Pikachu

“Pika, Pika!”

—Pikachu

Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon and is the mascot of the popular Pokémon series, made by Game Freak. However, Pikachu's only appearance alongside Mario is in the Super Smash Bros. series. In the Pokémon series, Pikachu is the evolutionary form of Pichu and evolves into Raichu. Pikachu has been voiced by Ikue Ohtani in the Super Smash Bros. series. She also voices Pikachu in the Pokémon anime, Pokémon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition, Generation VI games, and various spin-offs.

History

Super Smash Bros.

File:PIKAsmall.PNG

Pikachu's artwork from Super Smash Bros.

Main article: SmashWiki:Pikachu (SSB)

Pikachu appeared as a default character in Super Smash Bros. It was a useful player, as its electric attacks could inflict serious damage. However, its Quick Attack was its prize move, as it could escape almost every fall, if done correctly. However, it is rather light, and can be knocked off the stage easily.

Pikachu's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Main article: Smashwiki:Pikachu (SSBM)

Pikachu returned in Super Smash Bros. Melee, along with its pre-evolution Pichu, yet again as a default player. It retained all of its old moves, as well as adding a new move, Skull Bash. However, its abilities are basically the same as the original. Pichu had a moveset similar to Pikachu.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Main article: Smashwiki:Pikachu (SSBB)

Pikachu was one of the first characters revealed for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It has been shown using Thunder Jolt, Quick Attack and Thunder. His Final Smash has been revealed as Volt Tackle.

The Subspace Emissary

Pikachu's snapshot in The Subspace Emissary.

Pikachu begins the game trapped within a strange device that harnesses its electrical energy to provide power to the complex. Samus, infiltrating the complex in search of her Power Suit, sees that the device causes Pikachu pain, and breaks it. In thanks, Pikachu helps Samus continue through the lab. Eventually, the pair come across Samus's Power Suit within a tank. After dispatching two clones of Samus, Pikachu helps Samus (in her newly regained Power Suit) through the rest of the facility and helps her defeat Ridley.

After escaping from the complex, Pikachu and Samus infiltrate the Subspace Bomb Factory and encounter the Ancient Minister. Despite Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Captain Falcon, and Captain Olimar coming in soon after, the Ancient Minister does not fight back, and tries to stop the other R.O.B.s from obeying Ganondorf. Ganondorf gets the R.O.B.s to set up multiple Subspace Bombs, and the Ancient Minister, with the R.O.B.s no longer under his control, reveals himself to be the head R.O.B. of the island and helps Pikachu and the others defeat the Subspace Army and escape the island in the Falcon Flyer before it is consumed by Subspace.

Pikachu and the rest of its team join the remaining heroes in their last stand against Subspace, only to be defeated by Tabuu. Fortunately, King Dedede had planned this in advance and created badges that revived fighters from being trophies. Using these, he is able to form a team conisting of himself, Luigi, and Ness. Dedede and his group then revived most of the others, including Pikachu, before everyone has rejoined and proceeded to face Tabuu in a final battle.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Main article: SmashWiki:Pikachu (SSB4)

Pikachu is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. It's moveset seems to remain mostly unchanged. Pikachu's Thunder move, which still summons a cloud, now acts as a meteor smash, which can do further damage to opponents.

Palutena's Guidance

Viridi: Aw, 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!

Special Moves

Thunder Jolt

Pikachu's Thunder Jolt, from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively.

Pikachu's Thunder Jolt, from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively.

Main article: SmashWiki:Thunder Jolt

Thunder Jolt is one of Pikachu's moves used in all the games in the Super Smash Bros. series. Pichu can also use this attack in Super Smash Bros. Melee. To execute this move, the player must simply press the button. A blast of electricity will come out from Pikachu's cheeks. It will then start passing by the field, until it finally loses all power, or hits someone. In Melee and Brawl, the jolt can travel up walls, along ceilings, and below ledges in. When in the air, doing this attack would create a ball of lightning which travels diagonally downwards towards the ground. This ball of lightning deals more damage. When Kirby copies Pikachu's powers, he will be able to use Thunder Jolt.

This attack name isn't used in any actual Pokémon games. However, the moves Thunderbolt or ThunderShock may be similar to this move. It does, however, appear in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.^[1]

Skull Bash

Pikachu's Skull Bash, from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively.

Main article: SmashWiki:Skull Bash

Skull Bash is a move that both Pikachu and Pichu know in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It is executed by pressing Side + . Once done, Pikachu will pull its head back, and then push forward into the opponent with a headbutt. The player could hold down on the button to charge the attack. This will make the attack stronger, and will make it more accurate. Sometimes, Pikachu will even be able to fly completely across some stages, like Pokémon Stadium or Green Greens. If the player charges the attack to its limit, then Pikachu will use the attack automatically. Pikachu's Skull Bash can charge faster, but its attack and range are slightly shorter than Pichu's. Pikachu also uses this move to recover back onto the stage if he ever flys off the stage. (Computer Pikachus do not use Skull Bash, they use Quick Attack instead of Skull Bash to recover).

Pikachu could only learn this move in the 1st generation games, but the move may also be a reference to the attack, Headbutt. Also, Luigi can perform a similar attack, called the Green Missile.

Quick Attack

File:Pikachu Quick Attack Brawl.jpg

Pikachu's Quick Attack, from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively.

Main article: SmashWiki:Quick Attack

Quick Attack is one of Pikachu's moves in all three Super Smash Bros. games. It is based on Quick Attack, a move from the Pokémon games, in which Pikachu can learn it. To perform the move, one must press Up + . This will cause Pikachu to rocket into the sky, at light speed. If the Control Stick is tilted to the side, Pikachu will do another jump, except to the side. This acts as Pikachu's third and fourth jumps, but it is very difficult to master. It will deal 2% damage to anybody who touches Pikachu while in the air. The move is the same in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Pikachu will be put into a helpless state if this move ends in mid-air.

A similar move is Agility, performed by Pichu. Additionally, Lucario can use the move ExtremeSpeed. However, that move works differently compared to Pikachu's Quick Attack.

Thunder

File:Pikachu Thunder Brawl.jpg

Pikachu's Thunder, from Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively.

Main article: SmashWiki:Thunder

Thunder is a move used by both Pikachu and Pichu in the Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee games, and returns as one of Pikachu's attacks in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. To perform it, one must press Down + , which will cause a powerful thunder bolt to drop down onto the screen, in a vertical line from directly above the user. It will fall onto Pikachu, and will hurt any player that touches the lightning, or within close range. It doesn't cause damage to Pikachu. However, if Pikachu is jumping when the attack strikes, it will not hit underneath them. It is Pikachu's strongest move, in both Super Smash Bros. and the Pokémon series, from which the move is taken. It is also one of the few moves used in a cutscene.

Volt Tackle

Pikachu's Volt Tackle.

Main article: SmashWiki:Volt Tackle

Volt Tackle is the name of Pikachu's Final Smash in the game Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Once Pikachu has collected the Smash Ball, it will proceed to charge up a massive amount of electricity. Once charged up, it will dash incredibly quickly in any direction the Control Stick/D-pad is pointed. This will send anyone it hits flying in the air. The move can be easily used in mid-air.

Volt Tackle is named after a secret move in the Pokémon Advance games and later that only members of the Pikachu family can learn. It is a powerful attack that gives the user recoil damage when it's used. This move in Pokémon is a direct reference to the signature move of the titular character of a Genesis game called Pulseman made by Game Freak. The move's look and controls in Brawl are also direct references to the move's look and controls from Pulseman.

Also, this move would be first learned by Pichu since the move can't be learned normally without breeding.

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