Luigi (SSBU)

Luigi in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Mario
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Unlockable
Final Smash	Poltergust G-00

Luigi (ルイージ, Luigi) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was confirmed alongside Yoshi and the rest of the veterans on June 12th, 2018 during E3 2018, with him and Yoshi being the last two veterans to be revealed. As in his appearances prior to Super Smash Bros. 4, he is unlockable, instead of being available from the start. Luigi is classified as Fighter #09.

As in SSB4, Charles Martinet's portrayal of Luigi from Super Smash Bros. Brawl was repurposed for Ultimate.

How to unlock

Complete one of the following:

• Play VS. matches, with Luigi being the 33rd character to be unlocked.
• Clear Classic Mode with Mario or any character in his unlock tree, being the 5th character unlocked after Ike.
• Have Luigi join the player's party in World of Light.

Luigi must then be defeated on Luigi's Mansion (the Ω form is used in World of Light).

Attributes

Luigi is a middleweight whose attributes deviate from most other characters in his weight class. Luigi sports fairly average walking speed, dashing speed, and air acceleration, a decent initial dashing speed, below-average gravity, slow falling speed, low traction, the 2nd slowest air speed, and the 4th highest jumps. As a result, Luigi is quite floaty and his mobility is fairly sluggish overall, especially in the air.

Luigi's greatest asset is his outstanding frame data, which is easily among the fastest in the game. Because of this, similarly to his older brother, Luigi can be very difficult to punish; only two of his standard moves and five of his attacks overall have more than 9 frames of startup lag (forward smash, down aerial, Fireball, Green Missile, and Luigi Cyclone), a multitude of his moves hit on or before frame 5 (such as neutral attack, dash attack, neutral aerial, up aerial and his tilts), and the vast majority of his moveset has low ending lag, granting him incredible attack speed and an excellent punish game; both points are complemented by the utility of his overall moveset. Neutral attack's damage output and range are average at best, yet its first two hits can lock. Its first hit also comes out on frame 2, which makes the move a fairly useful option for warding off nearby opponents. Luigi's tilt attacks also have their own perks: forward tilt can be angled and is useful for spacing, up tilt has excellent combo and juggling potential, and down tilt is an incredibly quick and highly spammable move that can combo into itself and many other moves while also being able to consistently perform 2 frame punishes at the edge. Lastly, Luigi's dash attack has quick startup; when coupled with its reduced ending lag, increased damage output and higher knockback, it is a much better move for approaching and attacking than in previous games.

Luigi's smash attacks are among the fastest of their kind, have below-average ending lag, and are strong enough to be reliable finishers. As a result of these traits, they allow Luigi to quickly and effectively punish opponents close to him while also rendering him being difficult to punish on shield. Forward smash deals extra shield damage, up smash is an effective anti-air attack due to rendering Luigi's head intangible while its hitboxes are active, and down smash is very useful for punishing rolls thanks to its minimal lag, respectable damage output, and long range. Both up smash and down smash also have set-up potential at low percentages if Luigi successfully covers the opponent's options afterward.

Luigi's aerial attacks are also very useful, having fast startup, lenient auto-cancel windows, quick interruptibility (except for neutral and back aerials) and low ending lag in general. In terms of auto-canceling, he can auto-cancel all his aerials with a short hop, can auto-cancel forward, back, up and down aerials with a short hop fast fall, and can use forward, up and down aerials twice with a single short hop. Lastly, he can use his forward and up aerials twice with a single short hop without suffering from landing lag. Neutral aerial is a sex kick and, like in previous installments, the only one that launches opponents vertically, which benefits its clean and late hitboxes: the former is a great combo breaker and deals high damage and good knockback, making it a reliable KO option at high percentages, and both are very useful combo starters when SHFF'd, with the latter working even up to high percentages. Forward aerial has the fastest duration of its kind and launches at the Sakurai angle; at low to medium percentages, these traits make it very reliable for approaching or down throw-initiated combos into itself, neutral aerial and up aerial, as well as a reliable edge-guarding option at high percentages. Back aerial has the highest ending lag of Luigi's aerials by a noticeable margin, but its minimal startup, decent range and powerful clean hitbox collectively enable it to function as a safe and reliable option for KOing, edge-guarding and (when used via a reverse aerial rush) approaching. Up aerial is useful for combos: it can either extend them or, thanks to having the lowest amount of landing lag out his aerials, use its clean hitbox to start them at low percentages when SHFF'd due to its clean hit dealing above-average damage for a combo move. Its generous auto-cancel window and very low ending lag also allow Luigi to use it twice in a single short hop and still auto-cancel it successfully, a trait it shares with his forward aerial and Little Mac's neutral aerial. Lastly, down aerial is safe to use and has a clean hitbox which is a fast meteor smash, coming out on frame 10 and with only 18 frames of ending lag, the lowest of any meteor smash. Due to his powerful aerials with generally low lag all around, Luigi has an outstanding air game.

Luigi has an excellent grab game, but unlike in past installments, he has a tether grab due to using the Poltergust G-00's Suction Shot to grab an opponent. As a result, Luigi can grab opponents from a fairly long distance, preventing the necessity for him to get up close to do so. It also provides Luigi with a grab aerial, in which the suction cup functions as a projectile that deals minor damage and knockback. This grants Luigi an additional edge-guarding option and deceptively useful combo move that, unlike most projectiles, cannot be absorbed or reflected. Like Mario, Luigi has an average pummel, which can deal multiple hits before being followed up with any of his useful throws. Forward throw deals respectable damage and is useful for repositioning opponents or setting up edge-guards against them at high percentages. Back throw also deals respectable damage and great knockback, allowing it to KO at a mere 120% or even earlier with rage. Unlike Mario's back throw, it also lacks a noticeably long animation, which makes it noticeably more difficult for the opponent to offset it with DI. Up throw deals average damage and knockback, and possesses follow-up potential into forward or up aerials at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox to hit bystanders. Lastly, down throw is Luigi's primary combo starter and is one of his most useful attacks: it deals average knockback, has low ending lag, and launches at a vertical angle, which collectively enable it to lead into potent and highly damaging combos, even being able to lead into potential zero-to-death combos. Down throw can combo into moves such as up tilt, up smash, all of Luigi's aerials, Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone, due to its aforementioned traits. It also functions as an excellent setup for KOs, such as by comboing into Super Jump Punch, back aerial, or Luigi Cyclone at high percentages. Although situational, down throw also has a collateral hitbox before the throw that can hit bystanders, similarly to up throw.

As a pseudo-clone of Mario, Luigi has two special moves that are derived from his older brother, yet his versions deviate in noticeable ways. Fireball is a projectile that is useful for pressuring, hindering an opponent's approach, or setting up an attack. Unlike Mario's Fireball, Luigi's is unaffected by gravity and moves up and down, which makes it somewhat less effective at hindering an opponent's recovery attempt, but allows it to cover a consistent area horizontally and vertically. Compared to Mario's version, Luigi's Fireballs also have a clean hit that deals more damage and they have less ending lag, allowing him to throw another one just one frame before the clean hit ceases. Super Jump Punch has fast startup like Mario's, but propels him vertically instead of diagonally. By extension, it consists of a sweetspot and sourspot, instead of multiple hitboxes like Mario's. Its sweetspot boasts devastating power, which makes it a very potent punishment option, yet it is very risky because of its high ending lag and sourspot that is mostly useless outside of being a niche gimping tool.

Aside from these, Luigi's other special moves are completely distinct from Mario's. Green Missile deals damage and covers horizontal distance, both of which can be increased thanks to its ability to be charged, giving KO potential to the fully charged version. However, it also has a one-in-ten random chance of misfiring; in this case, it becomes even stronger than the fully charged version, and travels much further. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone grants Luigi some invincibility frames on startup, enabling him to break out of combos or contest opposing attacks effectively. It also functions as a KOing option near the upper blast line, and is a guaranteed follow-up out of down throw even at high percentages, which can function as a reliable KO confirm (especially on platforms).

However, Luigi has some notable disadvantages. He has fairly sluggish mobility, with his extremely slow air speed and floaty physics making it difficult for him to land onstage, especially against faster characters, thus giving him a notable weakness to juggling. His range, even compared to Mario's, is well below-average and thus he struggles to approach characters with ranged or disjointed attacks, such as Lucina and Shulk. Compared to Mario, Luigi's lack of a reflector also makes it more difficult for him to deal with projectile camping (especially against characters such as Link, Samus, and Simon) when combined with his awkward mobility.

Additionally, Luigi's poor aerial mobility hinders his ability to approach with his aerial attacks, as well as his recovery. On top of this, his recovery, although long-distanced, is linear, slow, predictable and fairly susceptible to gimping. Luigi Cyclone barely grants any additional height compared to previous games, which leaves him reliant on Super Jump Punch and Green Missile for recovering; the former travels directly upward only, and the latter has noticeable lag, cannot sweetspot edges, and relies on either charging or its random misfire chance to cover a serviceable horizontal distance.

