Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version (1996)
Recent games
Pokémon X and Y (2013), Pokkén Tournament (2016), Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon (2016)
Availability
Starter
Final Smash
Volt Tackle
Home stage
Pokémon Stadium
Rival
Fox
Pikachu, the mouse Pokémon, makes his shocking debut in Super Smash Bros. as the eighth character revealed, as well as the third one of the second wave. Pikachu may look like a normal Pokémon, but he isn't: in fact, Pikachu is known as the most famous Pokémon worldwide and many fans deeply love him. In the actual games, Pikachu mostly acts as a normal Pokémon with some exceptions, like Pokémon Yellow Version, for instance, where he is the only starter available, or Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, where a special Pikachu, known as Cosplay Pikachu, makes her debut. The Pikachu appearing in Smash is confirmed to be male.
Pikachu is known to be among the fastest characters in the game, with the second highest dashing speed, the third highest air speed, above average falling speed and average walking speed. Pikachu is able to quickly move around the stage to control it. However, where Pikachu really shines, is when it comes to perform long and extensive combos: with his throws and his aerials, Pikachu is capable to keep his opponents in hitstun for a very long time, until he is ready to KO them. It's common to see Pikachu 0-to-death opponents using very hard combos and reads. Pikachu's special moves can be useful, as ThunderShock is a very spammable move, Surf can be used to drag opponents off-stage and Thunder can be used for unexpected KOs. Quick Attack is slightly more complex: in fact, it keeps opponents stunned for a little bit and is also cancellable into Pikachu's entire aerial set, making it the overall best combo tool in the game and arguably move. Pikachu is seen as a very potent character in competitive play, so he is ranked 3rd out of 30 characters in the tier list.
Standard attacks[]
Ground attacks[]
Jab Combo - a very weak and quick head butt. Deals very low damage and has a small hitbox, but is very fast and can make opponents trip. May be based on the Normal type move Headbutt.
Forward tilt - a double kick. Can be angled. Can be used for gimps, but has overall little uses. May be loosely based on the Fighting type move Double Kick.
Up tilt - sweeps his tail in arc. Can combo into itself and can be used to combo heavier characters, like Ganon or Bowser. May be based on the Normal type move Tail Whip.
Down tilt - slaps twice with his hands. The first slap naturally combos into the second, dealing no knockback whatsoever but keeping opponents in stun. Has however little reach. Based on the Normal type move Double Slap.
Dash attack - Pikachu slides on the ground, covered by electricity. Has multi hit proprieties. Based on the Electric type move Nuzzle.
Forward Smash - emits a burst of energy. Has a bit of start-up, but its reach is impressive. Based on the Electric type move Discharge.
Up Smash - head butts upwards, jumping. Overall, Pikachu's best Smash attack, as it is the fastest and packs quite a punch. Based on the Normal type move Skull Bash.
Down Smash - slams with his tail first in front of, then behind him. A very powerful Smash attack, but it's quite slow. Based on the Steel type move Iron Tail.
Aerial attacks[]
Neutral aerial - kicks in the air. Has sex kick proprieties. May be loosely based on the Normal type move Mega Kick.
Forward aerial - slams his tail downwards in arc. Has meteor smash proprieties. Very fast, can be used at the end of combos to KO the opponent. Based on the Steel type move Iron Tail.
Back aerial - kicks with both feet behind. A powerful move, but can be used for combos as well. May be based on the Normal type move Mega Kick.
Up aerial - a tail backflip, similar to his up tilt. Pikachu's best combo tool. Based on the Normal type move Tail Whip.
Down aerial - moves like a drill downwards. Unlike many other similar moves, this move hits only once. Has also an electric effect. May be based on the Electric type move Wild Charge.
Grab and throws[]
Grab - grabs the opponent with a single hand.
Pummel - shoots some electricity to the opponent.
Forward throw - kicks the opponent forward with both feet. Has a diagonal trajectory, very hard to follow up.
Back throw - rolls on the opponent twice, then throws them away. Pikachu's best KO throw, even though it KOs only beyond 150%+.
Up throw - tosses his opponent upwards, headbutting them. Can be used for chain grabs.
Down throw - bounces on his opponent, launching them upwards. Pikachu's main combo tool and overall best throw.
Special moves[]
Name
Move
Damage
Description
Neutral Special
Thundershock
4%
Pikachu shoots out of his cheeks a little electric projectile. If Pikachu attacks from the ground, the projectile travels horizontally but if Pikachu was airborne while doing the attack, the projectile will travel diagonally downwards.
Side Special
Surf
3% (per hit)
Pikachu summons a wave and surfs on it. This move isn’t that good when it comes to recover, however packs some punch and can be used to pull opponents out of the stage. By releasing the B button, Pikachu drifts and the wave pushes the opponents for a little bit, while when moving, Pikachu will drag opponents with the wave.
Up Special
Quick Attack
//
Pikachu quickly dashes twice. It’s possible to change the direction of each dash, but it’s also possible to keep the same direction between both dashes. The attack deals no damage, but makes the opponents flinch. This, coupled with the fact that’s possible to cancel the move with every attack, makes the attack the overall best move in the entire game.
Down Special
Thunder
10%
Pikachu creates a thunder from the sky. The attack itself is pretty slow but it’s a wonderful star-KO tool, as the hitbox starts at the blast-zone.
Final Smash
Volt Tackle
1% (collision), 8% (burst)
Pikachu surrounds himself with a coat of electricity and starts flying. By pressing the attack button, Pikachu emits a burst of electricity. Pikachu can move freely for about 8 seconds, but the move is hard to control.
Animations[]
Fighting stance: taken from Pokémon X and Y.
On-Screen appearance: exits from a Poké Ball.
Up taunt: waves to the screen, yelling, "Pika, Pika!".
Side taunt: hold his right leg up and weaves his left arm, blinking.
Down taunt: charges himself with electricity, glowing briefly.
Victory animation 1: crosses his arms and looks his left angrily. Based on the victory animation seen in Pokken Tournament.
Victory animation 2: Sits besides a surf, leaning on it
Victory animation 3: Twitches his ear, then scratches his right ear
Losing animation: claps, smiling.
Idle: stands up straight, looking at both sides.
Idle: scratches his right ear.
Idle: shakes his tail.
Walking animation: taken from PokéPark Wii.
Dashing animation: taken from the Quick Attack animation seen in PokéPark Wii.
Jumping animation: taken from PokéPark Wii.
Double jump: rolls in the air.
Alternative costumes[]
Yellow: Pikachu's default appearance. Yellow body, black ears and red cheeks.
Orange: Pikachu's shiny appearance. Orange body, black ears and red cheeks.
Red: Pikachu Rock Star's default appearance. Adds a red jack rock star jacket to Pikachu. Has a heart shaped tail, with a black heart shaped spot at the end of the tail itself. These particular tail is seen in the following costumes as well.
Blue: Pikachu Belle's default appearance. Adds a blue dress and a white hat.
Pink: Pikachu Pop Star's default appearance. Adds a pink dress and a pink ribbon.
White: Pikachu Ph. D's default appearance. Adds a white lab coat, a green sweater and a pair of glasses, as well as brown hair and a graduate student hat.
Yellow: Pikachu Libre's default appearance. Adds a yellow mask, a black t-shirt and yellow and black pants.
