Super Smash Bros. Galaxy Deluxe/Pikachu Moveset

Pikachu (ピカチュウ, Pikachu) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Like all veterans, it was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Pikachu is classified as Fighter #08.
As in Super Smash Bros. 4, Ikue Ōtani's portrayals of Pikachu from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl were repurposed for Ultimate.
Pikachu is ranked 13th out of 82 on the current tier list, placing it in the S- tier. This is a notable improvement from its 15th out of 54 placement in SSB4. Pikachu's strengths come from its overall great mobility all around. Its most prominent strengths are in its neutral and edgeguarding game, due to the fast startup, low endlag of all its aerial attacks, and its ability to recover far from the stage thanks to Skull Bash and Quick Attack. All of its aerials also auto-cancel on a short hop, which grants it utility for out of shield punishes and potential zero-to-death combos. Despite its poor range, Pikachu also possesses a strong grab game: its back and forward throws allow it to set up combos leading to edgeguards while its down throw is a valuable combo starter. Finally, Pikachu possesses a strong, far-travelling projectile in Thunder Jolt, which is used to help Pikachu's approach and edgeguards. 
However, Pikachu has some notable weaknesses. Due to being one of the lightest fighters in the game, its survivability is hindered against characters with strong finishers. Pikachu also struggles to KO effectively due to none of its aerials having the ability to KO onstage, while most of its KO moves are either only effective at high percents or have notable downsides such as sourspots or high ending lag. Lastly, its poor range and lack of disjoints gives it few options to approach aside from Thunder Jolt; its reliance on the projectile provide it with a noticeable disadvantage against characters who can properly deal with it.
Overall, Pikachu's strengths outweigh its weaknesses. Even before the release of Ultimate, many players saw Pikachu as a top tier character, and its strengths have been proven by strong performances from players such as ESAM and ShinyMark. However, Pikachu's playerbase is rather small while its overall results are mediocre compared to other top tiers, with both ESAM and ShinyMark seeing high highs but mediocre lows. As such, Pikachu status as a top tier character has been subject to debate, with opinions on the character varying wildly depending on region.
== Moveset ==
 	 	Name 	Damage 	Description
Neutral attack 	Neutral attack 	Headbutt (ずつき) 	1.4% (near), 1.2% (mid), 1% (far) 	Quickly headbutts forward. While it has minimal startup lag by coming out on frame 2 and can jab lock, it cannot combo into itself easily due to opponents falling out of the move easily when spammed and being able to punish Pikachu for the move. Other moves such as down tilt or dash attack are better options since Pikachu does not have a finisher for its jab.
Forward tilt 	↗ 	Double-Footed Kick (りょうあしげり) 	10% 	An electrified double kick performed from the baby freeze, a variation of the freeze breakdancing move. It deals more damage when angled upward, and the lower angles semi-spike. Deals moderate knockback; the unangled version KOs Mario around 155% at the edge of Final Destination.
Forward tilt 	→ 	Double-Footed Kick (りょうあしげり) 	9% 	An electrified double kick performed from the baby freeze, a variation of the freeze breakdancing move. It deals more damage when angled upward, and the lower angles semi-spike. Deals moderate knockback; the unangled version KOs Mario around 155% at the edge of Final Destination.
Forward tilt 	↘ 	Double-Footed Kick (りょうあしげり) 	8% 	An electrified double kick performed from the baby freeze, a variation of the freeze breakdancing move. It deals more damage when angled upward, and the lower angles semi-spike. Deals moderate knockback; the unangled version KOs Mario around 155% at the edge of Final Destination.
Up tilt 	Up tilt 	Tail Attack (しっぽアタック) 	5% 	An overhead tail swipe, starting from behind Pikachu. An excellent combo starter, comboing into itself at low percents and into Pikachu's aerials at low to mid percents. It's a great combo tool, but not such a good anti air.
Down tilt 	Down tilt 	Tail Sweep (あしばらい) 	6% 	Lays down and sweeps its tail in front of itself. It has good horizontal reach and very low ending lag, making it somewhat spammable. It can cause tripping at low percents and sets up for tech situations at mid-high percents.
Dash attack 	Dash attack 	Running Headbutt (ジャンプずつき, Jump Headbutt) 	11% (clean), 6% (late) 	A battering ram. The early hitbox deals solid damage and good knockback, allowing it to KO middleweights around 135% on Final Destination. It also has a fairly low startup lag (frame 6), and the early hitbox lasts deceptively long. Additionally, it is decently safe on shield due to having a high shieldstun multiplier, although it can still be punished by quick out-of-shield options. However, the late hitbox has no KO potential at any reasonable percent, and the high ending lag prevents either hit from comboing.
