Super Smash Bros. 4

Jigglypuff (SSB4)

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This article is about Jigglypuff's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4. For the character in other contexts, see Jigglypuff.
Jigglypuff
in Super Smash Bros. 4
Jigglypuff SSB4.png
PokemonSymbol.svg
Universe Pokémon
Other playable appearances in SSB
in Melee
in Brawl
in Ultimate
Availability Unlockable (3DS)
Starter (Wii U)
Final Smash Puff Up
Tier G (55)
Jigglypuff (SSB4)

Jigglypuff (プリン, Purin) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. After initially being seen several times during the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 50-Fact Extravaganza on October 23rd, 2014,[1] it was formally added to the official website on November 5th, 2014. Jigglypuff is once again voiced by Rachael Lillis in English and Mika Kanai in Japanese, albeit via recycled voice clips. As in previous games, it also has different voice actresses in French and German.

Jigglypuff is currently ranked 55th out of 55 on the tier list, placing it at the bottom of the G tier and the entire tier list itself. This is a slight drop from its already near-bottom ranking in Brawl and is its worst placement in the series. Jigglypuff retains its strong air game due to its high aerial mobility thanks to its very fast air speed and multiple midair jumps, as well as good juggling ability thanks to its fast and long-lasting aerial attacks. All of these attributes facilitate a strong edgeguarding potential, and allow it to perform its signature Wall of Pain technique, although not with quite the same potency, while its neutral and back aerials are potent KOing options, include a now-buffed Rest.

However, Jigglypuff is strongly held back by its poor ground game, due to its poor mobility on the ground and short range on most of its attacks, including its grab. Furthermore, Jigglypuff has significant difficulty in KOing opponents, as it has few reliable KO moves, and a majority of them feature considerable amounts of lag that cause them to be unsafe in most scenarios. In addition, Jigglypuff is prone to air release combos from several characters within 10 frames that can either combo or kill. Its endurance is unarguably the worst in the game, as it is extremely floaty and possesses the lowest weight in the game, further exacerbated by the new rage mechanic and weaker shields. It also risks dying if it breaks its shield.

Jigglypuff is considered non-viable for tournament play, though a number of players have made some impacts at tournaments, with LeeT notably placing 33rd at Shine 2016 and 49th at CEO 2017 while exclusively using Jigglypuff. Despite this, Jigglypuff continues to have only a small playerbase, and it has notably failed to receive any buffs from updates in the game.

How to unlock

  • Play 120 VS Matches.
  • Collect 30 different pieces of equipment.

After completing one of the two methods, Jigglypuff must then be defeated on Unova Pokémon League.

Jigglypuff does not have to be unlocked in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Attributes

Jigglypuff is a character of extremes, as evident with its attributes: it has the second highest traction, the second fastest air speed, the highest air acceleration, the lowest falling speed, and the lowest gravity. These attributes make Jigglypuff a very mobile character in the air and give it easily controllable ground movement. However, it has the slowest walking speed and the second slowest dashing speed, the lightest weight and the lowest jump force, as well as a fairly slow jumpsquat. As such, these attributes make Jigglypuff unable to quickly traverse the stage on foot and susceptible to early KOs. To make up for its low jumping force, however, it has five midair jumps, which further enhance its aerial evasiveness. Its very low gravity also results in it taking slightly below average hitstun.

Jigglypuff's main strength is its formidable air game. Excluding back aerial, all of its aerial attacks have lingering hitboxes and, in the case of down aerial, multiple hits. Their duration is the primary reason Jigglypuff is deceptively difficult to challenge in the air, as opponents will most likely collide within an attack's final frames. All of its aerials, aside from up aerial, also have enough range to be spaced correctly thanks to Jigglypuff's aerial mobility, allowing it to zone and approach opponents safely in the air. Each of Jigglypuff's aerials also have their own distinct strengths. Neutral aerial is its fastest aerial and one of the strongest sex kicks in the game, even when stale, and can easily gimp poor recoveries due to its late hitbox being sufficiently strong enough to do so. Due to its speed and power, it also works as a good out of shield or approach option, and its long duration allows it to break combos. Forward aerial has the second weakest knockback of Jigglypuff's aerials, but this grants it good combo potential in return. It can also easily put opponents off-stage, and is the main component of the wall of pain technique: once an opponent with a poor recovery is launched off-stage, Jigglypuff can follow up with several other forward aerials until they reach the blast zone, where Jigglypuff can finish the opponent off with another forward or a neutral aerial. Back aerial is Jigglypuff's strongest aerial, KOing reliably at 135%, and having a remarkable range, given Jigglypuff's small size. It is also safe on shield due to its high damage output and above average hitlag, though it is also its slowest aerial, making it a bit predictable. Up aerial has a deceptively long-lasting hitbox, which can be problematic for any opponent that has issues dealing with juggling, and it is also a situational finisher near the upper blast line. Lastly, down aerial can be used as a highly damaging out of shield or pressuring option, dealing up to 14% damage, and has low ending lag. It can sometimes also work as an anti-juggling option against characters with slow aerial mobility or moves.

Jigglypuff's unmatched floatiness, very fast air speed, multiple jumps and strong air game give it a tremendous off-stage presence. Due to lacking a traditional recovery move, its recovery is fairly susceptible to gimping, though its other attributes make its recovery very effective regardless. Its fast air acceleration also allows it to disorient opponents that attempt to edgeguard it. With the aid of Pound, it can also stall its recovery and protect its landing. Jigglypuff is fearsome at edgeguarding: with proper spacing and good timing, it can gimp all but the farthest distanced recoveries without being put at risk; Cloud, Ness, Ganondorf, Dr. Mario and Little Mac are perhaps the most susceptible to its edgeguarding, as their recoveries lack both speed and resilience, while the latter four performances against Jigglypuff revolve around maintaining stage control most of the time.