Overall, Luigi is a very solid character, though he often tends to run hot and cold, unlike his brother. His extremely fast frame data, strong air game, and devastating combos make him a force to be reckoned with, provided his opponents make careless mistakes. Luigi's overall combo game, KO potential, and advantage state are easily superior to his brother's, having many different set-ups that can deal absurdly high damage within seconds, and then score KOs immediately thereafter. However, Luigi's short range, mediocre grounded mobility, abysmal aerial mobility, and predictable side and up specials force him to fight at close-quarters all the time, hindering both his approach and recovery. Because of this, a mastery of Luigi's recovery mixups and powerful combo game is crucial to achieving success with him.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

Luigi has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition from SSB4 to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but was nerfed slightly overall. While Luigi received numerous buffs and changes that improve his strengths and benefit him, he has also suffered from a few major nerfs; both points are also affected by the universal changes to the game's engine, which were a mixed bag for him.

Luigi's direct nerfs have affected his playstyle quite noticeably. Particularly, Luigi Cyclone travels much less vertical distance via button mashing, removing all of its usefulness for recovery, as even with very fast mashing, Luigi barely gets any additional distance at the end of the move. Alongside the addition of windboxes to it, this also removes its ability to gimp opponents and KO them at virtually any percentage if timed correctly, which was a crucial technique to his success in SSB4.

Another notable example comes from his new grabs: although they still have only moderate ending lag for their range, they possess much more startup, and are more prone to punishment due to the ability to cancel spot dodges earlier into attacks. This makes them much riskier to use and harder to land, especially since their increased startup removes many guaranteed setups into them and severely weakens Luigi's ability to shield grab, consequently limiting his defensive game and the usage of his pivotal down throw.

In terms of indirect nerfs, the changes to air dodging have both helped and hindered Luigi, but hurt him overall: due to his floatiness, the reintroduction of directional air dodges allows him to use one for recovery in a pinch. However, due to his below-average gravity, his air dodges have drastically more ending lag relative to the rest of the cast, thus making them more punishable, and recovery mix-ups with them are almost unfeasible due to the ability to only use one before landing. When combined with his air speed remaining the second worst in the game, as well as the severe distance nerf to Luigi Cyclone, his recovery is much more linear and easier to intercept, causing Luigi to become much more prone to edge-guarding and early offstage KOs, despite Super Jump Punch and fully charged Green Missile granting slightly more distance.

However, Luigi has also received several buffs, with said buffs being of greater quantity than his nerfs. In particular, some of his least useful moves in SSB4 have been significantly improved: down tilt can be interrupted twice as fast and deals less knockback, allowing it to poke opponents much more safely and increasing its combo potential, while his dash attack has considerably decreased ending lag, connects more consistently, and has increased power, making it much safer and more reliable as a burst option while its higher power gives it utility as a potential KO option near the edge at high percentages. Additionally, his existing KO options have been improved overall: forward smash, up smash, down aerial, sweetspotted Super Jump Punch and Luigi Cyclone all have increased knockback, forward smash and down smash's launching angles are much more favorable for KOing outright and edge-guarding, down smash's sweetspots out-prioritize its sourspots, and back throw is much harder to DI than the previous back throw due to its much faster release.

Further complementing these changes, Luigi's already excellent combo game has been improved as well: his new up tilt has less ending lag and more range in front of and above him compared to his previous up tilt, up aerial has less ending lag, and down throw leads to deadlier combos, having more consistent KO setups and even potential zero-to-death combos due to its redistributed damage output, lower ending lag and Luigi's faster jumpsquat. Lastly, Luigi Cyclone has received far more utility overall to compensate for its recovery and gimping potential being removed: in addition to its aforementioned higher knockback, it inflicts more damage, pulls opponents in more consistently thanks to its new windboxes, connects more reliably, has increased range, and grants invincibility on startup. The addition of the Poltergust G-00 to Luigi's moveset also grants him much longer ranged grabs alongside a grab aerial, the latter of which can be used as a spacing tool, start and/or extend combos, as well as even edge-guard opponents.

Luigi also benefits from some of the universal changes. Like the rest of the veterans, Luigi has had decreased landing lag in all his aerial attacks, a faster jumpsquat (now having a 3 frame jumpsquat like the rest of the cast), and his mobility enhanced in most areas, but most importantly, his infamously low traction has been greatly increased, which somewhat alleviates his problems with approaching and significantly improves his out of shield options. The increased shieldstun on grounded moves in comparison to SSB4 makes Luigi harder to punish on some of his moves, notably his newly improved down tilt. In addition, unlike most characters, Luigi has increased falling speed and gravity, making him less vulnerable to juggling while the latter increases his jump speed, allowing him to more easily take advantage of his buffed down throw and combo game when combined with his faster jumpsquat.

Overall, Luigi has become even more polarizing than in SSB4: while his combo and KO capabilities have been improved, Ultimate's game engine and nerfs to crucial aspects of his toolkit have made it harder for him to take advantage of his strengths and render him easier to KO due to his worsened recovery. Luigi has achieved decent tournament success in Ultimate so far, with respectable representation from players such as Elegant and SMB, though as a whole, his tournament results are not as dominating as they were in SSB4. This has lead to a positive reception of Luigi, although his reception has been slightly more mixed: several top players, such as Dabuz, Mew2King, ESAM, VoiD, Samsora, and ZeRo, view him as either an upper mid tier character or a high tier character. As for now, Luigi's true viability remains uncertain, although he is still considered a viable choice.

Aesthetics

• Due to the aesthetic used in Ultimate, Luigi's model features a subdued color scheme; the green of his shirt and hat are brighter while the blue of his overalls is noticeably darker, better matching his appearances in the Mario series. His clothing also features greater detailing, with the seams on his overalls being more accentuated, and his buttons having a more polished finish. He also has a slightly darker skin tone.
• Luigi's idle animation has been slightly altered, with his head turned toward the screen and his arms moving in a more circular motion. However, he reverts to his previous idle animation while holding a small item.
• Like most of the returning roster, Luigi has become much more expressive than in the previous games. He shows an angry expression when charging Green Missile and during his forward aerial, has a winced face when throwing an opponent with his Poltergust, appearing scared when dodging, and surprised during Super Jump Punch.
• Luigi has a new dashing animation akin to how he runs in Luigi's Mansion and other games such as the Mario & Luigi series. Luigi has a more upright posture in this new animation, making his hurtbox taller but narrower. This makes him easier to hit vertically, but harder horizontally.
• Air dodge and backwards jump animations have changed. Additionally, Luigi now faces the screen instead of away while sleeping, like his brother.
• As with Mario, Luigi's on-screen appearance emits the Warp Pipe sound effect rather than the jump sound, similar to Smash 64.
• Luigi's right-inputted victory pose was slightly altered, with a different animation for gasping at the end.

Attributes

• Like all characters, Luigi's jumpsquat animation takes 3 frames to complete (down from 5).
• Luigi walks faster (1.08 → 1.134).
• Luigi runs faster (1.5 → 1.65).
  • Luigi's initial dash is significantly faster (1.28 → 1.815).
• Luigi's air speed is slightly higher (0.7341766 → 0.77), although it is still the second slowest of the cast.
• Luigi falls faster (1.25 → 1.32). This improves his vertical endurance and makes him less susceptible to juggling, but makes him more susceptible to combos.
• Luigi's fast falling speed is faster (2 → 2.112). This improves his air mobility and makes him less susceptible to juggles.
• Luigi's gravity is higher (0.075 → 0.083). This makes his jumps faster and makes him less vulnerable to juggles, while his faster falling speed compensates for its faster vertical knockback.
• Luigi has significantly higher traction (0.024 → 0.096), no longer being the single lowest in the game by a drastic margin. This allows him to punish out of shield much more easily and improves his approach.
• Forward roll has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 30).
• Forward roll grants less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 4-15).
• Back roll has more startup with less intangibility (frames 4-17 → 5-16), and more ending lag (FAF 31 → 35).
• Spot dodge has less ending lag (FAF 27 → 26).
• Air dodge grants more intangibility (frames 3-27 → 3-29).
• Air dodge has significantly more ending lag (FAF 33 → 58).