Forward smash 	Forward smash 	Thundershock (ショートでんげき, Electrical Short) 	15% (early), 18% (clean), 12% (late) 	Rears its head back before leaning forward and releasing a large orb of electricity in front of it, leaving a trail of electricity. The early hit comes out on frame 15, the sweetspot on frame 17 and the late hit on frame 20. The center of the ball deals the most damage and knockback, having high horizontal KO potential. The trail does the second most damage and the least knockback, and the tip does the least damage and second most knockback. It has good range, with a hitbox close to the size of Pikachu. The uncharged sweetspot KOs Mario around 80% at the edge of Final Destination, although the early hit doesn't KO until 105% and the late hit until 100%, giving the attack several sourspots and making it very inconsistent. It also has a long duration and noticeable ending lag (25 frames, when counting the latest hit), making it very easy to punish if shielded or dodged. Pikachu can end a jab lock with forward smash, although it'll only sweetspot on various chararcters, and depends on whether they're facing up or down. Note that it'll always sweetspot Luigi, Sheik, Bayonetta, Steve and Pyra/ Mythra.
Up smash 	Up smash 	Tail Somersault (しっぽサマーソルト) 	14% (early, body), 13% (early, tail), 11% (clean), 7% (late) 	An overhead tail swipe. Unlike Pikachu's up tilt, it starts in front of it and has good vertical KO potential. The early hit comes out somewhat quickly (frame 10) and lasts until Pikachu's tail goes above it, after which the clean hit lasts until the tail goes behind it. The early hit's sweetspot is located on Pikachu's body and can be comboed into with falling nair. The early sweetspot KOs middleweights around 115% on Final Destination, while the early sourspot KOs around 125%. The late hit, however, does minimal damage and knockback.
Down smash 	Down smash 	Electric Flower　(ねずみはなび, Mouse Fireworks) 	2% (hits 1-5), 3% (hit 6) 	Charges its tail with electricity before spinning it around, shocking opponents. It has the least damage potential out of all its smash attacks, dealing only 13%. It KOs middleweights around 95% at the edge of Final Destination with no DI, and deals good horizontal knockback. It also has the least startup out of all its smash attacks, coming out on frame 8, but its 42 frames of ending lag make it very punishable if used poorly. As well as up smash, neutral aerial can combo into this move to confirm a KO.
Neutral aerial 	Neutral aerial 	Pikachu Shock (ピカチュウショック) 	1.8% (hits 1-3), 3.5% (hit 4) 	Poses while charging itself with electricity, shocking nearby opponents. It hits 4 times, with the final hit having weak knockback. It is one of Pikachu's most versatile tools; being useful for breaking out of combos due to its very fast startup (frame 3), and a generously low amount of ending lag (17 frames). It's notorious for its ability to be fastfalled to drag the opponent down and extend combos, and being a very quick out-of-shield option at frame 6. It can be fastfalled to combo into all of its tilts, grab, and both up and down smash due to its low ending lag. Like all of Pikachu's other aerials, it can autocancel in a short hop.
Forward aerial 	Forward aerial 	Electric Drill (でんげきドリル) 	1.4% (hits 1-5), 4.8% (hit 6) 	Spins forward with an electrically charged head, shocking opponents. Moderate startup lag at frame 11 and hits 6 times. Has low landing lag, and extremely low ending lag (15 frames), the lowest of Pikachu's aerials, making it an effective spacing option, but has two very small looping hitboxes, which are very close to Pikachu's head and don't use the auto-link angle and, unlike Pichu's version, the hits don't always connect properly because they don't launch at the auto-link angle. The multiple hits and long duration make it an effective short hop aerial to pressure the opponent's shield and possibly shield poke. Due to its lenient amount of ending lag, it is an excellent combo and edgeguarding option and can combo into grab sometimes, or connect into a dash attack to kill at high percents.
Back aerial 	Back aerial 	Glider (グライダー) 	1% (hits 1-5), 3.6% (hit 6), 4% (landing) 	Spins around horizontally in a skydiver position, hitting multiple times, with a pose at the end to launch foes. Very fast, coming out on frame 4 with a long active duration and very low ending lag (18 frames) and can hit all around Pikachu, but its below average knockback makes it unreliable for KOing until very high percentages and has poor range, only hitting opponents close to Pikachu. To compensate, it is a great combo starter and, at low percents, it can combo into itself multiple times. It can drag down opponents and has a landing hitbox.