Finally, Jigglypuff has a trump card in Rest, its signature move; it has very high vertical knockback at all percentages, to the point where it can reliably KO any character at 70%, but KOs most characters at as early as 50%. It hits on frame 2 with a flower effect and has full intangibility until Jigglypuff closes its eyes. In addition to being an incredible punishment option, the threat of Rest forces opponents to be very careful when using laggy moves, especially due to Jigglypuff's ability to perform an occasionally situational true combo into it. The easiest way to confirm a Rest is with forward aerial: hitting with the move's final frames will lead into an unavoidable Rest, which becomes even more potent if used in the air or with high rage. Depending on the opponent's falling speed, a jump may be necessary to reach them. Another reliable way to confirm one is by landing with up aerial: should Jigglypuff land immediately after hitting the opponent, Rest can be landed without fail. This combo works optimally on platforms due to its limited percentage range and its ability to KO as low as 35%.

Up tilt can also lead into Rest, which can be used to rack up at least 30%, but opponents can be launched too far away past low percentages. Lastly, retreating with down aerial can also work, but aside from being the hardest to perform, it is also the least likely to succeed. Other methods of safely using Rest involve crouching, buffering, a footstool jump, a jab reset, or interrupting an opposing neutral attack, though few characters are vulnerable to these methods, and they usually require impeccable timing. Platforms can be a saving grace when considering Rest, as they can lead into 0% KO confirms on certain characters and, if they are moving, can make it a bit harder to punish. For all its potential, however, Rest has the slowest interruptibility in the game, allowing Jigglypuff to move only after five and a half seconds if the move is inputted, making it easy to punish, even if it KOs the opponent, and thus being a gamble to attempt in almost any circumstance.

However, Jigglypuff is held back by numerous weaknesses, which are severe enough to almost outweigh its strengths. The most detrimental is its survivability: Jigglypuff's stats result in it having the shortest endurance in the game. As a result, it can be knocked out as early as 35% with a sufficiently strong attack. The introduction of rage is an additional burden, since opponents can send it flying even earlier, in some instances a combo being all it takes for Jigglypuff to be KO'd even at 0%. These drawbacks force Jigglypuff to play extremely cautiously, as any damage taken can prove dangerous in the long run. Adding insult to injury, Jigglypuff's shield jump has enough force to KO it even from the very bottom of Palutena's Temple. This makes shielding very risky at low percentages, as the possibly survivable punishes normally received after a shield break are replaced by a guaranteed KO that can only be stopped by a ceiling.

Furthermore, Jigglypuff has a very problematic ground game. While most of its ground moves are fast in proportion to their power, its lack of range and slow grounded approach prevent it from racking up large amounts of damage with only a few moves. This is worsened when considering the utility of its grounded attacks: neutral attack's incredible speed can lead into additional follow-ups, forward tilt is fast and highly damaging, up tilt can KO at unusually low percentages, and down tilt is a semi-spike with high base knockback. As for its smash attacks, forward smash has surprisingly high knockback scaling, while down smash has intangibility and the lowest launch angle of any other conventional semi-spike. Its grab game also has similar issues: while Jigglypuff has some of the fastest grabs in the game and the second most damaging set of throws (tied with Ganondorf and being surpassed only by Bowser), the former have very short range and the latter lack any follow-ups or KO potential, with its strongest throw, up throw, not being able to KO reliably even well beyond 200%[1]. This also results in Jigglypuff being easily kept at bay by shields without usage of Pound's high shield damage. Jigglypuff suffers from air release combos due to its high air friction and slow airdodge startup. Several characters can react within 10 frames can combo or even kill. An example would be Zero Suit Samus at certain percents comboing with up aerial, up aerial, and Boost Kick against Jigglypuff even with little rage for a KO. Another example is Meta Knight using his unavoidable grounded Shuttle Loop out of air releases. Although Jigglypuff can escape these combos with a well timed Rest, this is extremely risky, and the hitbox will not connect against fighters with disjointed attacks.

Jigglypuff's approach, despite being good in the air, is overall predictable. Most of the time, Jigglypuff might have to be close to the opponent, read its reaction in order to approach, or bait it in order to make its move. Its aerial moves are not good for approaching from a long distance as they are unsafe on shield when late, and its dash attack is terrible at doing so due to its long duration, despite its low cooldown. Coupled with the overall short range on its attacks, it is at a big disadvantage against characters with large disjoints like Marth, Shulk, and Cloud. Its polarizing mobility is also a noticeable flaw. Although it has among the best aerial games in SSB4, its ground movement is one of the worst, as it does not efficiently give Jigglypuff the chance to traverse across the ground quickly like most other lightweight characters can, and in turn makes it very troubling on the offensive side of battle should it be going against speedy characters, such as Sonic.

Lastly, all of Jigglypuff's specials are incredibly situational. Rollout is a chargeable attack that can KO incredibly early no matter where it is used, but is incredibly predictable and its deceptively small hitbox results in it effectively having no priority, despite dealing 14% damage when fully charged. Sing has awkward timing, little range, does not work on aerial opponents, and, despite not having a hitbox, can be countered. Its sleep effect can also be shortened with button mashing, reducing its otherwise devastating consequences. As a result, Jigglypuff has no reliable or safe recovery options, instead relying on its remaining jumps and Pound to recover, making it easy to gimp despite its usual off-stage comfort. Rest is very risky to use, and Pound is slow and cannot break shields that are on or near full health.

Jigglypuff has among the most polarized custom moves in the game, with few of them having utility that overall surpass the default versions. Relentless Rollout has much less power, but is much faster, hits multiple times and pierces opponents, making it less punishable and allowing it to be used as a recovery mix-up. Pound Blitz is slower and less powerful, but can still pressure shields while hitting multiple times and granting more momentum. Hyper Voice is better for protecting Jigglypuff, since it deals reasonable knockback and works in the air. Its other custom moves are disregarded in favor of the default versions due to their very low utility; Spinphony is, in particular, considered to be its worst custom move (and arguably the worst custom special move in the game), as it has very slow start-up, a very long interval between its active hitboxes and very long ending lag, to the point one could use it from the upper blast zone of the stage, and be dragged down to the lower blast zone by the ending of the move, which are flaws that completely overshadow the moves' utility at reversing opponents out. Raging Rollout has more power and is unblockable, but is much slower at charging, grants less distance, has high ending lag and doesn't pierce opponents. Sideways Pound sends opponents at a semi-spike, but is worse for recovering. Leaping Rest has more coverage since Jigglypuff jumps when using the move, but is much weaker and it naps for a longer time, making it more punishable if it misses. Wakie Wakie has decreased ending lag, increased range, pushes opponents away opponents while "napping" and sends opponents horizontally rather than vertically, again similarly to Rest's iteration in Melee, but is also slightly weaker, causes recoil damage, and its increased startup makes Jigglypuff vulnerable. In addition, while Jigglypuff does benefit from its best custom moves since they enhance its strengths in one way or another, they also fail to fix most of its major flaws.

