Over the course of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s lifespan, several FPs have been accessed early before the official release of their physical figure, and Pichu was actually the very first character whose training file was discovered this way. As a result of this, the community has been working to optimize this character for a long time. If you’re interested in reading how to best train your own Pichu, you can find its corresponding training guide here!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In many ways, Pichu’s FP is comparable to Joker’s. Both characters were first trained several months before their official release date, and they both made for popular entries in tournaments when that day actually came. Furthermore, both Pichu and Joker are excellent candidates for Raid Bosses, as they both have an above-average combo game compared to other characters. In the competitive scene, Pichu is widely regarded as an inferior version of Pikachu, however, it does have a few unique advantages. Pichu has a fairly competent AI, powerful multi-hit smash attacks, an outstanding recovery, and one of the best meteor smashes in the game. Between these options, Pichu comes equipped with the ability to take the opponent’s stocks very quickly.
Unfortunately, Pichu is plagued with the worst survivability in the game. It’s the lightest character in Ultimate, so against heavy-hitting characters such as Link, Zelda, Pokémon Trainer, and especially Ganondorf, it has almost no chance of winning without a lucky meteor smash. This low weight is the primary factor holding Pichu back, which is sad as it has a competent AI and a lot of viable moves. On top of this, Pichu has a “unique mechanic” in its recoil, which means that with every electric attack it uses it gains self-inflicted damage. Pichu’s AI doesn’t know to avoid excessive usage of electric attacks, so it often takes more damage than it needs to by missing its electric-type moves. To make matters worse, Pichu lacks range, especially on its forward smash, which would otherwise be its most viable finisher.
Overall, Pichu has accrued below-average tournament results, and is not only considered a low-tier fighter, but a completely inferior fighter when compared to Pikachu. Despite that, Pichu is the clear fan favorite between the two, and is more common to see in tournaments than Pikachu. Compared to its evolved form, Pichu is more of a glass cannon fighter whereas Pikachu is more of an all-rounder. At any rate, if you’re interested in reading more of the resources we have available on Pichu, you can do so below. This includes a training guide and a long-form essay. Be sure to join our Discord server too!
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