Up aerial 	Up aerial 	Tail Chop (しっぽはたき) 	6% (clean, tail), 5% (clean, tip), 4% (late) 	An overhead tail swipe, starting from behind Pikachu. Extremely fast, coming out on frame 4, with very low ending lag (19 frames) as it autocancels and is interruptible at frame 27. It is useful for juggling or comboing into itself and other aerials at low-mid percents. The move has a strong hitbox behind and above Pikachu, which will send the opponent upwards, and a small weak hitbox in front of it which combos into itself and forward air.
Down aerial 	Down aerial 	Electric Screw (でんげきスクリュー) 	13% (clean), 12% (late), 4% (landing) 	Points down and spins its head downwards, launching opponents. The clean hit lasts for two frames and is a powerful meteor smash, while the late hit has good horizontal knockback. It has low ending lag with 22 frames of vulnerability, but it's the highest of Pikachu's aerials. Also has a landing hitbox.
Grab 	Grab 	Grab (つかみ) 	— 	Reaches out. Pikachu will have a scared look if it misses. Fast but has low range.
Pummel 	Pummel 	Grab Electric Shock (つかみでんきショック) 	1% 	Headbutts the opponent, shocking them with electricity.
Forward throw 	Forward throw 	Electric Throw (でんきなげ) 	2% (hits 1-5) 	Lays the opponent on its tail and shocks them. It's Pikachu's most damaging throw, but too weak to KO and not fit for combos either, thus having little utility outside its high damage output or throwing the opponent offstage.
Back throw 	Back throw 	Submission (じごくぐるま, Hell Wheel) 	9% 	Rolls backward before launching the opponent with a tomoe nage, a throw used in judo. Very good for setting up edgeguards, as it has high base knockback and the animation means opponents near the center will end up being launched near the edge, but it is unimpressive as a KOing option as it only starts KOing middleweights around 165% at the edge of Final Destination. May be based on Submission, a Fighting-type move that Pikachu could learn in Generation 1 games.
Up throw 	Up throw 	Heading (ヘディング) 	3% (hit 1), 5% (throw) 	Heaves the opponent onto its head and headbutts it upwards. A good low percent combo throw. Has decent knockback growth, making it Pikachu's best KOing throw, as it KOs opponents at around 170%. However, its KO setup with Thunder is less consistent due to its higher knockback. Can combo into Thunder at high percents.
Down throw 	Down throw 	Hip Press (ヒッププレス) 	5% 	Lays the opponent on the ground and performs a senton. A good combo starter comboing into every aerial from low to mid percents, allowing Pikachu to start combos. The move has a hitbox that gets deleted on the same frame it's activated due to an oversight.
Floor attack (front)	Floor attack (front)	 	7% 	Spins its tail around itself while getting up.
Floor attack (back) 	Floor attack (back) 	 	7% 	Spins its tail around itself while getting up.
Floor attack (trip) 	Floor attack (trip) 	 	5% 	Spins its tail around itself while getting up.
Edge attack 	Edge attack 	 	9% 	Swings its tail in an overhead arcing motion while climbing up.
Neutral special 	Neutral special 	Thunder Jolt 	6% (clean), 5% (mid), 4% (late), 4.8% (aerial) 	Shoots a ball of electricity. A very useful projectile, as it deals good damage and moves quickly, helping Pikachu to control the neutral game. When it hits the stage or a platform, it sticks to it, looping across it until its lifespan is over or it hits the bottom of a soft platform. This allows Pikachu to run alongside it to approach, cover many grounded options, and help it get out of the corner.
Side special 	Side special 	Skull Bash 	6.2% (uncharged), 10% (uncharged smash input), 21.4% (fully charged) 	Charges up before launching forward at a high velocity. It can be charged to increased damage, knockback, and distance. Useful for horizontal recovery and can sweetspot the ledge, but leaves Pikachu vulnerable due to being fairly slow, and the hitbox being within its hurtbox. If inputted like a smash attack, it immediately starts with some charge.
Up special 	Up special 	Quick Attack 	2% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2) 	Zips upward at high speeds, dealing damage to opponents on contact. It can be angled; if angled in a different direction after the first time it is used, Pikachu will use it again. It covers great distances and can be unpredictable if used well, but Pikachu goes into freefall after using it. It's also an approach option, but doesn't true combo into anything. Pikachu also cannot use the Quick Attack cancelling technique from Smash 4.
Down special 	Down special 	Thunder 	15% (shockwave), 8% (thunderbolt), 6% (thunderbolt meteor) 	Calls down a bolt of lightning from the sky. If the bolt strikes Pikachu, it will create an electric explosion around itself, dealing massive knockback and granting Pikachu intangibility for 10 frames. If an opponent is struck near the top of the bolt or at the cloud, they're launched down into Pikachu and will get hit by the discharge as well; otherwise, they're launched upwards. Has high endlag if the bolt doesn't strike Pikachu. The thunderbolt becomes active on frame 13, but there is a long gap before the discharge, and thus, it's easy to attack Pikachu before the thunderbolt hits it and is very vulnerable to counters. The projectile comes out on frame 2, and can be used to break combos.