Overall, Jigglypuff can quickly rack up damage or KO opponents, but can be KO'd just as quickly. Despite this, characters like Ganondorf are also prominent in these areas to a much bigger extent. As a result of its very risky playstyle and mechanics as well as its punish game compared to other characters, its popularity in competitive play remains poor, as it has notoriously low tournament representation and almost no tournament results in singles at high levels of play. Even so, Jigglypuff has already received better representation and results than in Brawl, as it has more dedicated players like CrazieCuban, Speclar, LeeT, MASTER PUFFY, RDR7, and Serynder, who have performed decently within their regions. It should also be noted that Jigglypuff fares much better in doubles play, as its combination of evasiveness and strength are well-suited to this environment, courtesy of a teammate's attacks giving Jigglypuff many new options.

Changes from Brawl

Despite being ranked as the third worst character in Brawl, Jigglypuff has received a mix of buffs and nerfs (both directly and indirectly) in the transition to SSB4. However, in spite of its powerful moves receiving even more strength, it was ultimately nerfed due to its most critical flaws from Brawl not being addressed, but rather worsened, while its few strengths (such as its air game and edgeguarding ability) have been nerfed.

Jigglypuff is, for the most part, adversely affected by universal gameplay changes. The removal of edge-hogging gives it a much harder time edgeguarding opponents, and while a number of characters have had their recoveries buffed, Jigglypuff's recovery was overall nerfed, as Pound grants less momentum than before, only marginally increasing its recovery distance when executed frame-perfectly, while simultaneously slowing it down significantly. Furthermore, Jigglypuff's jumps are marginally lower now, and Rollout is now unsafe as a recovery option as Jigglypuff can no longer move left and right while falling after hitting an opponent with it. The addition of rage hinders its already poor endurance, and it usually cannot survive long enough to make effective use of the mechanic. The changes to shield mechanics further compound its frailty, as Jigglypuff's unusual shield jump is now a greater liability than in Brawl. However the weakening of shields also allows Pound to break shields more easily, which coupled with the increased strength of Rest, improves Jigglypuff's offensive capabilities somewhat. While Jigglypuff benefits from the drastic changes to hitstun, as it is now able to perform true combos with its aerials again, its nerfed air game counterbalances this issue: its up, down and back aerials (particularly the latter) have increased lag. Its forward aerial, a staple move in previous games, deals less damage and less knockback, making it significantly less useful than before, while its lower short hop removes its notable ability to use two aerials in one short hop. Due to this, a down aerial no longer autocancels from a short hop, nerfing its approach. Its ground game was also weakened, as it no longer has access to DACUS and its smash attacks now deal less damage and knockback, with the reduction in ending lag for its down and up smashes and its faster dashing speed failing to compensate for this well enough. Because of these changes, its KOing ability is much worse, and even with the changes to hitstun allowing for some hit confirms into Rest, it still has difficulty landing said move.

However, Jigglypuff also received some buffs, most notably Rest's aforementioned power having been partially restored since Brawl, which also scales well with rage. Its neutral and back aerials have been buffed to KO at realistic percentages, at the cost of back aerial's noticeable speed loss due to it being re-purposed as a KOing option. A lot of its moves have slightly reduced lag, improving its approach and speed altogether, albeit for the exchange of less damage. Its dash attack also no longer rebounds with a hitbox, giving it some utility for KOing as well as both a new, albeit situational, approach tactic, and a way to deal with projectiles.

Even so, these buffs do not compensate at all for the large nerfs it has received. As a result, it is one of the few characters to have been clearly nerfed in its initial transition from Brawl, alongside Meta Knight, Marth, Falco, Olimar and King Dedede, and it is important to note several points: the former three characters (as well as several poorly regarded characters like Charizard, Ganondorf and Zelda) have received buffs over game updates, whereas Jigglypuff has not. Despite the latter two characters not receiving noticeable buffs on game updates, their nerfs in the transition from Brawl are much less significant when compared to Jigglypuff's more critical flaws and nerfs. The majority of the Brawl cast has also been buffed to varying degrees, most notably its fellow bottom-tier characters, such as Mario and Captain Falcon. Lastly, it does not really benefit from a slightly more favorable matchup spread due to certain dominant characters from Brawl, such as Meta Knight, being nerfed, as they still have clear strengths that Jigglypuff either lacks or said strengths being counterbalanced by Jigglypuff's weaknesses, allowing said characters to overcome Jigglypuff. As such, its standing among the rest of the cast is worse than in Brawl, and it once again lacks viability in competitive play, though its overall potency compared to Brawl is somewhat debatable due to the more polarized character balance in the former game.

Aesthetics

  • Change Jigglypuff's design has undergone a few changes, much like the other playable Pokémon in SSB4. It now has smaller eyes, which are a brighter shade of cyan and farther apart from each other. Its mouth is also wider, positioned higher and is closed by default, rather than being perpetually open. Like most of the cast, Jigglypuff is also more visually expressive with more exaggerated facial expressions while taking hits, such as wincing or tearing up and scowling, when performing certain attacks.
  • Change Jigglypuff's face now faces the screen regardless of whether it's facing left or right.

