
    • Change When paired, the Ice Climbers no longer make a "clapping" sound upon activating Iceberg.
    • Change Iceberg lasts a shorter duration. This makes it less threatening to opponents, but also makes it less likely to lose Nana.
    • Buff Iceberg can now be moved across the stage.

Update History

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 1.2.0 Ice Climbers have been affected in the 1.2.0 update.

Classic Mode: Duos for Days

The Ice Climbers fight two characters from a given universe in each stage.

Round Opponent Stage Music
1 Link and Zelda Great Plateau Tower Main Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
2 Ryu and Ken Suzaku Castle Ryu Stage
3 Villager and Isabelle Smashville Title Theme - Animal Crossing: Wild World (Brawl)
4 Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong Jungle Japes Jungle Level (Melee)
5 Pit and Palutena Palutena's Temple Title Theme - Kid Icarus
6 Mario and Peach Princess Peach's Castle Main Theme - New Super Mario Bros.
Bonus Stage
Final Master Hand and Crazy Hand Final Destination Master Hand / Crazy Hand

Role in World of Light

Although the Ice Climbers do not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, they were vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (sans Kirby) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light.

The Ice Climbers are unlocked in the southern portion of the snowy mountain area. Unlocking them eliminates the ice paths so they can be traversed in both directions as well as opening a path to the hidden forest.

Alternate costumes

Nana becomes the leading, player-controlled character when using the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th costumes shown below. The stock icons and character select portraits change to reflect this.

Alternate costume (SSBU)
Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU) Ice Climbers (SSBU)

Gallery

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

  • One of the Ice Climber's preview pictures show them using Blizzard against a Metroid, referencing the species' weakness to cold in the Metroid series.
  • The Ice Climbers, R.O.B., and Cloud are the only fighters that cannot receive a 10% spirit stat bonus since they don't have any primary spirits from their own series.