Final Smash 	Final Smash 	Volt Tackle 	0.3% (6 hits during startup), 1% (initial hit), 1.5% (loop), 20% (launch)	Surrounds itself with electricity before dashing forwards. If it connects, Pikachu will barrage the opponents caught with repeated strikes in this form before launching them.
== Appearing ==
Emerges from a Poké Ball, then briefly discharges electricity around itself.
== Taunt ==
Up taunt: Charges up its cheeks with electricity and glares at the screen, saying "Piii..."
Side taunt: Waves at the screen with one paw, yelling "Pika Pika!"
Down taunt: Lies on the ground, curls and rolls around, saying "Pikaaa...!"
== Idle ==
Scratches its right ear.
Stands up straight, then looks left, and then right, twitching its ears.
== Victory Pose ==
Left: Backflips, spins, and faces the screen with a happy expression. This resembles its "character chosen" animation in Super Smash Bros..
Up: Looks up with a surprised expression as its ears perk. It then scratches its right ear and smiles.
Right: Sleeps while muttering "Piii...ka."
== Victory Theme ==
Pikachu: Pokémon Victory Theme
== Classic Mode: I Choose You! ==
Round 	Opponent 	Stage 	Music 	Notes
1 	Pokémon Trainer 	Saffron City 	Pokémon Gym/Evolution - Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue	
2 	Jigglypuff (x6) 	Pokémon Stadium 2 	Road to Viridian City - Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue	Horde Battle.
The presence of 6 Jigglypuff likely references how the player can have at most 6 Pokémon on their team in the Pokémon games.
3 	Pichu Bros. 	Prism Tower 	Pokémon Gold / Pokémon Silver Medley 	
4 	Lucario 	Spear Pillar 	Battle! (Dialga/Palkia) / Spear Pillar 	
5 	Greninja 	Kalos Pokémon League	Battle! (Wild Pokémon) - Pokémon X / Pokémon Y 	
6 	Incineroar 	Pokémon Stadium 	The Battle at the Summit! 	
Bonus Stage	Bonus Stage 	Bonus Stage 	Bonus Stage 	Bonus Stage
Final 	Mewtwo, then Master Hand	Final Destination 	Pokémon Red / Pokémon Blue Medley (Mewtwo)
Master Hand (Master Hand)	A Maxim Tomato appears after defeating Mewtwo.
== Character unlock tree ==
# Villager
# Shulk
# R.O.B.
# Mega Man
# Isabelle
# Mr. Game & Watch
# Pichu Bros.
# Proto Man
# Paper Bowser
# Waluigi
== Palutena's Guidance ==
: Viridi: Aww, look at that cute little guy.
: Pit: It's a Pokémon!
: Palutena: And not just any Pokémon!
: Viridi: Actually, that Pokémon is called a Pikachu. Pikachu evolves from Pichu. And when a Pikachu is fully evolved, it becomes a Raichu.
: Palutena: It's quite rare for a Pokémon to be more famous in its middle stage than its final evolution.
: Viridi: True, but Pikachu is a special case. I mean, it's the most famous of all the Pokémon.
: Pit: Uh, excuse me! Hello?
: Palutena: What is it, Pit?
: Pit: I hate to interrupt your musings on Pokémon, but I could really use some Smash Bros. help right about now!
: Palutena: Oh, right. I forgot where we were. OK, here's a tip: dodge Pikachu's Thunder, and then counterattack.
: Viridi: You can also zap Pikachu by reflecting its Thunder back at itself! And nothing is more satisfying than that!
== Color ==
# Original
# Pokémon Trainer's Hat
# Brendan's Hat
# Ethan's Hat
# Magic Hat
# Kalm's Hat
# Selene's Hat
# Libra Pikachu
# Detective Pikachu
# Petrified Pikachu
== Story Mode ==
Pikachu Was Vaporized By Oleander When She unleashed Her beams of stars. and imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters, with the exception of Girl & Dog.
In Opening Scene, Pikachu was noticed by Sonic, who slowed down for Pikachu in an attempt to save it. However, both of them were vaporized and placed under Oleander's imprisonment along with the rest of the fighters, except for Girl & Dog.
No.	Name 	Type 	Power	Stage 	Music
08 	Pikachu	Attack	3,300	Pokémon Stadium (Ω form)	Main Theme - Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue (Melee)
== Spirit ==
Category:Character Movesets