Attributes

  • Buff Jigglypuff dashes faster (1.1 → 1.155).
  • Change Jigglypuff's gravity is higher (0.05056 → 0.053088).
  • Nerf Short hop is lower, which prevents Jigglypuff from performing two aerials from a short hop.
  • Change The general change in size between smaller and larger characters makes Jigglypuff's hurtbox smaller than in Brawl, which is especially noticeable among characters typically depicted as large or small in their respective series. However, this also hinders its range.
  • Nerf The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly hinder Jigglypuff's endurance.
  • Nerf The removal of edge-hogging and the introduction of edge trumping hinder Jigglypuff's edgeguarding game.
  • Buff Air dodge has less ending lag (frame 50 → 35).
  • Buff Rolls have less ending lag (frame 33 → 31).
  • Nerf Forward roll has more startup lag and both rolls have shorter durations (frames 3-19 (forward), 4-19 (back) → 4-17 (both)).
  • Buff Spotdodge has a longer duration (frames 3-16 → 4-19).
  • Nerf Spotdodge has more startup (frame 3 → 4) and ending lag (frame 26 → 29).

Ground attacks

  • Buff Neutral attack launches at a higher angle (361° → 60°/78° (hit 1)/55°/65° (hit 2)), allowing it to connect together better. Both hits also have increased base knockback (8/16 → 12/22).
  • Nerf Neutral attack can no longer jab lock due to its altered angle, removing Jigglypuff's most reliable way to safely set up Rest or a charged smash attack from a missed tech. The second hit also has increased ending lag (frame 17 → 20).
  • Buff Forward tilt has a longer duration (frames 7-9 → 7-10) and has less ending lag (frame 29 → 28).
  • Buff Dash attack no longer rebounds, which now makes it capable of blocking projectiles and most attacks. This improves its approach potential. The late hit also has a longer duration (frames 10-15 → 10-20).
  • Nerf All smash attacks deal less damage (16%/13% → 15%/12% (forward), 15%/13% → 14%/12% (up), 12% → 11% (down)). However, only forward smash's knockback scaling was compensated (103 → 115), while up and down smashes' were not (100 → 105 (up), 66 → 69 (down)).
  • Buff All smash attacks have decreased ending lag (frame 55 → 50 (forward), frame 54 → 46 (up), frame 53 → 49 (down)), making them less situational KO moves despite their reduced power.
  • Nerf The removal of DACUS hinders up smash's approach potential further hindering Jigglypuff's already slow ground game.

Aerial attacks

  • Buff Clean neutral aerial deals more damage (10% → 11%) and has increased knockback (20 (base)/90 (scaling) → 30/100), significantly improving its KO potential. Late neutral aerial also has increased base knockback (10 → 50), allowing it to gimp more effectively.
  • Nerf Neutral aerial autocancels later (frame 30 → 40), no longer doing so immediately after its hitboxes cease.
  • Change Clean forward aerial deals less damage (12%/10% → 9%) and has decreased knockback scaling (108 → 98). This hinders its KO potential, but improves its combo potential.
  • Buff Late forward aerial has increased base knockback (12 → 30).
  • Buff Back aerial deals more damage (12% → 13%) and has significantly increased knockback (10 (base)/90 (scaling) → 0/30 (base)/120 (scaling)), making it a viable finisher at high percents.
  • Nerf Back aerial has increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 8-11 → 12-13), has more ending (frame 33 → 40) and landing lag (15 frames → 18). It also autocancels later (frame 23 → 28). Altogether, these changes significantly hinder its spacing and Wall of Pain potentials. Additionally, despite Jigglypuff's slightly larger size, back aerial's range is unchanged, effectively giving it less range relative to Jigglypuff.
  • Change Back aerial has a higher hitlag multiplier (1× → 1.2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
  • Buff Up aerial has a longer duration (9 frames → 13) and increased vertical range.
  • Nerf Up aerial has increased startup (frame 8 → 9) and ending lag (frame 37 → 45).
  • Buff Down aerial has different angles, which change based on positioning instead of whether it hits a grounded or aerial opponent (270° (grounded)/30° (aerial) → 145°/280° (both)), and has a lower SDI multiplier (1.2× → 0.8×). Coupled with the weakening of SDI, these changes allow it to connect much more reliably. It has also received an additional, ninth hit that deals higher knockback (20/10 (base)/100 (scaling) → 30/150) and launches at a horizontal angle (270°/30° → 42°), improving its edgeguarding and follow-up potential.
  • Nerf Down aerial's first eight hits have less vertical reach, and deal less damage (2% → 1.5%), reducing the move's total damage output (16% → 14%). It also has increased start-up lag (frame 5 → 7), and autocancels later (frame 38 → 45), no longer autocanceling in a short hop. Lastly, its new angles have made it harder to lock with and it can no longer trip opponents. Altogether, these changes hinder its ability to lead into Rest.
  • Change Down aerial's last hit has a higher hitlag multiplier (0.8× → 2.2×), making it safer on shield, but easier to DI. It can now also launch opponents backward, which grants it new follow-up options, but removes some of its previous follow-up options impossible if the opponent is sent backwards.
  • Buff The changes to hitstun canceling improve Jigglypuff's aerial combo game.

Throws/other attacks

  • Buff All grabs have decreased ending lag (frame 30 → 27 (standing), frame 40 → 33 (dash), frame 36 → 32 (pivot)).
  • Buff Dash and pivot grabs have decreased start-up lag (frame 10 → 8 (dash), frame 10 → 9 (pivot)).
  • Nerf Dash grab has slightly less range, due to not propelling Jigglypuff forward as much when the hitbox comes out.
  • Buff Pummel deals more damage (3% → 3.1%).
  • Buff Floor attacks deal more damage (6% → 7%) and shield damage (1 → 8) per hit, with minimally compensated knockback scaling (50 → 48).
  • Change Floor attacks' angles have been altered (361° → 48°).
  • Buff Edge attack no longer has set knockback (90 (set)/100 (scaling) → 90 (base)/20 (scaling)).

