Pikachu

Pikachu is a Nintendo character from Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U representing the Pokémon series. A Pokémon numbered twenty fifth in the National Pokédex, Pikachu is an Electric-type mouse Pokémon that could be found in Viridian Forest in Pokémon Red and Blue Versions.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Pikachu is a lightweight character that uses Electric attacks.

Special Moves

 * Standard - Thunder Jolt
 * Pikachu shoots a jolt of purple electricity that travels along the surface of the platform.


 * Side - Skull Bash
 * Pikachu launches at the opponent like a rocket. The move can be charged for maximum damage and range. At maximum charge, the move will automatically be initiated


 * Up - Quick Attack
 * Pikachu zigzags upward back to the stage. The player can control Pikachu's direction of the move twice.


 * Down - Thunder
 * Pikachu calls a bolt of lightning which drops down to him. It can be stopped by a platform if Pikachu is standing directly under one.


 * Final Smash - Volt Tackle
 * Pikachu turns into a blue ball of energy and flies around the stage. This attack is similar to the Super Sonic Final Smash except Pikachu can fly through platforms. Despite of this, the blue ball of energy is difficult to control and hence it is difficult for the player to score a KO.

Subspace Emissary
In a research facility at a floating Isle of Ancients, Pikachu was tortured by a generator. Samus Aran in her Zero Suit found Pikachu and set him free with her plasma whip, setting off an alarm alerting R.O.B.s. They fought through the R.O.B.s until they found a computer lab. In there Samus saw her Power Suit on the computer screen. Samus and Pikachu set off to find the Power Suit. When they got there, they were ambushed by Shadowbug Samus clones of the Power Suit. After defeating the shadowbug clones, Samus put on her Power Suit. Pikachu and the newly suited Samus fought through R.O.B.s until they went into a big room and was ambushed by Samus' archenemy Ridley. Ridley flew Samus high in the air and dragged her on the wall. Pikachu used his Thunder attack to take down Ridley and free Samus. As a Pokémon's electric attack are super effective against flying opponents, Ridley was weakened and angry. Together with Samus, Pikachu defeated him. They entered a Subspace Bomb factory and encountered the Ancient Minister. They were ready to attack the Minister with Pikachu's cheeks sparking but stopped when they noticed his sadness. Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon and Captain Olimar broke into the same room. A hologram of Ganondorf commanded the R.O.B. to detonate all of the Subspace Bombs in the room, but the Minister didn't let them. He pulled the R.O.B.s away from the bombs but Ganon commanded the R.O.B.s to attack the Minister. As they shot their laser eyes at him, his robes caught fire and burned off, revealing him to be the leader of the R.O.B.s. R.O.B. fought alongside Pikachu and the others and headed to Captain Falcon's Falcon Flyer. As they escaped, Ridley came back in his Meta form and chased them for revenge. Pikachu, Samus, and the others defeated Meta Ridley and escaped to an mainland where Mario, Link, Kirby, Pit, Yoshi, Marth, Ike, the Pokémon Trainer, Lucas, and the Ice Climbers were waiting. The Halberd arrived and dropped off Meta Knight, Lucario, Solid Snake, Princess Peach, Princess Zelda, Mr. Game & Watch, Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi. A Subspace Gunship emerged from the Subspace orb, commanded by Ganon and Bowser. Ganon noticed the Halberd in the distance and commanded the weapons to fire. The Halberd broke and plummeted to the ocean. But there were other smaller ships in the Halberd. The majority of heroes such as Pikachu were in the Falcon Flyer, Samus used her own gunship, and an Arwing and Olimar's Rocket emerged from the wreckage. Kirby used a Dragoon to cut through the gunship. Bowser and Ganon retreated into Subspace and the hero ships followed. As the heroes went through Subspace, they encountered Tabuu, who spread his wings and turned everyone including Pikachu into trophies. Luckily, King Dedede along with Luigi and Ness revived half of the heroes including Pikachu, while Kirby revived the rest.

Sonic appears
After going through the Great Maze, Pikachu and company encountered Tabuu, who prepared to turn everyone back into trophies. But before he could do that, a blue ball appeared and broke Tabuu's wings. The ball landed on a mountain and revealed himself as Sonic the Hedgehog. Pikachu, Sonic, and the Nintendo heroes defeated Tabuu and restored the World. Sonic, Pikachu and company stood on the cliff where Pikachu's group met the other groups, and stared at a white X where the Isle of Ancients used to be.

Tier
At first, Pikachu was at the 12th tier, 21 tiers above Sonic's 33. However they both got progressively higher tiers due to dedicated players finding new techniques with Pikachu at the 8th tier, 15 tiers above Sonic's current 22.

