Pichu

Pichu is an Electric-type Pokémon introduced in the games Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver. It is the pre-evolved form of Pikachu, the Pokémon mascot. It appears as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and is referenced in Palutena’s Guidance regarding Pikachu in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Super Smash Bros. Melee


Pichu is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It is an unlockable character, unlocked by beating Event Match 37: Legendary Pokémon, or by playing 200 Melee matches. Afterward, Pichu must be defeated in a match on Pokémon Stadium.

Pichu's moveset is similar to Pikachu's, though most of its attacks are weaker, and all of its electrical attacks also deal recoil damage. Pichu is also faster than Pikachu, but is the lightest character in the game, making it easily thrown off the stage. Its neutral special move is Thunder Jolt, its side special move is Skull Bash, its down special move is Thunder, and its up special move is Agility, which does not give as much distance as Pikachu's Quick Attack and does not deal damage.

Pichu is the only character in the game to have two taunts, one for each direction it is facing. It is voiced by in both English and Japanese, who does its voice in the Pokémon anime.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Pichu is one of the five Super Smash Bros. Melee fighters that did not return as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (the other four being Dr. Mario, Young Link, Mewtwo, and Roy). However, the player can get a trophy of Pichu by clearing All-Star Mode without continuing.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Pichu did not return in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. Instead, it appears as a collectible trophy in the 3DS version, while it is referenced in Palutena's Guidance regarding Pikachu in the Wii U version.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Pichu, after being absent as a playable character in the previous three Super Smash Bros. games, returns as an unlockable playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Like all other fighters in the game, it has a Final Smash. Pichu's Final Smash, Volt Tackle, functions similarly to Pikachu's identically named move, although Pichu's version does recoil damage to itself, but it is also stronger. Pichu gains a new on-screen appearance and two new taunts, and Pichu can speak during some animations.

Compared to its appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Pichu is faster, its aerial attacks have less landing lag, its short hop timing is reduced, it is heavier, its moveset has attacks that knock opponents back farther, many of its attacks deal more damage to opponents, and it does less damage to itself with electrical attacks (said attacks now cause around 0.4% damage each as opposed to 1-6%). Some of Pichu's attacks, however, are weakened.

Thunder Jolt


Thunder Jolt is Pichu's standard special move, which it shares with Pikachu. This move is notable for not having a counterpart from the Pokémon games. Similar to Pikachu, Pichu launches a ball of electricity rotating across the stage until it collides with an opponent. The attack can travel off the sides of the stage, as well as along walls if they are not too steep, but not along the underside of fall-through platforms. When the attack is used in the air, it begins as a larger, more powerful ball of electricity until it hits the ground. Like Pichu's other special moves, however, this move inflicts damage to itself whenever it is used; the recoil effect also carries over to Kirby if he copies Pichu and uses this move.

Skull Bash


Skull Bash is Pichu's side special move, shared with Pikachu. The attack is based upon the Normal-type move from the Pokémon series. Like Pikachu, Pichu charges up an attack before launching head-first across the screen, attacking any opponent it hits with a headbutt. The move can be charged by holding down the special move button, which increases the range and power of the move. Pichu's version of the move is able to be charged for longer, allowing it to deal more damage and gain more distance, but like its other special moves, it damages Pichu when used.

Agility


Agility is Pichu's up special move. The move is similar to Pikachu's Quick Attack, allowing Pichu to warp in the direction held on the control stick in a burst of speed, and again if the direction is changed during the move. This move, however, like Pikachu's move in the original Super Smash Bros., does not damage opponents, but instead deals recoil damage to Pichu, with the second movement inflicting more than the first.

Thunder


Thunder is Pichu's down special move, shared with Pikachu and based on the Electric-type move in the Pokémon series. Pichu calls down a bolt of lightning that appears from a cloud above it and strikes any opponents in its path to damage them. If the bolt strikes Pichu, any nearby opponents are damaged by it as well. Unlike Pikachu's Thunder, Pichu's version is able to hit multiple times, making the complete strike stronger than Pikachu's, though the bolt hitting Pichu deals less damage to opponents and instead damages Pichu itself.

Volt Tackle
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pichu gains the Volt Tackle as its Final Smash. Like with Pikachu in the previous games, Pichu still damage itself when using its Final Smash.

Palutena's Guidance

 * Pit: Awwwww! It's a baby Pikachu!
 * Palutena: That's Pichu. It's the form before it evolves into Pikachu. Pichu is still learning to harness its electrical power, so it takes damage whenever it uses electricity.
 * Pit: Just looking at Pichu makes me want to cheer it on. You can do it, Pichu! Kick his butt!
 * Palutena: Pichu might be cute, but don't underestimate it. Its small stature allows it to move very quickly. Look out for grabs after it dashes.
 * Pit: Why is it that smaller fighters are always fast?
 * Palutena: You'll understand when you grow up, Pit. One day, you'll wake up unable to do things you could in the past.
 * Pit: That's...depressing. Ohhhhhhhh. Is that what it's like for you, Lady Palutena?
 * Palutena: Don't make me smite you.

Trivia

 * Pichu is the only character from Super Smash Bros. Melee to not have any playable data in Super Smash Bros. Brawl or Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U (excluding Young Link who was considered to be replaced by Toon Link).
 * One of its alternate outfits in Super Smash Bros. Melee are a pair of blue goggles. These are later given to Pikachu in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.

Pichu