Special moves

  • Nerf Rollout has decreased knockback scaling on the ground (100 → 92), and deals less damage fully charged (18% → 14%), hindering its KO potential. Jigglypuff can also no longer move in midair after hitting an opponent, significantly hindering its recovery potential and safety. Additionally, the move no longer allows Jigglypuff to bypass freeze frames when landed on an opponent, effectively increasing its ending lag.
  • Nerf Using Rollout in the air now causes its momentum to gradually drop, both reducing its recovery potential and its offensive capabilities in the air. Additionally, slowing down in mid-air by holding in the opposite direction has a much weaker effect on Jigglypuff's momentum, and a new glitch prevents Jigglypuff from curving in mid-air if the user attempts to reverse the direction of Rollout on the same frame that Jigglypuff rolls of a ledge. These changes make it overall easier to cause an accidental self-destruct.
  • Change Rollout travels faster and deals more damage when traveling along slopes, such as on Green Hill Zone and Corneria, which also potentially allows Jigglypuff to bypass certain counterattacks by moving too fast for the attack to hit. However, attempting to reverse the direction of Rollout while rolling down a cliff will now result in Jigglypuff being flung forwards off the ground, making self-destructs very likely.
  • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields benefits Pound, allowing it to break a shield that is below 70% of its health.
  • Nerf Aerial Pound loses momentum more quickly, doesn't travel forward as far, and now causes Jigglypuff to start falling downwards before it is able to begin accelerating forwards through the air. All of these factors combined now result in the usage of aerial Pound actually worsening Jigglypuff's horizontal recovery, even when angled upwards, unless executed perfectly or as a mix-up.
  • Buff Sing now has a sweetspot nearer to Jigglypuff which puts opponents to sleep for noticeably longer, while the newly added sourspot retains the same sleep duration from previous games. Furthermore, the third soundwave only features the sweetspot, and no sourspot, on top of its slightly longer reach than the first two. Lastly, the first two waves are larger (13u → 14u).
  • Buff Rest deals more damage (15% → 20%), which restores some of its power from Melee despite having decreased knockback scaling (75 → 66). It also has a larger hitbox (2.6u → 3.4u), even relative to Jigglypuff's size increase, and has decreased ending lag (frame 250 → 230), slightly improving its accuracy and safety. It also has a longer duration (frame 2 → 2-4).
  • Change The implementation of blast KOs from the upper blast line hinders Rest's safety as a KOing option, due to it possibly allowing the opponent to respawn quickly and have a chance to punish Jigglypuff. However, it also means that the opponent will now usually be KO'd before Jigglypuff when the move is used off-stage. Additionally, he lengthening of screen KOs' animations hinders an opponent's chance to punish Jigglypuff, as they now last just as long as star KOs.
  • Buff Puff Up significantly increases Jigglypuff's size, to the point that most stages are entirely covered.
  • Change Puff Up has received a solitary hitbox once Jigglypuff reaches its maximum size and cries, rather than using multiple hitboxes during the shrink that occurs following the cry. This new hitbox deals damage, reasonable knockback (depending on the opponent's damage) and launches at the Sakurai angle, rather than simply blowing the opponent away with a windbox (depending on their proximity to Jigglypuff's center mass). With the shrink hitboxes removed, Jigglypuff cannot chain hits against opponents trapped against a wall for massive damage and mounting knockback.
  • Change Puff Up's visual effects have changed. Jigglypuff's eyes continue to glow yellow from the Final Smash effect when performing Puff Up and it now makes the stage shake.

Update history

Jigglypuff is notorious for not receiving any direct changes despite being unilaterally considered a bottom-tier character. However, the changes to shield mechanics in updates 1.1.0 and 1.1.1 indirectly nerfed Jigglypuff, as the increased shieldstun makes its susceptibility to being instantly KO'd by having its shield broken more of a liability. Conversely, these changes also make Jigglypuff's attacks slightly safer on shield (most notably its back aerial) and benefits Pound's high shield damage output, slightly improving its limited approach. It also slightly benefits from the nerfs given to some of its hardest matchups in game updates, such as Diddy Kong, Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, and Bayonetta. However, it is the one of the only two non-top tier fighters to have never received a single buff (the other being King Dedede), and as such, is currently considered the worst fighter in the game. Overall, Jigglypuff fares considerably worse relative to the cast than it did during the initial release, due to not receiving any truly significant changes from game updates.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.4

  • Bug fix The instant reversal glitch of Rollout (by holding away while landing with Rollout when facing right) has been removed.
    • Nerf This slightly hinders Rollout's utility.
  • Bug fix There was previously an issue where if Jigglypuff landed with rollout while facing left and holding away, Jigglypuff could not turn around at any point after landing with Rollout and the move lacked a hitbox. This was fixed.