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit can be held for a consecutive jab, akin to Mario's.
  • The third hit has static hitboxes with different sizes (4.5u/4.5u → 5u/3.5u), making its outermost hitbox bigger and the innermost one smaller, increasing its range overall.
  • The first and third hits deal less damage (3% → 2% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 3)), with the third hit also having less base knockback (65 → 60).
  • The first hit has an altered animation where Luigi doesn't lunge forward as much. In addition, its hitboxes were shrunk to match his arm and fist, reducing the attack's range (4.5u/3.0u/3.5u → 1.4u/1.7u/2.0u).
  • The first and second hits have altered angles and knockback to keep opponents close to Luigi, akin to other neutral attacks. This allows them to connect better and jab lock, but removes their guaranteed jab cancel setups.
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals more damage (8% → 9%) and has much more base knockback (2 → 50), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (100 → 75). This improves its safety on hit at low percents due to sending the opponent into tumble earlier (75% →17%), while also greatly increasing its KO potential overall, allowing it to KO below 200%.
  • However, due to its increased knockback, it can no longer lock opponents.
  • The outermost hitbox has been moved further outwards (X offset: 3.6u → 4u), slightly improving the move's range.
  • It has lost the smallest hitbox located at Luigi's torso, and its knee hitbox has been slightly reduced (4.8/4u/3.4u → 4.8u/3.8u), worsening its coverage at point blank range.
  • It has an altered animation, being a side kick instead of a spinning hook kick. Luigi also faces the camera during the kick.
• Up tilt:
  • Luigi has a new up tilt: a jumping uppercut, similar to the one he possessed in the original Super Smash Bros.
  • Due to the new animation, it has more range above and in front of Luigi, allowing it to reach opponents on the lower platforms of Battlefield, and opponents further in front of him.
  • It has less ending lag (FAF 31 → 28), which combined with the previous change, improves its combo potential.
  • It can no longer hit opponents behind Luigi.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has significantly less ending lag (FAF 27 → 14), dramatically improving its safety and granting it combo ability.
  • It no longer has a bonus trip chance.
  • It deals less damage (8% → 5%). However, its knockback was not fully compensated (20 base/65 scaling → 32/72), further improving its combo potential.
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack has drastically less ending lag (FAF 76 → 48).
  • It consists of five hits instead of seven, which deal much more damage (1% (hits 1-6), 2% (hit 7) → 2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5)) with knockback not compensated on the last hit, improving its KO potential.
  • The first four hits have a higher hitlag multiplier (0.3× → 0.5×). Combined with the universally increased hitlag, this allows opponents to SDI them, which was previously impossible due to their lack of hitlag.
  • The first four hits have a different angle (10°/65° → 0°(hits 1-3)/15°/10° (hit 4)) and altered base knockback (26/60 → 38/60 (hits 1-3)/24/48 (hit 4)). Combined with the increased traction across the cast, this generally helps them connect more reliably.
  • The final hit has lost its closest hitbox (5u/4u/3u → 5u/4u), but its second innermost hitbox has been moved more inwards to compensate (Z offset: 6u → 5u).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash launches at a lower angle (65° (up)/53° (non-angled)/45° (down) → 52°/42°/37°), with the upward and non-angled variants also having higher knockback scaling (121 (up)/116 (non-angled) → 131/121), greatly improving their KO potential despite the downward variant's slightly lower knockback scaling (117 → 116).
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has increased knockback scaling (98 → 102), improving its KO potential.
  • Luigi's nose is intangible along with his head while the hitboxes are active, instead of only his head being intangible.
  • The move's animation has been reversed, with Luigi facing towards the screen rather than away from it.
• Down smash:
  • Down smash's sweetspots on both hits take priority over the sourspots, making them easier to land.
  • Both hits launch at lower angles (120° (hit 1)/60° (hit 2) → 52°/48°), with the first one no longer launching opponents behind Luigi. This makes survival DI much easier while not providing significantly more kill power. The first hit can no longer stage spike opponents hanging on the ledge.
  • The sweetspot on the first hit has been moved inwards (Z offset: 6.8u → 6.5u), slightly reducing its range.

Aerial attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag (14 frames → 8 (neutral), 22 → 13 (forward), 16 → 10 (back), 12 → 7 (up), 20 → 12 (down)).
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial is interruptible, giving it one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45).
  • Luigi's head is slightly repositioned when using it.
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial's animation has been altered, with Luigi's arm swinging in a fuller arc ending slightly further down while the hitbox is active, increasing its range below him.
  • Luigi sports an angry expression when using the move.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial always launches opponents towards Luigi's back, akin to most other back aerials, improving its reliability for edgeguarding.
  • It has one frame less ending lag (FAF 46 → 45), allowing Luigi to act just before the animation ends.
  • Luigi has a neutral expression when using the move instead of a scared expression.
• Up aerial:
  • It has an altered animation, with Luigi's torso rotating later than the leg.
  • Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27), improving its combo potential. This also allows Luigi to perform two up aerials in a short hop and auto-cancel the second one, like in Brawl and Smash 64.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial's clean hit has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and a bigger hitbox (2.5u → 3u), improving the meteor smash's KO potential without worsening its combo potential due to the decreased jumpsquat and landing lag.
  • The clean hit has a lower hitlag multiplier (2× → 1.4×). This makes it harder to DI.
• Grab aerial:
  • Luigi has gained a grab aerial, the Suction Shot, effectively receiving an extra attack. Unlike other grab aerials, it has considerable landing lag and cannot be used as a tether recovery, but produces a projectile in the form of a plunger that drops a set distance downward. It can be shot even during landing lag depending on timing, allowing it to be used as a new edgeguarding option and combo starter. Lastly, it can hit opponents at the ledge if the plunger is falling. It is incapable of connecting when Luigi is grounded, but will connect if the opponent is hanging on the ledge.

Throws and other attacks

• Luigi has a tether grab, using his Poltergust G-00 from Luigi's Mansion 3 to shoot a plunger attached to a rope, the Suction Shot. His pummel and all his throws except down throw have received new animations reflecting this change.
  • Because of this, all grabs have much longer range, as well as a longer duration (2 frames → 7).
  • However, all grabs have noticeably increased startup (frame 6/8/9 (standing/dash/pivot) → 14/16/17) and ending lag (FAF 29/36/34 → 48/52/50), making them riskier to use at close range, and easier to punish if they miss.
  • Due to the Poltergust G-00 having a right-handed design, Luigi turns his back toward the screen when using the grab facing left.
• Pummel:
  • Pummel has Luigi squeeze the opponent with the Poltergust.
  • It deals more hitlag (5 frames → 14), but has significantly less startup (frame 16 → 1) and ending lag (FAF 24 → 7), shortening its duration.
  • It deals much less damage (3.2% → 1.3%).
• The speed of Luigi's throws is no longer weight-dependent. This improves his up and down throws' combo potential on heavyweights, but reduces it on lightweights.
• Forward and back throws trigger a hitlag effect on both Luigi and the opponent prior to release, while down throw no longer inflicts hitlag on the opponent when released.
• Forward throw:
  • Luigi has a new forward throw: the Slam used in Luigi's Mansion 3.
  • It releases opponents slower (frame 13 → 15) with 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, but has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 38).
• Back throw:
  • Luigi has a new back throw: a backward Slam with the Poltergust.
  • It releases opponents drastically faster (frame 44 → 15) and inflicts 4 frames of hitlag to the opponent, with its total duration reduced as well (FAF 67 → 38), making it harder to DI and much more consistent for KOs.
  • Luigi releases the opponent farther away from him, slightly improving its KO potential.
  • Its collateral hitbox has been removed. As a result, it can no longer hit bystanders.
• Up throw:
  • Luigi has a new up throw: he swings his opponent upward with the Poltergust.
  • It has increased combo ability due to Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed.
  • It has gained a collateral hitbox in front of Luigi that deals 6% damage and has similar knockback to the throw, allowing it to hit and even start combos against bystanders.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw's animation has been slightly changed, with the Poltergust being visible throughout it.
  • It has gained a hitbox before the throw that lasts on frames 18-28, with its damage redistributed (6% → 3% (hit 1 and throw)) and knockback compensated on the throw (55 base/83 scaling → 45/135). This allows it to hit bystanders.
  • It releases the opponent slower (frame 18 → 29), but it no longer deals 6 frames of hitlag to the opponent. Overall, since its total duration is unchanged, this reduces its effective ending lag by five frames. Combined with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed, this significantly improves its combo potential, allowing it to lead into potential zero-to-death combos and granting it multiple KO setups at high percents, most notably with Luigi Cyclone, which had previously been removed in the patch 1.1.1 of Smash 4.
• Edge attack:
  • Edge attack deals more damage (7% → 9%).
• Down taunt:
  • Due to Luigi's down taunt using set knockback, it is unaffected by Ultimate's knockback speed up mechanic and thus does not have reduced hitstun like other moves that cause tumbling, greatly improving its combo potential onstage in conjunction with Luigi's faster jumpsquat and jump speed. This is further compounded by grounded meteor smashes no longer being techable, allowing it to guarantee combos and KO setups at high percents if it hits.
  • Due to the inability to taunt in Quickplay matches (except to discard Copy Abilities as Kirby), Luigi cannot take advantage of his down taunt's offensive capabilities in said online mode.

