Inkling (Smash Plus)

Inkling is a playable character in Super Smash Brothers Plus for the Nintendo Switch Plus. Representing the Splatoon franchise, Inkling is listed as Fighter #83 in Smash's modified numbering system and is classified as a Lightweight Fighter. She is hidden at the start of the game, but can be unlocked through random encounters in Versus Mode, Scoring 10 KOs in Moray Towers, or by clearing classic mode with Octoling.
Inkling is one of the speedier characters in the game, and her play style reflects that. Inkling is all about covering a large distance in a short amount of time, finding an opening for a quick strike and then escaping when the going gets tough. Many of her attacks utilize her Ink properties to quickly rack up damage on opponents. However, this also leads to her greatest weakness, her general inability to KO people from a grounded state. Many of her most powerful moves leave her highly vulnerable, which given her lightweight status, makes her easy to KO if foes can catch up to her. Inkling's playstyle is one of high energy and high risk, timing your openings perfectly to take full advantage of her mobility advantage. Inkling has two normal jumps, can crawl, and can wall jump.
==Moveset==
===Basic Attacks===
*Special Gimmick: Ink- Many of Inkling's attacks well drench them in colored ink (depicted as the same color as the Inkling's hair). Enemies covered in ink will receive slightly more damage and also be slowed down slightly. The Ink has a max damage multiplier of 1.5x, and degrades at the rate of .25% per frame of animation when not under attack. Inkling has a limited Ink meter that can be refilled by using Shield Special, or attempting to use Down Special with no ink. Many of Inkling's moves do little to no damage if the Ink Meter is empty. The Ink meter will be fully refilled if Inkling is KO'ed.
*Neutral Jab- Inkling performs a three hit combo consisting of a knifehand strike, a roundhouse kick, and then a side kick. Alternately, the second hit can lead into a Rapid Jab where the Inkling fires several shots of ink from the Splattershot, finishing with a burst shot. The rapid jab does no damage if the Ink meter is empty.
*Side Tilt- Inkling swings the Splattershot downward in a horizontal angle.
*Up Tilt- Inkling performs an outside crescent kick that can combo into itself at low percentages.
*Down Tilt- Inkling hits a breakdancing kick that hits opponents twice.
*Dash Attack- Inkling performs a quick forward elbow smash that has speed but lacks power.
*Grab & Pummel- Inkling grabs with her free hand and pummels by stomping on the opponent's foot.
*Forward Throw- Inkling fires the Splattershot at point blank range, hitting the opponent twice. Has very weak knockback, never KO'ing opponents even at Sudden Death.
*Back Throw- Inkling changes into their squid form and spins and tosses the opponent behind themselves.
*Up Throw- Inkling tosses the opponent up, changes into a squid, and then headbutts them straight up into the air.
*Down Throw- Inkling slams the opponent headfirst into the ground, popping them up for further combos.
*Neutral Air- Inkling performs a headspin in midair, spinning their legs around 360 degrees. Contrary to appearance, it has no lasting hitbox and only hits once.
*Forward Air- Inkling performs a forward facing dropkick with a lingering hitbox.
*Back Air- Inkling swings the Splattershot backwards in a slightly downward arc.
*Up Air- Inkling performs an overhead 540 degree kick that can hit opponents twice.
*Down Air- Inkling swings the Splattershot straight downward, letting out a short range burst of ink. The ink blast acts as the sweetspot, as it can meteor right as the shot occurs.
===Smash Attacks===
*Side Smash- Inkling swings an Inkbrush straight in front of herself, covering opponents in ink. It has a sweetspot at the tip of the brush, but a very narrow window with which to trigger it.
*Up Smash- Inkling points a blaster straight above themselves, firing off a short range blast that covers opponents in ink. The move has a hitbox in front of Inkling to increase horizontal range slightly, but this hitbox does far less damage.
*Down Smash- Inkling empties a Slosher bucket forward and then backward, covering opponents in ink. The forward hit does slightly more damage than the backwards hit.
===Special Moves===
*Neutral Special: Splattershot- Inkling rapidly fires the Splattershot at a medium range distance, quickly covering any nearby opponent in Ink. While it has an incredibly high rate of fire, it does very little damage or knockback, only serving to cover opponents in Ink to increase the Ink damage multiplier. The angle of fire can be altered slightly up or down based on directional input.
*Side Special: Splat Roller- Inkling pulls out a Roller and begins sliding forward. If on the ground, it will cover the ground in ink, which lingers on stage slowing down opponents trapped in it. Hitting a grounded opponent will also bury them and cover them in ink, with a second hit launching them. It can be used to extend Inkling's recovery, but does little damage in the air. If Inkling is out of ink, she will still use the roller, but the damage and knockback are virtually nonexistant, with the roller losing its burial properties.
*Up Special: Super Squid Jump- Inkling will assume their squid form and perform a powerful leap into the air. Despite being a very linear recovery, it covers a great amount of distance and can be angled left or right. It does have an initial hitbox upon jumping, but it is a very short window for it to connect and does little damage.
*Down Special: Splat Bomb- Inkling tosses a grenade across the stage, with the distance covered and amount of ink deployed varies based on how long the special button is held before throwing. The bomb moves across the stage a short time before exploding, or it will explode on contact with the enemy, covering them in ink. It uses the most ink out of Inkling's gauge of any attack.
*Final Smash: Killer Wail- Inkling deploys the Killer Wail, which initially fires debilitating sound waves that can be angled up or down, hitstunning enemies in place, before firing a stream of ink that damages them and launches on the final hit. While it covers a large area, its KO power except for the final hit is incredibly weak.
===Miscellaneous===
*Entry Animation- Inkling lands with a spalsh of ink in squid form, before transforming into a humanoid and assuming a battle stance.
*Idle Animation 1- Inkling briefly looks around and then turns back facing forward.
*Idle Animation 2- Inkling casually reloads the Splattershot before resuming normal stance.
*Side Taunt- The Inkling holds the Splattershot up and fires two small bursts from it while smirking. This doesn't consume ink.
*Up Tilt- Inkling raises the Splattershot high into the air while pumping her fist in celebration.
*Down Tilt- Inkling jumps happily in place while smiling.
*Victory Animation 1- Inkling jumps up and down twice, spins around and then poses with the Splattershot.
*Victory Animation 2- Inkling sways in place while holding a Splat Roller, before striking a pose while holding it over her shoulder.
*Victory Animation 3- Inkling toses a Slosher bucket over her head, catches it, and then spins it on one finger while grinning.
==Playable Skin==
Inkling has an alternate playable skin based on the Inkling Boy character from Splatoon. Aside from aesthetic differences, there are no differences in the characters.
==How to Unlock==
Inkling can be unlocked any of the following ways:
*Playing Versus Matches until she randomly shows up as a "Challenger Approaching" fight. Defeat her to unlock her.
*Clear Classic mode with Octoling on starting difficulty 3.0 or higher.
*Score at least 10 KO's on the Moray Towers stage in a single match. Doing this will give you a 50% chance of unlocking either Inkling or Octoling. It will also unlock Inkling if Octoling is already unlocked, and vice versa.
*Unlock her in the Finale of World of Light by defeating her.
*Pay 1,000 gold in a shop, where she can randomly show up (though rarely.)
Category:Super Smash Bros. Characters
Category:Super Smash Bros. (series)
Category:Smash Plus Characters