Moveset

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack   3% Two alternating punches. It is very quick, which allows it to function as a pseudo-jab cancel into itself, forward tilt, down tilt, a grab or Pound. However, it is extremely short-ranged.
3%
Forward tilt   10% A spinning roundhouse kick. Due to it being short-ranged, it is best used as a follow-up from neutral attack.
Up tilt   9% A scorpion kick. Has some start-up, but is somewhat powerful for a tilt attack, as it begins KOing at 127%. Although it is best used for scoring KOs, it possesses almost no combo potential unlike Kirby's up tilt. It can combo into itself twice at very low percents, or a short hopped up aerial up to around 30%. While it can hit opponents in front of Jigglypuff, it has to practically touch them in order to land it, and lacks this ability entirely against small fighters like Pikachu and Kirby.
Down tilt   10% A crouching shin kick. Can be used while crouching under some attacks, and is a semi-spike that is good for setting up edgeguards. It has the strongest base knockback of all of Jigglypuff's tilts, however it also has the longest start-up, and the weakest knockback scaling.
Dash attack   12% (clean) 8% (late) A lunging headbutt. Decently quick with good knockback for a dash attack and its hitbox blocks opposing attacks and (similarly to Ganondorf's dash attack) neutralises most projectiles, although it is unsafe on hit at low percentages, and Jigglypuff's slow dashing speed somewhat limits its utility. Begins KOing at 115% while near the edge.
Forward smash   15% (clean), 12% (late) A thrust kick. Powerful and has the most range of Jigglypuff's smash attacks, but has considerable ending lag. Begins KOing at 77% while near the edge.
Up smash   14% (sweetspot), 12% (sourspot) An upward headbutt. Like up tilt, it is most effective if the opponent is behind Jigglypuff. Begins KOing at 112% sweetspotted, and 132% sourspotted. It suffers from a slow startup and a lack of range (despite having a large hitbox size).
Down smash   11% A spinning split kick. It is short-ranged, but is a semi-spike that deals horizontal knockback and causes launched opponents to slide a long way across the stage. It can also hit below the edge, placing recovering opponents in a very vulnerable position, and although it will not actually KO under these circumstances until 132%, it makes it very difficult for the opponent to recover.
Neutral aerial   11% (clean), 6% (late) A flying kick. It is a sex kick with a long-lasting late hitbox. One of Jigglypuff's best moves, as it is very safe and has decent knockback when sweetspotted. Commonly used to block opponents from the edge or to end a Wall of Pain. The clean hit can KO at 108% at the ledge, and even earlier offstage.
Forward aerial   9% (clean), 6% (late) A dropkick. Somewhat weak knockback, but good for spacing and can be used for a Wall of Pain. Has a lingering hitbox, though it does not as last as long as neutral aerial's hitbox, while its late hitbox can combo into Rest. Autocancels, but only if quickly inputted after a short hop.
Back aerial   13% A spinning back kick. Jigglypuff's slowest aerial and lacks a lingering hitbox unlike its other aerials, but has strong knockback and good range while still being reasonably quick, making it a potent finisher. Safe on shield if spaced properly. KOs from 100%-135% sourspotted and from 75%-110% sweetspotted while near the edge. Autocancels, but only if quickly inputted after a short hop.
Up aerial   9% Waves its arm in an overhead arcing motion. Very short range, but its hitbox lingers without losing strength. Good for juggling and sharking. Can combo into Rest at low percentages, but only on fast-fallers, making it an incredibly situational set-up. Autocancels, but only if quickly inputted after a short hop.
Down aerial   1.5% (hits 1-8), 2% (hit 9), 14% (all hits connect) A diagonal corkscrew dropkick. Good out of shield option and somewhat effective as an anti-juggling option, but it is unsafe to land with due to its 30 frames of landing lag being punishable even on hit. With precise movement, a rising down aerial can combo into Rest at very specific percents, but only if Jigglypuff predicts the direction the opponent will be sent in, and their DI, making it incredibly risky to attempt, especially since the percent range varies drastically depending on the opponent and DI.
Grab   Reaches out. Jigglypuff's overall grab range is the second shortest in the game, surpassed only by R.O.B.'s. However, each of its grabs have low ending lag.
Pummel   3.1% A slap. Its high damage output and decent speed make it very effective, to the point that it is perceived as one of the best pummels in the game.
Forward throw   5% (hit 1), 5% (throw) Puffs up once to launch the opponent forward. Low knockback, but has low ending lag, making it good for setting up edgeguards with its aerials.
Back throw   10% A German suplex. Like forward throw, it is useful for setting up edgeguards.
Up throw   10% Spins once to fling the opponent upward in a trail of sparkles. High base knockback but low growth. Jigglypuff's strongest throw, though it only KOs when used with high rage and while on a platform.
Down throw   4% (hit 1), 6% (throw) Pins the opponent to the ground and then rolls back and forth on their back, which launches them upward. At certain percents, it can be used as a mix-up into Rest by successfully reading the opponent's reaction.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Spins around to kick in front of itself and behind itself.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7% Kicks in front of itself, then behind itself.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  10% Spins on the ground while kicking both sides, similarly to Captain Falcon's front floor attack.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  6% Performs a flip kick while climbing up onto the stage.
Neutral special Default Rollout 6% (minimum), 14% (fully charged), 23% (maximum via slopes) Rolls forward to slam into the opponent, similarly to Egg Roll. Its power, range, and speed can be increased by holding the special button. If not charged until Jigglypuff glows, it will harmlessly roll around and potentially get punished. On the ground, Rollout's direction can be changed mid-roll, which deals no damage until the turn is complete; in the air, pressing left or right will alter Jigglypuff's roll speed. When Rollout is fully charged, Jigglypuff will voice its name and briefly flash. Hitting a non-shielding opponent will cause Jigglypuff to rebound, which renders it unable to do anything else until it lands or is hit. This makes Rollout dangerous to use off-stage or at an edge, since the rebound will cause Jigglypuff to spin helplessly as it descends to the lower blast line. It can sweetspot the ledge, making it a situational recovery move, but it must be used very carefully due to its high ending lag, and charging still causes Jigglypuff to fall. When landing and turning, there is a hitbox active for 1 frame which deals 7% damage regardless of charge.
Custom 1 Relentless Rollout 1% (loop), 7% (landing and 1 turning hitbox) A multiple-hitting Rollout that rams through targets instead of stopping. Charges faster and lets Jigglypuff roll for much longer; fully charged, Jigglypuff can turn around three times and hit opponents repeatedly. Deals 1% for every time it makes contact, but 7% if it hits a target immediately after a turn while fully charged. Better for recovery than the default version due to its reduced charge time. Still possesses the 7% damage landing and turning hitbox.
Custom 2 Raging Rollout 11% (minimum), 23% (fully charged), 7% A stronger and unblockable Rollout that travels faster. As a drawback, Jigglypuff cannot turn around during the move, and the charge time is more than twice that of the normal version. It must be charged for slightly longer than a standard full-charged Rollout to begin dealing damage. Its high ending lag and long charge time makes this custom move unsuited for recovery; in addition, its fixed direction means it is an inevitable self-destruct if used at any damaging charge level while facing a stage's edge.
Side special Default Pound 11% Rears its arm back and then throws a punch, taking a step forward. Deals moderate knockback, though unable to KO at realistic percents. Its momentum moves Jigglypuff sideways (which is further enhanced if used immediately after a midair jump), making it one of the two special moves it can use to recover. It also does a high amount of shield damage and has a surprisingly large, long-lasting hitbox that doesn't lose power.
Custom 1 Sideways Pound 7% Launches opponents at a semi-spike angle with moderate knockback, making it effective for gimping and edgeguarding. However, it deals less damage, grants little distance on the ground, and cuts Jigglypuff's momentum when used in the air, making it ineffective for recovering.
Custom 2 Pound Blitz 1% (hits 1-4), 5% (hit 5) A slower, multiple-hitting Pound that travels further and deals more shield damage. It also grants more aerial momentum, making it much better for recoveries. However, it has a slightly lower damage output and much greater startup and ending lag.
Up special Default Sing Sings its signature song, putting nearby opponents to sleep, with opponents directly beside Jigglypuff being put to sleep for longer. The more damaged opponents are, the longer they will sleep, making them open for a followup attack, most notably Rest. Jigglypuff can sweetspot ledges during the entire move, allowing Sing to set up a punish from a ledge. However, the song is short-ranged, consists of three long pauses, and leaves Jigglypuff itself vulnerable to being attacked. Unlike typical up specials, Sing does not grant any vertical distance, giving it no use for recovering.
Custom 1 Hyper Voice 3% (hit 1-2), 6% (hit 3) Sings a song that deals damage rather than putting opponents to sleep. The song's hitboxes are bigger, with the third sound wave having the most range as well as more knockback and damage than the first two hits. However, the move is slower overall.
Custom 2 Spinphony 0.5% (hit 1), 0.5% (hit 2), 1% (hit 3) A song that flips opponents, similarly to Cape. Large hitbox when compared to standard Sing, with the third sound wave being the largest. However, startup and execution are extremely slow, with the move lasting 6 seconds in total. In addition, the pauses between each wave is increased, while each hit deals 0-1% (the first sound wave dealing no damage at all) and set knockback, unable to KO even at 999%. The flip effect only occurs if the opponent is facing Jigglypuff, but this is also ineffective at edgeguarding due to making opponents flinch, allowing them to reuse their recovery moves.
Down special Default Rest 20% (hit), 39% (flower effect (without mashing)) Falls asleep, dealing a single hard hit to any opponents directly touching Jigglypuff. It has almost no start-up lag (1 frame) and deals an extreme amount of vertical knockback if landed, even KOing King Dedede (who dies at the highest percent to the move) at 71%, and benefits significantly from rage, due to possessing very high base knockback. It also puts a flower on the opponent's head that deals continuous damage, with the move potentially dealing a total of 59% damage if it does not KO, although with mashing, the flower will fall off earlier. However, if Rest misses, it has dire consequences, as Jigglypuff will be inactive for roughly 5 seconds until waking up or upon being attacked. It still has a chance to be punished if the opponent is blast KO'd at the upper blast line rather than star KO'd or screen KO'd, though they must be quick. Jigglypuff gains invincibility for a few frames when the move is used (before its eyes close) which can initially prevent counterattacks from hitting Jigglypuff, though this is still detrimental due to the move's extreme ending lag.
Custom 1 Leaping Rest 15% (rest), 10% (strike) Leaps extremely high into the air while falling asleep. It has less strength, but possesses a "striking" hitbox on the way up, allowing Jigglypuff to reliably hit airborne opponents. The strike lacks a flower effect, but can KO Mario at ~100% on the top platform of Battlefield, and notably has kill confirms into it. To compensate, the Rest hitbox KOs around 45% later, and the move has more ending lag. While it grants great vertical distance, Jigglypuff cannot grab edges while sleeping, making the leap ineffective for recovering, though it can be used for situational vertical distance on stages with platforms that hang offstage.
Custom 2 Wakie Wakie 15% (explosion), 5% (recoil) Pushes opponents back while sleeping and creates a large explosion upon waking up, which inflicts 5% recoil damage. Functions as a delayed Rest with comparably more startup, but considerably low ending lag and a much larger hitbox to compensate. Overall faster when compared to the standard move. The explosion deals 15% flame damage and is strong enough to KO Mario at ~52% at the sides of Final Destination.
Final Smash Puff Up 17% Rapidly inflates itself to a gargantuan size and launches all opponents near it horizontally while saying "Jiggly!" before quickly deflating back to its normal size. Jigglypuff's size is so great when inflating that its body completely takes up smaller stages and even some medium-sized ones, making it difficult to escape, however it can be avoided by grabbing the ledge and dropping off it or simply air dodging just as Jigglypuff is about to say "Jiggly!".