Special moves

• Fireball:
  • It has received negative shield damage (0 → -3 (clean)/-2.5 (late)), effectively dealing half its usual damage to shields.
• Green Missile:
  • Green Missile has less ending lag in the air (FAF 86 → 81) and on hit (FAF 42 → 33).
  • It travels farther when fully charged (2.5 → 2.65).
  • The regular version has intangibility after releasing the charge (frames 1-5).
  • The regular version has increased base knockback (20 → 30), improving its KO potential when charged.
  • The regular version has larger hitboxes (4.2u → 4.8u).
  • Misfire covers more horizontal distance (2.5 → 3.0), but less vertical distance (0.8 → 0.34). Therefore, it's easier to land a misfire while grounded.
    • The lower vertical distance makes it more likely for Luigi to get stuck below the stage after misfiring while recovering.
  • Green Missile slows down more at the end (Brake: 0.05 → 0.07).
  • Green Missile's physics in the air are floatier (initial gravity: 0.01 → 0.008).
  • Luigi's misfire animation has been changed, having him spin.
  • Charging animation has been changed; Luigi now has his arms in behind him in a shoulder tackle position and sports an angry expression.
• Super Jump Punch:
  • Super Jump Punch has significantly decreased landing lag (68 frames → 45).
  • It grants more vertical distance.
  • The sweetspot has increased knockback scaling (77 (grounded)/66 (aerial) → 88/80), greatly improving its KO potential.
  • The sweetspot reaches further into the Z axis, making it more consistent at hitting some fighters.
  • It can now be b-reversed before the hitbox comes out, allowing Luigi to use the move to hit behind himself.
  • It has less aerial drift when Luigi starts facing downwards, making it riskier to use farther away from the ledge.
  • The sourspot has smaller hitboxes (7.68u/6.24u → 5.8u/4.7u).
  • The move has issues connecting against certain characters due to the changes to jostle mechanics.
  • Like several other powerful attacks in the game, the grounded version's sweetspot triggers the Special Zoom when it successfully hits an opponent.
• Luigi Cyclone:
  • Luigi Cyclone grants Luigi full invincibility on frames 4-8 for the grounded version and frames 1-7 for the aerial version. This allows it to tank through opposing attacks and break combos very effectively.
  • The last hit comes out faster (frame 44 → 40), allowing it to connect more reliably, and giving the move faster interruptibility as a result (FAF 90 → 86).
  • It deals more damage (1.5% → 2% (hits 1-4), 3% → 4% (hit 5); 9% → 12% (total)), and has increased knockback on the last hit (80 (base)/130/120 (scaling) → 85/140/130), significantly improving its KO potential.
  • It has gained a windbox that pulls opponents into the move. The looping hits also have a lower hitlag multiplier (1× (grounded)/1.3× (aerial) → 0.8×) and SDI multiplier (1× → 0.8×), and their aerial version deals less knockback (60 base/120 scaling → 80/30), allowing them to connect more reliably.
    • However, the addition of the windbox to the move and the aerial loop hits' lower knockback completely remove its ability to gimp opponents offstage at almost any percent, significantly hindering its edgeguarding potential.
    • The windbox for the aerial version pushes opponents away from Luigi if they are behind him, making it less consistent even when they're already trapped in the vortex.
  • It has larger hitboxes (4.5u/5u/5u → 5.5u/5.5u/6u (multi-hits), 6u/6u/6u → 7.5u/7.5u/6.5u (last hit)) and the grounded version's stomach hitbox was moved down, greatly increasing its range and coverage around Luigi, while also allowing it to hit some characters hanging on the ledge.
  • Luigi Cyclone has much less horizontal maneuverability on the ground.
  • It gains significantly less height from button mashing, with the move's ending lag now completely negating any additional height it might garner. Aside from delaying Luigi's descent, this essentially removes its usefulness in recovery and considerably weakens Luigi's recovery overall.
  • Luigi Cyclone has a more opaque vortex form around Luigi when used.
  • The aerial version uses the same ending animation as the grounded version.
• Final Smash:
  • While Luigi's Final Smash is the same as in Smash 4, he uses his new Poltergust from Luigi's Mansion 3, the Poltergust G-00. Much like his grabs and throws, the animation is slightly different; he turns his back to the screen when used while facing left.
  • The release deals less knockback (80 base/160 scaling → 70/142), noticeably weakening its KO potential.
  • It releases multiple victims slower.

Update history

Luigi received a mix of buffs, nerfs and glitch fixes via game updates, but was buffed slightly overall. Update 1.1.0 decreased his up aerial's ending lag, which improved its combo potential and restored its ability to auto-cancel with a short hop like in SSB and Brawl. Update 2.0.0 granted Luigi a handful of buffs, with the most notable being a noticeable increase to Luigi Cyclone's knockback. Thanks to this buff, Luigi Cyclone now functions as a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages when used on platforms.

Aside from this, Luigi received a few quality of life buffs: his up smash's knockback was increased, Green Missile's ending lag was decreased, and both his standing and pivot grabs gained 1 more active frame apiece. However, this update harmed Luigi more so than helped him by removing his down aerial's ability to meteor smash grounded opponents, which reverted it to how it functioned in SSB4. This nerfed most of its combo potential, particularly in regard to its consistency at performing zero-to-death combos.

As part of update 3.0.0's near-universal nerf to projectiles, Fireball's shield damage output was decreased. Update 3.1.0 improved his grab aerial's range by repositioning its plunger, and slightly improved his neutral attack's consistency. However, an adjustment to the timing of Luigi Cyclone's invincibility resulted in its utility being worsened slightly. Lastly, update 10.1.0 noticeably improved his dash attack's consistency by decreasing its looping hits' knockback and adjusting its penultimate hit's angles. When coupled with the damage output buff it received in the transition to Ultimate, Luigi's dash attack has become more reliable both as a burst option and as a risky, yet viable KO option.

Overall, Luigi fares mildly better than he did at the launch of Ultimate. Although down aerial's combo potential was worsened noticeably, his combo game remains potent thanks to the retention of his other inherent strengths, up aerial's ending lag being decreased, and Luigi Cyclone's KO potential improving.

1.1.0

• Up aerial has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 27).

1.2.0

• The plunger from his grab aerial now disappears when used while crossing a platform instead of getting stuck inside it.

2.0.0

• Up smash has more knockback scaling (98 → 102).
• Down aerial's clean hit no longer affects grounded opponents. As a result, it has more startup against them (frame 10 → 11) and can no longer meteor smash them, greatly hindering its combo potential.
• Standing and pivot grabs have longer durations (frames 14-19 → 14-20 (standing)/17-22 → 17-23 (pivot)), and increases their range as a result.
• Green Missile has less ending lag (FAF 95(grounded)/81(aerial) → 94/80).
• Luigi Cyclone deals more knockback (80 (base)/130/120 (scaling) → 85/140/130).

3.0.0

• Fireball deals less shield damage (0 → -3/-2.5 (clean/late)).

3.1.0

• The Warp Pipe used during Luigi's on-screen appearance received lighting effects.
• Neutral attack's first hit has decreased base knockback on the arm hitboxes (30 → 25) to allow them to connect into the second hit more reliably.
• The middle hitbox of neutral attack's second hit has decreased base knockback and knockback scaling (32 → 25 (base), 25 → 20 (scaling)) to match the tip. These changes allow it to connect into the third hit better despite its higher hitlag multiplier (x1.2 → x1.23).
• Neutral attack's third hit's hitbox has moved forward (Z offset: 8.2u → 9.2u).
• When landing with grab aerial, its plunger has a better position. This lengthens its duration before it touches the ground and improves its range.
• Luigi Cyclone's invincibility no longer lasts for its entire duration when used on the ground and while ascending into the air with certain timing.
  • This slightly hinders Luigi Cyclone's utility.

8.0.0

• Down throw functions correctly near edges, preventing characters like Ridley from being stage spiked away.

10.1.0

• Dash attack has received various adjustments that allow the move to connect more reliably:
  • All four hits have less base knockback (hits 1-3: 51/74 → 38/60, hit 4: 51/74 → 24/48).
  • The fourth hit sends at higher angles (0° → 15°/10°). This causes aerial opponents that slip from an edge to be hit by the final hit.
  • The last two hits are now weight independent. As a result, the last hit deals more knockback to heavier opponents and KOs them earlier, but deals less knockback to lighter ones and KOs them later.

11.0.0

• The final hit of dash attack is no longer weight independent, reverting one of the changes made in 10.1.0.

Moveset

• Luigi can crawl.
• Luigi possesses a tether grab.
  • It can also be used a grab aerial but not as a tether recovery.

For a gallery of Luigi's hitboxes, see here.