Matchup with Sonic
Pikachu is 8th on the tier list, fourteen positions above Sonic, and supposedly has the advantage. However, that doesn't mean Sonic can't beat him. His Thunder Jolt can be easily dodged by one jump, as it only travels on the ground. Sonic can then counter it with Homing Attack. When Pikachu uses Thunder, Sonic should run away from him to avoid getting hit by the Shazam-like lightning bolt. Sonic can Spring Jump to avoid Pikachu's Skull Bash. If Pikachu get's a Smash Ball, he'll use Volt Tackle to turn into a blue ball of electricity. Side step when he get's close. If Sonic get's a Smash Ball, he can use Super Sonic to show Pikachu who is the better yellow flying mammal.

Green Hill Zone
In Green Hill Zone, Pikachu can jump over the valley with a double jump and quick attack. The checkered side of the valley has less traction than the grassy side. When the stage crumbles, Pikachu can use a Quick Attack to recover even offstage, but not to far. A checkpoint on the side can knock Pikachu in the middle of the stage.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U
Pikachu is one of the characters confirmed in the first trailer of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U. Since Brawl, Pikachu has gotten thinner. Most of his moves are unchanged. In Sonic's trailer, Sonic fought Pikachu on the Pilotwings stage with Donkey Kong.

Changes from Brawl

 * His Thunder attack now has a cloud that can spike opponents.
 * He is a bit thinner.
 * His neutral, forward tilt and forward smash attacks are faster and weaker.
 * His dash attack is stronger.
 * Skull Bash launches farther.
 * Back aerial deals more knockback but less damage.
 * The Final Smash lasts longer.

Custom Moves

 * Default Standard - Thunder Jolt
 * Pikachu shoots a spark of bouncing electricity.


 * Custom Standard 1 - Thunder Wave
 * It stuns opponents for a very long time; however, it has considerably less range.


 * Custom Standard 2 - Thunder Shock
 * Shoots a ball of electricity horizontally. Triggers a small blast as it disappears.


 * Default Side - Skull Bash
 * Pikachu launches a headbutt.


 * Custom Side 1 - Shocking Skull Bash
 * A flying headbutt that deals multiple hits. The last hit has added knockback.


 * Custom Side 2 - Heavy Skull Bash
 * Dives sideways. Deals more damage if it hits near the start of the attack.


 * Default Up - Quick Attack
 * Pikachu zigzags upward.


 * Custom Up 1 - Meteor Quick Attack
 * A Quick Attack with a meteor smash effect.


 * Custom Up 2 - Quick Feet
 * Moves once, but moves much farther than Pikachu's other up specials.


 * Default Down - Thunder
 * Pikachu summons a thunder cloud with a single bolt.


 * Custom Down 1 - Thunder Burst
 * Unleashes an electric attack originating from Pikachu.


 * Custom Down 2 - Distant Thunder
 * Extended reach, as well as a sweet spot where it begins and a sour spot where it ends.


 * Final Smash - Volt Tackle
 * Pikachu flies around the stage in a big ball of electricity.

Rematch with Sonic
Pikachu and Sonic can use similar tactics from Brawl. However, they both have slight changes. Pikachu's Thunder can now be dodged a new way: by Double jumping and spring jumping over the new cloud. However, the cloud could spike Sonic and it's the height of a ground spring jump. Pikachu's Skull Bash can launch him farther. Sonic can dodge and counter it with a better Homing Attack.

Windy Hill
On Windy Hill Zone, the right spring bounces Pikachu close to the center of the wheel. When Pikachu bounces on the left spring, he could only make it to the upper platform with a midair jump. Pikachu cannot go under the stage. When he bounces off the spring at the wrong angle, it's an instant KO. He can jump from the far left platform to the far right.

Trivia

 * Pikachu's Volt Tackle somewhat resembles Sonic's ball form, but it is meant to resemble fellow Sega character Pulseman using Volteccer.
 * While Pikachu in the Pokémon series have a 50-50 chance of being male or female, this Pikachu that Sonic met is possibly male, due to having a pointed tip during brawl (while females have heart shaped tails). This may or may not be true as Pikachu's first appearnce in the Smash Bros. Series was the original where he was based off of the classic Pokemon games which did not have gender differences up until the Gen 4 games, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl.
 * However, many characters in Brawl have been updated to recent games, such as Link's Twilight Princess look, and Pikachu growing slightly thinner each game, thus no dent in Brawl Pikachu's tail is still a clue to being male.
 * Some people classify the Pikachu in Brawl to be the Pichu from Super Smash Bros. Melee as it has the same alternate costumes and has the move known as Volt Tackle, a move which can only be learned at the Pichu state of the evolutionary line through breeding.
 * Pikachu's "red" alternate costume resembles his shiny coloration in the games.
 * Pikachu is the second video game character to have a balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade seven years after Sonic the Hedgehog.