On-screen appearance

  • Emerges from a Poké Ball and spins while floating before landing.
JigglypuffOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif

Taunts

  • Up taunt: Happily spins in place on one foot, then looks and wiggles at the camera while inflated and smiling, all while saying "Jigglypuff!" (プリプリーン!).
  • Side taunt: Twirls around then poses while looking away at the opposite side it is facing, then blinks twice. This taunt is very similar to Kirby's side taunt, although Jigglypuff does not vocalize at the end. Also similar to its official artwork.
  • Down taunt: Deflates and falls to the ground, flattened, then quickly inflates again. While flattened, its hurtbox becomes significantly smaller. This taunt is similar to its fainting animation in home console Pokémon games, like Pokémon Battle Revolution.
Up taunt Side taunt Down taunt
JigglypuffUpTauntSSB4.gif JigglypuffSideTauntSSB4.gif JigglypuffDownTauntSSB4.gif

Idle Poses

  • Looks at its side while jumping.
JigglypuffIdlePoseSSB4.jpg

Crowd cheer

English Japanese
Cheer
Description Jigglypuff! Pu-ri-n!
Pitch Group chant Female

Victory poses

An orchestral excerpt of the title theme from Pokémon Red, Blue and Green Versions, which has since become the main theme of the Pokémon series.
  • Jumps twice, then does a backflip and looks toward the screen.
  • Shivers while asleep and suddenly jumps up after awaking, rolling back and forth on its back.
  • Uses Rest.
JigglypuffPose1WiiU.gif JigglypuffPose2WiiU.gif JigglypuffPose3WiiU.gif

In competitive play

Official Custom Moveset Project

Character Custom sets available
Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff 1121 1122 1321 1322 2121
2122 2321 2322 3121 1221

Notable players

Active

Inactive

Tier placement and history

In the early metagame, it was widely considered that Jigglypuff was, at best, a mid-tier to low-tier character, and that Jigglypuff's buffs from Brawl would allow it to perform better in SSB4. However, its results and representation outside of doubles play were never as high as other characters that would rank above it in the future, and it would soon become clear that Jigglypuff had ironically lost much more than it gained in the transition. Despite the improved balancing of other characters, it infamously remained stagnant in game updates, with only a glitch that gave Rollout mindgame potential being fixed in update 1.0.4. As such, it was ranked 55th on the first 4BR tier list, making it the second lowest ranked character on the entire tier list.