Note: All numbers are listed as base damage, without the 1v1 multiplier.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack		Jab (ジャブ) / Straight (ストレート) / Rump Thrust (どんけつ)	2%	A one-two combo followed by a hip thrust. Its first hit comes out on frame 2 and its last hit slightly moves Luigi forward, making it a safe option at close range. The first 2 hits can also jab lock an opponent. The first 2 hits are based on the Punch + Punch + Kick combo from Super Mario 64.
			2%
			4%
Forward tilt		Middle Kick (ミドルキック)	9%	A hook kick. Despite having a different animation compared to Mario's, it can be angled like his and has similar properties. Thanks to its higher damage output, it can function as a situational KO option while near the edge at very high percentages. Just like Luigi's other tilts, it comes out on frame 5. Good spacing option despite having less range and more ending lag than Mario's. However, it is outperformed by other stronger and more versatile spacing tools.
Up tilt		Cat Uppercut (ねこアッパー)	6%	An uppercut. It is a potent combo starter, leading into itself at low percentages and all of Luigi's aerials at medium to high percentages. Due to its generous hitbox and low lag, it is one of Luigi's better juggling options. Compared to Mario's version, it deals more damage, has more frontal range and less ending lag, but its much lower base knockback makes it less safe at very low percentages.
Down tilt		Heel Kick (かかとげり)	5%	A crouching, low-angle heel kick. It has short range, and deals low damage and knockback. However, its very minimal lag allows it to combo into itself, forward tilt, dash attack and forward smash at very low percentages. Its ability to be used in very quick succession can also enable it to whittle down shields if the opponent is close enough to Luigi, as he can act as soon as he puts his foot back to the ground. It is also an excellent edge trapping tool, since its aforementioned speed makes it a fairly effective 2 frame punish that can pressure the opponent's edge options.
Dash attack		Flurry Punches (ぽこぽこパンチ)	2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5)	A flurry of childish punches. Unlike in previous games, it has significantly less ending lag and both its damage output and knockback are noticeably higher, to the point that it can function as a situational KO option while near an edge at very high percentages. Due to its first hit coming out on frame 4, it is also one of the fastest dash attacks in the game in regard to startup alongside Ivysaur and Fox's dash attacks. Since Luigi dashes forward, it has fairly long range, but it is very punishable if whiffed.
Forward smash		Hell Thrust (地獄突き)	15%	A knifehand thrust. Luigi's most powerful smash attack, thanks to its respectable damage output, very high knockback scaling on all angles, and considerable shield damage output. Due to it coming out on frame 12, it is Luigi's slowest grounded attack. Despite this, its startup makes it one of the fastest forward smashes in the game; this is further supplemented by it having relatively low ending lag for a smash attack (28 frames). It also possesses a high shield damage output, which can make it challenging to punish. However, it has short range, which can make it difficult to land.
Up smash		Lead Headbutt (スマッシュヘッドバット, Smash Headbutt)	14% (head), 12% (body)	An upward arcing headbutt. Due to it coming out on frame 9, it is fairly quick for a smash attack, and is one of Luigi's fastest KO options. Like Mario and Dr. Mario's up smashes, it renders his head intangible throughout its duration. Unlike theirs, however, it consists of a sweetspot and a sourspot, the latter of which inflicts 2% less damage and is located closer to Luigi. Despite this, the sourspot is out-prioritized by the sweetspot, and is very unlikely to hit unless the opponent is practically touching him. Compared to Mario's version, it launches at a fairly lower angle, but actually KOs earlier due to its overall higher knockback. Like Dr. Mario's version, its hitbox lasts for 1 frame longer than Mario's version, giving it more frontal range and a longer period of intangibility. In addition, its animation ends 1 frame earlier. Its combination of very fast interruptibility, the intangibility on Luigi's head and respectable power make it very hard to punish, especially from out of shield.
Down smash		Double Kick (ダブルキック)	15% (body), 14% (legs)	A modified Sweep Kick. Due to it coming out on frame 6, it is Luigi's fastest smash attack. It is useful for punishing rolls, thanks to it hitting in front of Luigi and behind himself; the back hit also has noticeably higher knockback compared to the front hit. Its respectable damage output also makes it useful for edge-guarding, and enables it to KO at reasonable percentages while near the edge. In an opposite fashion to his up smash, both hits possess sweetspots located closer to Luigi, with the sourspots covering the rest of his legs. Unlike in SSB4, its front hit is significantly more reliable for KOing and edge-guarding, thanks to it launching the opponent at 52° instead of 120°.
Neutral aerial		Luigi Kick (ルイージキック)	12% (clean), 6% (late)	A flying kick. It comes out on frame 3, which is the fastest startup out of Luigi's aerials and, in turn, makes it very useful for breaking out of combos. It also launches at a vertical angle; this enables its late hit to start combos reliably with a landing short hop, and enables its clean hit to potentially KO at high percentages while near the upper blast line. Despite being able to auto-cancel with a short hop like Luigi's other aerials, it is his only aerial that cannot do so with a short hop fast fall.
Forward aerial		Crown Chop (脳天チョップ)	8%	A downward knifehand strike. It comes out on frame 7 and is interruptible only 13 frames after the hitbox's active frames conclude (frame 24), making it the fastest forward aerial in the game in regard to ending lag. It is a reliable follow-up from down throw at low to medium percentages, and is useful for edge-guarding due to its extremely low ending lag, with the fastest interruptibility of its type. It also auto-cancels on frame 21; when combined with its minimal startup and lack of ending lag, these traits make it a useful approach option, since it can auto-cancel with a short hop fast fall or can be used twice with a short hop without incurring landing lag. Its hitbox is positioned on Luigi's hand and arm, but it also has a smaller hitbox on his shoulder that covers slightly around his body.
Back aerial		Rear Drop Kick (後方ドロップキック)	14% (clean feet), 8% (clean legs, late)	A dropkick. It has decent range, to the point that it has the second longest range among Luigi's aerial attacks. The clean hit's sweetspot is located on Luigi's feet and deals high damage and knockback, making it one of Luigi's best KOing options. The clean hit's sourspot and the late hit deal much less damage and knockback; as a result, they are much less effective for KOing, yet more useful for partaking in combos. It comes out on frame 6, but its 33 frames of ending lag is the highest amount out of Luigi's aerials. It can auto-cancel both with a short hop and with a short hop fast fall, although in the latter case, it requires strict timing to do so.
Up aerial		Air Slash (エアスラッシュ)	11% (clean), 7% (late)	A bicycle kick. It is useful for combos like Mario's up aerial, due to its very low ending lag and landing lag. Its clean hitbox also inflicts above-average damage for a combo-oriented move. However, it launches at a lower angle than Mario's; this makes it less effective for juggling and especially vertical combos past low percentages, yet more effective for horizontal combos. It also comes out 1 frame later than Mario's, on frame 5 instead of 4, but has less ending lag. However, it possesses a substantially smaller hitbox. Just like his forward aerial, Luigi can use his up aerial twice with a single short hop, as well as auto-cancel it due to its lenient auto-cancel window and low ending lag.
Down aerial		Drill Kick (ドリルキック)	10% (clean), 8% (late)	A corkscrew double foot stomp. It comes out on frame 10 and auto-cancels with a short hop fast fall. Its clean hit is a respectably strong meteor smash against airborne opponents, and it has the lowest ending lag (14 frames) of any meteor smash in the game alongside minimal landing lag. Altogether, these traits make it a fast, yet safe edge-guarding option and a versatile move overall. However, the clean hit only affects the hitbox on Luigi's feet and only lasts for 1 frame. Although the late hit is less rewarding due to launching opponents horizontally away from Luigi, it is still quite effective for edge-guarding. Prior to update 2.0.0, the clean hit could affect both grounded and aerial opponents, which allowed it to start combos at a wide variety of percentages, even possessing KO set-ups into Super Jump Punch. As of update 2.0.0, the meteor smash hitbox only affects aerial opponents, removing most of its potential as a combo starter. Despite this, it remains a valuable combo extender from down throw or late neutral aerial, since it can launch opponents down to the stage and thus provide more follow-ups. It resembles the Drill Stomp.
Grab aerial		Suction Shot (空中オバキューム, Aerial Poltergust)	5%	Uses the Poltergust G-00 to fire a suction cup attached to a rope. Despite its appearance, it cannot be used as a tether recovery. The suction cup and its rope also detach from the Poltergust G-00 after being fired, with the suction cup functioning like a projectile thereafter. The suction cup is affected by gravity and cannot be reflected or absorbed; altogether, these traits make it useful for edge-guarding. Notably, the projectile will still be launched if Luigi inputs grab in the air but lands before before the projectile is launched. The suction cup will descend a set distance and then disappear thereafter; it will also disappear shortly after landing on the ground. However, using Luigi's grab aerial will not restrict him from using his grounded grabs while the prior suction cup is active. Luigi's grab aerial has much higher landing lag (20 frames) compared to other grab aerials, but this can be circumvented if he lands before firing the suction cup, as it can come out and then hit opponents during its landing lag. Doing this allows the suction cup to combo into several grounded attacks while he sufficiently close to the opponent. Overall, its attributes make it a good projectile and a useful part of Luigi's moveset.
Grab		Suction Shot (つかみ, Grab)	—	Uses the Poltergust G-00 to fire a suction cup attached to a rope. Like other tether grabs, it has long range; unlike most tether grabs, it has fairly low ending lag, to the point that Luigi is able to act out of it before the suction cup disappears.
Pummel		Poltergust Shock (オバキュームショック	1.3%	Vacuums the opponent with the Poltergust G-00. It is much quicker, yet much less damaging than Luigi's previous pummel.
Forward throw		Slam (オバキューム投げ, Poltergust Throw)	9%	Slams the opponent forward with the Poltergust G-00. It is Luigi's second most damaging throw, but has limited utility outside of dealing damage and setting up edge-guards at high percentages. It can KO middleweights at around 162% at the edge of Final Destination.
Back throw		Slam (オバキューム反転投げ, Reverse Poltergust Throw)	10%	Turns around to slam the opponent behind himself with the Poltergust G-00. It is Luigi's most damaging and strongest throw, as well as one of the strongest back throws in the game, to the point of being able to reliably KO middleweights under 120% while near an edge.
Up throw		Poltergust Reel (オバキューム釣り)	8% (throw), 6% (collateral)	Swings the Poltergust G-00 upward to fling the opponent overhead. It can combo into forward aerial or up aerial at low to medium percentages, depending on the opponent's DI. It also possesses a collateral hitbox that launches bystanders upward alongside the thrown opponent. However, it is a much less versatile combo starter compared to down throw, and is much less effective for KOing compared to back throw.
Down throw		Poltergust Drop (オバキュームドロップ)	3% (hit 1 and throw)	Shoves the opponent under himself and Ground Pounds them. It is easily Luigi's best throw and arguably his best move overall, thanks to its average knockback, low ending lag and 80° launching angle collectively making it one of the best combo starters in the game. It can combo into several moves, including up tilt and up smash at low percentages, as well as any of Luigi's aerials and Luigi Cyclone at low to high percentages. Its most effective follow-up at low percentages is clean down aerial, followed by a neutral aerial into another clean down aerial, before concluding with up aerial into an aerial Super Jump Punch for a zero-to-death combo that works on a wide variety of characters. At high percentages, it has several potential KO setups, including aerial Super Jump Punch, back aerial (while near the edge), and aerial Luigi Cyclone (when used on a platform or if the opponent uses subpar DI). In addition to its combo potential, it has a collateral hitbox before the throw on frames 18-28 that can hit bystanders. Due to its low ending lag, Luigi can act as soon as he touches the ground.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%	Performs a modified Sweep Kick before getting up.
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%	Performs a modified Sweep Kick before getting up.
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%	Performs a side kick and then a wheel kick while getting up.
Edge attack Edge getups			9%	Performs a double-footed legsweep while climbing up.
Neutral special		Fireball	6% (clean), 5% (late)	Tosses a Green Fireball. It is fairly spammable, which enables it to pressure opponents from afar and hinder approaches. Compared to Mario's Fireball, Luigi's version has less ending lag and has a clean hit that deals more damage, with Luigi being able to toss another Fireball when the clean hit ceases. Unlike Mario's version, Luigi's Fireball is unaffected by gravity, which gives it more vertical range at the cost of being less suitable for edge-guarding.
Side special		Green Missile	≈6.16% (uncharged), ≈21% (fully charged), 25% (misfired)	Crouches and then propels himself forward to perform a flying battering ram. It takes more than a full second to fully charge, but deals impressive damage upon doing so. Upon reaching full charge, it has KO potential and can be held for some time before being automatically canceled. It also has a 10% chance to misfire, which deals considerably more damage and knockback, KOing opponents at ≈60% from the center of Final Destination; this is known as Overzealous Green Missile. A misfired Green Missile, also grants intangibility on frames 18-22, and always travels the same distance regardless of the charge. However, its considerable ending lag makes it punishable whether it is used for offense or recovering, which makes reads very important in order to use it effectively.
Up special		Super Jump Punch	25% (grounded sweetspot), 20% (aerial sweetspot), 1% (sourspot)	A jumping uppercut. Its grounded sweetspot emits a ping sound and triggers a Special Zoom upon hitting, and boasts excellent damage output with impressive knockback, KOing opponents from 37%-67% depending on weight from ground level. Its aerial sweetspot is larger, yet deals less damage and knockback (though it is still powerful), and does not have the special effects of the grounded sweetspot. Both versions also grant intangibility for 3 frames (starting on frame 8 on the ground and on frame 6 in the air). However, it is very punishable because of its high landing lag, while its abysmally weak sourspot lacks KO potential and is very unsafe.
Down special		Luigi Cyclone	2% (hits 1-4), 4% (hit 5)	Spins around rapidly, to the point of generating a vortex around himself that traps an opponent and damages them with a series of discus clotheslines and spinning backfists before assuming a spread-eagle position to launch them. It allows Luigi to move horizontally on the ground, as well as maintain his aerial position by mashing the special move button, although both abilities are considerably weaker than in previous games. It also grants Luigi invincibility during startup (frames 4-8 while grounded and 1-7 in midair), and has windboxes around Luigi that pull opponents into the attack. These traits make it a more effective, yet slightly less rewarding combo breaker compared to his neutral aerial. As of update 2.0.0, Luigi Cyclone's final hit has respectable power: the grounded version KOs middleweights at ≈160%, whereas the aerial version is a reliable KO confirm from down throw at high percentages, especially when used on a platform. Although Luigi Cyclone connects more reliably than in previous games, it should also be noted that it now requires consistent button mashing for all of its hits to connect.
Final Smash		Poltergust G-00	30.1% (maximum captured), 10% (ejection)	Wields the Poltergust G-00 to vacuum nearby opponents into it before powerfully ejecting them diagonally. Opponents will accumulate more damage the earlier they are vacuumed in. It has decent range, and is capable of vacuuming opponents from a variety of angles.
Down taunt			2%	Bashfully kicks to the ground. Its high fixed knockback value makes it a very potent meteor smash, allowing it to potentially OHKO an edge-hanging opponent. The grounded meteor smash mechanics of Ultimate also make it surprisingly potent as a combo starter on-stage, as it can no longer be teched. However, it is held back by pitiful range and slow startup.