Jigglypuff continued to languish near the bottom of the tier list, due to still being unchanged positively by game updates while other bottom-tier characters like Zelda and Ganondorf have received numerous buffs. Despite LeeT placing 33rd at Shine 2016 while exclusively using Jigglypuff for the tournament's entirety, it was nonetheless ranked 58th, placing it at the very bottom of the entire tier list. This has continued into the third tier list, with the only slight change to its tier status being its reassessment as a low-tier character due to the bottom-tier being abolished. However, some players felt that Jigglypuff has earned a slightly higher placement on the tier list, due to having better results and representation than some characters ranked above it, LeeT placing 49th at CEO 2017 being a notable example. Despite this, Jigglypuff once again ranks dead last at 55th on the fourth and current tier list, even after the exclusion of Miis from the tier list.

Captain L started using Jigglypuff a lot more in tournaments and has gotten impressive placings such as 3rd at Flatiron 3, 25th at GENESIS 5, 2nd at Vancouver Battle Royale - Spring Championship, and 2nd at Arcane Tournaments 2018 while taking sets off of John Numbers. Larry Lurr, BestNess, Strike, Blank, Pandarian, and has taken ESAM to Game 5 at said tournaments with Jigglypuff. Though these results are bolstered by his use of Pikachu, they nevertheless are more impressive as of late than the results of some of the other low and mid characters ranked above Jigglypuff such as Ganondorf, Dr. Mario, Kirby, Robin, Pit, Yoshi, and Dark Pit. Due to this, its position has become a point of debate; some smashers like Dabuz Raito and ESAM believe that Jigglypuff should be ranked higher while others claim that its weaknesses are too significant for it to be ranked any higher. Regardless, Jigglypuff is still considered to be one of the worst characters in the game and is considered nonviable in the current metagame.

Trophies

Jigglypuff
North America This Normal/Fairy-type Pokémon is best known for its soothing singing, which can put foes to sleep. In Smash Bros., it fights best in the air and can even jump six times in a row. The downside, though, is that Jigglypuff's so light, most opponents could launch it in their sleep!
Pal This Normal- and Fairy-type Pokémon is best known for its soothing singing, which quite often puts foes to sleep. In this game, Jigglypuff fights best in the air, and can even jump six times in a row. The downside, though, is that Jigglypuff's so light, just about any opponent could launch it in their sleep!
Game Boy: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue (09/1998)
3DS: Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (10/2013)
Jigglypuff (Alt.)
North America Jigglypuff's down special Rest sends this Pokémon into a deep sleep that damages and launches any foe it's touching upon napping. They'll even take damage after being hit! It's a pretty challenging move to land, though, and it leaves Jigglypuff wide open to revenge. Be careful when you use it.
Pal When you use the Rest down special, you go into a deep sleep, as you'd expect. But if anyone is touching you when you do it, you'll inflict a lot of damage and launch them directly upwards. They even continue to take damage afterwards. It's not easy to pull off, though, and falling asleep leaves you open to attacks, so be careful.
Game Boy: Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue (09/1998)
3DS: Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (10/2013)
Puff Up
North America When Jigglypuff uses its Final Smash, it starts to grow bigger. And bigger. And bigger! Before you know it, Jigglypuff will have completely taken over the screen-and there's no way to make it stop. On smaller stages, fighters may find there's nowhere left to stand! At near full size, Jigglypuff will damage and launch anyone it touches.
Pal It doesn't deal a lot of damage or launch opponents a long way. No, when Jigglypuff uses its Final Smash, it gets...bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Before you know it, Jigglypuff will have completely taken over the screen - and there's no way to make it stop. On smaller stages, fighters may find there's nowhere left to stand!

In Event Matches

Solo Events

Co-op Events

Alternate costumes

Jigglypuff Palette (SSB4).png
Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4) Jigglypuff (SSB4)

Gallery

Trivia

Jigglypuff's original artwork from Pokémon Red and Green Versions.
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the first and currently the only installment where Jigglypuff is a starter character. As a result, Jigglypuff had appeared in various official screenshots and videos (such as the October 2014 Wii U Direct) without acknowledgement before its official reveal.
  • Jigglypuff was the last character overall to be fully confirmed on the SSB4 website before the initial release of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and, by extension, the last of the "perfect-attendance crew" to be announced.
  • Jigglypuff's official artwork pose is a mirrored version of its pose from its official artwork from Pokémon Red and Green Versions. SSB4 is also the first Super Smash Bros. game to not have Jigglypuff fully face the screen in its official art and is the first game to give Jigglypuff new character artwork.
  • While Jigglypuff's textures are completely unique in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, its actual 3D model is very similar to its model used in Pokémon X and Y.[2]
  • While most fighter trophies are sorted by debut appearance and then by unlockability within the type sorting, Jigglypuff is different in that it is placed between the Brawl characters and the SSB4 characters in the list.
  • If done with correct timing, Jigglypuff can avoid damage by using its down taunt, even though many attacks can still hit it. Also, if its down taunt is used next to a cannon in the stage builder, Jigglypuff will be launched by said cannon.
  • Jigglypuff is the only starter character in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U who has a challenge exclusive to it that cannot be unlocked with a Golden Hammer.
  • Jigglypuff, Captain Falcon, and Yoshi are the only characters who have voice clips that are used in every installment of Super Smash Bros.
    • Jigglypuff is also the only non-DLC character in SSB4 to have only one blast line KO voice clip.
  • Ness and Jigglypuff are the only members of the "perfect-attendance crew" to not appear in any of the newcomers' poster art.
  • Jigglypuff's grab uses part of Rollout's sound normally, In fact, if one uses 1/2x or 1/4x speed in SSB4 and uses Jigglypuff's grab, the Rollout sound effect will play until Jigglypuff finishes its grab. If the Hold L speeds are used, this will continue until time is unpaused.
  • This is the last game where Jigglypuff's icon shows its whole body instead of just its face.

References