Announcer call

• English/Japanese/Chinese

• French

• German

• Italian

• Spanish

• Russian

On-screen appearance

• A green Warp Pipe appears, and Luigi leaps out of it while saying "Let's-a go!" nervously and sporting a frightened expression that heavily resembles his appearance on the cover artwork of Luigi's Mansion.

• 

  Luigi's on-screen appearance.

Taunts

• Up taunt: Performs 5 poses in very quick succession. When switching from pose to pose he says, "Hoh, hah, hee, heh, hoo!"

1. Flashes the V sign. This pose resembles the one he assumes upon collecting an item in Luigi's Mansion.
2. Points both his fingers in the direction he is facing, looking frightened.
3. Holds his finger under his nose and looks toward the screen. This pose heavily resembles the one he assumes in his individual artwork for Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time.
4. Crouches down to the floor with his back turned to the player. This pose heavily resembles his Bogey animation from the Nintendo 64 version of Mario Golf.
5. Assumes a scared expression and pose with his hands on his cheeks. This pose heavily resembles his appearance on the cover artwork of Luigi's Mansion.

• Side taunt: Planks while saying "Pow pow!" Due to this taunt moving Luigi forward into the z-axis and lowering his hurtbox, some attacks may actually miss him as a result.
• Down taunt: Bashfully kicks the ground while sighing. It is one of the few taunts in the game to inflict damage; it deals 2% and meteor smashes opponents with high set knockback, making it a surprisingly reliable combo starter onstage and allowing it to one-hit KO opponents who are off-stage or hanging on an edge. It is similar to the animation Luigi performs when he loses a minigame in Mario Party 2.

• 

  Luigi's up taunt.

• 

  Luigi's side taunt.

• 

  Luigi's down taunt.

Idle poses

• Rubs the back of his head sheepishly.
• Pulls his nose, which stretches slightly and then recoils back into place.

• 

  Luigi's first idle pose.

• 

  Luigi's second idle pose.

Crowd cheer

	Cheer (English)	Cheer (Japanese/Chinese)	Cheer (Italian)	Cheer (Dutch)	Cheer (French)
Cheer
Description	Wee - gee!	Lui - gi!	Lu - i - gi!	Lui - gi!	Lui - gi!

	Cheer (German)	Cheer (Spanish)	Cheer (Russian)	Cheer (Korean)
Cheer
Description	Lui - gi!	Lui - gi!	Lu - i - gi!	Lu - i - gi!

Victory poses

• Left: Planks twice, much like in his side taunt and his artwork in SSB4. His nose twitches in brief intervals after the second plank.
• Up: With his back to the screen and his hands on his hips, Luigi nods his head twice. Then, he turns around and makes gun motions with his fingers, saying "Bang, bang!" He continues to alternate between pointing his fingers and nose to the right and left.
• Right: Childishly flails his arms about in the air, first towards his right side and then his left. Afterwards, now exhausted, he gasps while holding his left hand out and resting his right hand on his knee. This is similar to his "character chosen" animation in SSB and his dash attack, albeit with a different ending animation.

A shortened version of the Course Clear Fanfare remix used in Super Mario Bros.

• 
• 
• 

In competitive play

Initially, Luigi was seen as noticeably inferior to his appearance in SSB4. This is because some of Luigi's most useful tools from the previous game were significantly nerfed: Luigi's new grab was initially viewed rather negatively because it had more lag, and Luigi Cyclone almost lost the ability to grant vertical distance when mashed, weakening Luigi's recovery and removing Luigi's Cyclone ability to gimp. Although Luigi initially had a zero-to-death combo with his down throw and aerial, update 2.0.0 would make it harder to perform. This, along with mediocre results at best, caused many people to believe that Luigi was no longer viable.

Despite Luigi's perception, however, several Luigi mains such as Elegant, Navy, and Scot managed to produce many strong results as the metagame progressed. This, along with the several buffs he was given in his transition, helped improve Luigi's perception in the community as the buffs were far more significant than previously thought.

As offline competitive play has returned, Luigi's results have gotten much stronger, with his best player Elegant placing top 8 at several major tournaments, including a 3rd place finish at Mainstage 2021. Kiyarash, an up-and-coming Luigi main in the Wi-Fi era, has begun achieving success with the character offline as well. Thanks to his playerbase, Luigi is now mostly perceived as an upper mid tier to lower high tier character, although some players believe he should be ranked even higher.

Most historically significant players

Any number following the Smasher name indicates placement on the Fall 2019 PGRU, which recognizes the official top 50 players in the world in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.

See also: Category:Luigi professionals (SSBU)

•  Elegant (#32) - The best Luigi player in the world prior to being banned from competitive play. Placed 1st at 2GG: SoCal Chronicles 2020, 3rd at Mainstage 2021, 4th at both Low Tier City 7 and Riptide, and 13th at Frostbite 2020 with wins over Light, Tweek, and Samsora.
•  Kiyarash - The best online Luigi player in the United States. Online, placed 2nd at both Get On My Line 2021 and SWT: NA Southwest Ultimate Online Qualifier, 4th at both Steal the Show 4 @ Smashcade and Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE, and 9th at Super Smash Galaxy with wins over players such as Scend, ShinyMark, and Yez, and currently ranked 35th on the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7. Offline, placed 6th at SWT: NA West Ultimate Regional Finals with a win over sisqui.
•  Lunamado - Co-mains Luigi and Bowser and is one of the best Luigi players in Japan. Placed 1st at Sumabato SP 16, 4th at KVOxTSB 2019, 5th at Sumabato SP 5, 7th at Sumabato SP 18, and 17th at Umebura SP 7. Currently ranked 50th on the Japan Player Rankings.
•  Luugi - The best Luigi player in Europe. Placed 1st at both Manchester Conquest 7: ESS BEE and Regen 2022, 3rd at DAT BlastZone 32, and 13th at both BOSS BATTLES: For Glory and COLOSSEL 2022 with wins over players such as Bloom4Eva, Tarik, and Peli.
•  WaKa - The best Luigi player in Mexico. Placed 2nd at Tijuana At War 2022, 5th at Relax & Smash at GeekFest Cancún, and 9th at BIT MASTER MTY 8, SWT: Central America Ultimate Regional Finals, and Smash Factor 9 with wins over players such as Sparg0, Goblin, and Skyjay. Currently ranked 6th on the Mexican Power Rankings. Online, placed 3rd at The Online Olympus II, 5th at both Maruchan Gaming Series and Frame Perfect Series 6: ONLINE, and 7th at Super Galaxy Gambit x Collision. Currently ranked 12th on the Wi-Fi Warrior Rank v7.

Classic Mode: Luigi's Nightmares

Luigi's congratulations screen.

Luigi's opponents are fighters who are creepy or scary, either because of their appearance (such as Dark Link), the series they hail from (such as Bayonetta), or both (such as Ridley). This theme is further referenced by each Round being fought on a stage that is gloomy and/or set at nighttime. The boss of Luigi's route, Dracula, also fits this theme due to being a vampire and, on a related note, references Luigi's exploration of Dracula's Castle during Simon and Richter's reveal trailer.

Round	Opponent	Stage	Music	Notes
1	Toon Link (×4)	Luigi's Mansion	Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)	The Dark Toon Links' models are not brightened or darkened to differentiate them.
2	Giant Ridley	Brinstar	Sector 1
3	Bayonetta	Umbra Clock Tower	The Legend Of Aesir
4	Mii Brawler (×3), Mii Swordfighter (×2), and Mii Gunner	Luigi's Mansion (Battlefield form)	Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion (Brawl)	Horde Battle. Mii Fighter costume combinations: Hockey Mask and SSB T-shirt (Brawler) Magic Hat and Ashley Outfit (Swordfighter) Devil Horns and Vampire Garb (Brawler) Bear Hat and Bear Suit (Gunner) King K. Rool Hat and King K. Rool Outfit (Brawler) Majora's Mask and SSB T-shirt (Swordfighter)
5	Link	Midgar	Death Mountain
6	Little Mac, then Giant Mr. Game & Watch	Luigi's Mansion (Ω form)	On the Hunt -Gloomy Manor Ver.- (Instrumental)	Mr. Game & Watch is not announced during the loading screen. Items do not appear.
Bonus Stage
Final	Dracula	Dracula's Castle	Phase 1: Nothing to Lose Phase 2: Black Night

Credits roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Luigi has Title/Ending - Super Mario World accompany the credits.

Role in World of Light

Finding Luigi in World of Light

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

Luigi was one of the many fighters who fell under Dharkon's control upon Galeem's first defeat, and he can be found in the Mysterious Dimension, being guarded by the Link (The Legend of Zelda) spirit after awakening Meta Knight.

Fighter Battle

No.	Image	Name	Type	Power	Stage	Music
09		Luigi	Grab	10,600	Luigi's Mansion (Ω form)	Main Theme - Luigi's Mansion

Spirits

Luigi's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing Classic Mode. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 300 Gold, but only after Luigi has been unlocked. Unlocking Luigi in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. His fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces it with his artwork in Ultimate.

Additionally, Luigi makes an appearance in various primary and support spirits.

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  4. Luigi

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  25. Fox Luigi

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  77. Plessie

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  81. Goo Goo Buggy

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  100. Mr. L

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  110. Papercraft Mario

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  133. Luigi (Mario Tennis Aces)

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  302. Stork

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  1,133. MONSTER

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  1,492. Luigi (Mario Golf: Super Rush)

In Spirit Battles

As the main opponent

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
25		Fox Luigi	Super Mario Series	•Tail Luigi		9,300	Mushroom Kingdom U	•Hazard: Heavy Wind	•Dangerously high winds are in effect	Ground Theme - Super Mario Bros. 3 (Remix)
35		Waluigi	Super Mario Series	•Luigi		9,200	Peach's Castle	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Waluigi)	•Hostile assist trophies will appear	Waluigi Pinball - Mario Kart DS
89		Mach 8	Mario Kart Series	•Luigi		3,700	Mario Circuit	•Hazard: High Gravity •Item: Mario Kart	•All fighters have reduced jump ability •The enemy can deal damage by dashing into you	Mario Kart Stadium - Mario Kart 8	Luigi's emblem
100		Mr. L	Paper Mario Series	•Luigi		4,300	Luigi's Mansion (Ω form)	•Hazard: Fog	•The stage is covered in fog •The enemy favors special moves •The enemy's FS Meter charges quickly	The Grand Finale
110		Dreambert	Mario & Luigi Series	•Luigi		2,300	Magicant (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Slumber Floor	•The floor is sleep-inducing	Try, Try Again	Dreamy Luigi
121		Poltergust 5000	Luigi's Mansion Series	•Luigi Team		4,000	Luigi's Mansion	N/A	•The enemy's throws have increased power	Luigi's Mansion Series Medley	ScareScraper Luigis
124		Waluigi (Super Mario Strikers) Waluigi (Mario Strikers)	Super Mario Strikers Series Mario Strikers Series	•Luigi		3,600	Wuhu Island (Swordplay Colosseum)	•Item: Soccer Ball	•Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle	Country Field: Away Team
133		Luigi (Mario Tennis Aces)	Mario Tennis Aces	•Luigi •Daisy		3,400	Pokémon Stadium 2 (hazards off)	N/A	•The enemy favors smash attacks	Stadium Theme - Mario Tennis Aces
257		Linebeck	The Legend of Zelda Series	•Luigi •Toon Link		9,000	Wuhu Island (The boat)	•Buoyancy Reduced	•No one knows how to swim	The Great Sea / Menu Select
440		Slowpoke	Pokémon Series	•Luigi		3,300	Mushroom Kingdom II	•Hazard: Left Is Right, Right Is Left •Move Speed ↓	•Left and right controls will suddenly reverse after a little while •All fighters have reduced move speed	Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue Medley
578		Dungeon Man	EarthBound Series	•Giant Luigi (140 HP)		4,200	Mushroomy Kingdom	N/A	•Stamina battle •The enemy is giant	Magicant (for 3DS / Wii U)
584		Duster	EarthBound Series	•Luigi		2,500	Pac-Land (Battlefield form)	•Item: Smoke Ball •Hazard: Fog	•The stage is covered in fog •The enemy's kicks and knee strikes have increased power	You Call This a Utopia?!
834		Don	Animal Crossing Series	•Luigi		3,200	Smashville	•Earthquake	•The enemy starts the battle with a Hammer •Periodic earthquakes will shake the stage •The enemy can swing the Hammer for a long time	Title Theme - Animal Crossing: Wild World
847		Kapp'n (Wild World)	Animal Crossing Series	•Luigi (140 HP)		3,600	New Donk City Hall (hazards off)	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Kapp'n)	•Stamina battle •Hostile assist trophies will appear	Kapp'n's Song
855		Dr. Shrunk	Animal Crossing Series	•Luigi		4,100	Town and City	•Item: Bananas	•Timed battle (1:00) •The enemy loves to taunt	Tour - Animal Crossing: New Leaf
935		Glass Joe	Punch-Out!! Series	•Luigi (120 HP)		1,700	Boxing Ring	N/A	•Stamina battle •The enemy loves to taunt	Minor Circuit (Original)
1,189		Yama	SimTower SP	•Luigi •Villager ×2		2,000	Tomodachi Life	•Item: Ore Club •Hazard: Heavy Wind	•Dangerously high winds are in effect after a little while •The enemy is easily distracted by items	Title Theme - NES Remix 2
1,225		Hsien	Sujin Taisen: Number Battles Series	•Luigi		1,800	Windy Hill Zone	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Dr. Kawashima)	•Hostile assist trophies will appear	Yūyūki Medley
1,354		L-Tetrimino & J-Tetrimino	Tetris Series	•Luigi		3,700	Mario Bros. (Battlefield form)	•Hazard: Left Is Right, Right Is Left •Assist Trophy Enemies (Waluigi)	•Left and right controls will suddenly reverse after a little while •Hostile assist trophies will appear	Fever	L-Tetrimino
1,492		Luigi (Mario Golf: Super Rush)	Mario Golf: Super Rush	•Luigi Team ×10		4,500	Wuhu Island (bridge section)	•Move Speed ↑ •Item: Balls	•The enemy has increased move speed •The enemy starts the battle with a Fire Bar •Defeat an army of fighters	Mario Tennis / Mario Golf

As a minion

Spirit				Battle parameters							Inspiration
No.	Image	Name	Series	Enemy Fighter(s)	Type	Power	Stage	Rules	Conditions	Music	Character
81		Goo-Goo Buggy	Mario Kart Series	•Mario •Luigi		3,400	Figure-8 Circuit	•Assist Trophy Enemies (Chain Chomp)	•Hostile assist trophies will appear •The enemy has increased move speed	Mushroom Gorge - Mario Kart Wii	Baby Luigi
101		Dimentio	Paper Mario Series	•Meta Knight •Giant Luigi		3,800	Paper Mario	•Attack Power ↑	•The enemy has increased attack power after a little while •The enemy deals damage when falling •The enemy is giant	Battle! - Paper Mario: Color Splash	Mr. L
108		Starlow	Mario & Luigi Series	•Pac-Man •Luigi •Mario		3,300	Brinstar (Battlefield form)	•Tiny •Giant	•The enemy is giant •The enemy is tiny after a little while	Tough Guy Alert!	Luigi
128		MC Ballyhoo & Big Top	Mario Party Series	•Mario •Yoshi •Peach •Luigi		1,600	Mario Circuit	•Item Tidal Wave	•Certain items will appear in large numbers after a little while	Pandemonium	Luigi
1,132		Hockey Players	Ice Hockey	•Dr. Mario •Donkey Kong •Luigi		1,500	Pokémon Stadium (Ω form)	•Slippery Stage	•The stage's platforms are very slippery	Core Luge	Tall thin hockey player
1,154		Dion, Max, & Jack	Marvelous: Mouhitotsu no Takarajima	•Villager •Luigi •Wario		1,800	Tortimer Island	•Item: Beastball	•Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle	Village of the Blue Maiden	Jack
1,321		Peachette	Super Mario Series	•Peach •Mii Brawler (Moveset 2121, Super Mushroom Hat, Yellow Toad Outfit, High Voice Type 7) •Luigi •Mario		10,000	Mushroom Kingdom U (hazards off)	•Easy to Launch •Hazard: Low Gravity	•All fighters are easy to launch •Timed battle (1:00) •Gravity is reduced	Ground Theme - New Super Mario Bros. U	Luigi

Alternate costumes

Gallery

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  Luigi's fighter card.

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  Luigi's unlock notice.

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  Taunting on Magicant.

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  Hitting Cloud with a sweetspotted Super Jump Punch on Battlefield.

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  Using Fireball on Skyloft.

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  Hitting Snake with the third hit of his neutral attack on Coliseum.

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  Walking in front of Bewear on Pilotwings.

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  Hitting Wario with his neutral aerial on Bridge of Eldin.

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  Taunting alongside Pikmin and Olimar on Distant Planet.

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  Being hit by Inkling's forward smash on Luigi's Mansion.

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  Being grabbed by Sukapon.

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  Ken using Hadoken against Luigi on Mario Galaxy.

Trivia

Luigi's double expression glitch.

• Oddly, the physics of the Poltergust G-00 are different when the game speed is modified, which reduces the grab ranges of all of Luigi's grabs.
• In Simon's reveal trailer, Luigi was shown having his soul taken by Death, which led to humorous posts from the community claiming that Luigi had been officially "killed off". In turn, BBC News wrote a mock obituary for Luigi. Nintendo UK eventually responded with a short message of "Luigi is okay" as a nod to this event.
  • Luigi was not shown from the rest of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct (not counting menus and the like) of August 8th, 2018. Despite this, Mario and Mega Man were present in this Direct, even after being killed in Ridley's reveal trailer.
    • Luigi is also one of three characters to not appear in any in-battle footage in the Direct, the others being R.O.B. and the Mii Fighters.
• Luigi's Mansion 3 was teased before it was officially announced through Simon's trailer, as Luigi can be seen using the new Poltergust G-00 from the aforementioned game.
• Luigi can be seen performing Green Missile in the panoramic artwork for Ultimate, similar to his pose in a group artwork for Super Smash Bros. Melee.
• Luigi is the first and only veteran in the series to have his standard grab be changed into a tether grab between installments.
• In a promo screenshot for the game depicting Luigi in his Waluigi-inspired costume, the "L" on his cap was green, but in the final game, it is purple, like in Super Smash Bros. 4.
• Luigi is one of two characters to represent an upcoming game at the time of the game's release through his moveset.
  • The other character with this distinction is Yoshi through his Yoshi's Crafted World alternate costume.
• Luigi's yellow alternate costume has a light blue L on his cap in-game, as opposed to it being yellow and matching the rest of the cap in his render. The head icon, however, properly colors the L.
• Prior to 3.1.0., Luigi's pipe during his on-screen appearance does not appear to have any lighting effects, unlike Mario's.
• Luigi is the only Super Smash Bros. veteran to be unlocked in the Dark Realm in Adventure Mode, and the only one to be unlocked in a sub-area.
• In the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct of November 1, 2018, Sakurai noted during the part where he described Ken that Luigi is the original Echo Fighter, as he was initially introduced as a simple palette swap of Mario in 1983's Mario Bros. with identical abilities. Likewise, Luigi was originally a full clone of Mario in SSB, though he has since been heavily de-cloned to the point of becoming a pseudo-clone as of Ultimate.
• Alongside Greninja and Kazuya, Luigi is one of three characters in Ultimate with a taunt that cannot be canceled, due to the fact that their non-cancelable taunts have hitboxes.
  • Interestingly, however, it is still possible to cancel Snake's taunts despite them also possessing a hitbox.
• Luigi's official artwork is based on the third hit of his neutral attack, albeit featuring him with a scared expression.
• Through unlocking through versus mode and awakening all fighters in World of Light, Luigi is the last SSB veteran to be unlocked. However, via Mario's unlock tree in Classic Mode, Luigi may be the first SSB veteran to be unlocked.
• Despite having all of his animations mirrored, Luigi has different animations when using moves that involve Poltergust G-00, so he may not face the screen when he uses his grabs and his Final Smash. He is the only character with mirrored animations to hold this distinction.
• If Luigi blocks an attack with his shield, he reverts to his shielding pose from SSB4.
• If Luigi is currently under the effects of a Superspicy Curry or the curse from Eiha / Eigaon, there is a glitch which results in his curry expression overlapping his angry expression if he performs either his forward aerial or charges up his Green Missile.
• If Luigi gets countered by Blade Counter while facing left, he will be forced to show his back due to Blade Counter forcing him to use the wrong grab release animation.
• There is a minor sound effect oversight regarding Green Missile where the popping sound effect plays after Luigi has already removed his head from the wall. This is due the animation being sped up from last game without the sound effect being modified to match the animation.