Pikachu (Super Smash Flash 2)

Pikachu is a playable veteran character in Super Smash Flash 2. It is one of the characters in added in v0.8 of the SSF2 Demos, alongside other characters such as Donkey Kong and Yoshi. Its' sprites are custom made and based on its appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee. During the reveal trailer for at Super Smash Con 2015, Pikachu was shown with recolored sprites.

Pikachu is still currently ranked 5th on the current tier list, but dropped to A+ tier. Pikachu posses quick attacks, decent combo ability, great recovery, high priority attacks and amazing finishers in its smash attacks, neutral aerial and down aerial. Pikachu is a strong edge guarder, being considered one of the top three edge guarders in the current demo. Pikachu's grab and throw game is one of the best in the game.

However, Pikachu is light, which makes it easy to KO horizontally. It has poor reach in many of its attacks, forcing it to get up close to start combos (although this is remedied by its Thunder Jolt approaches). Although this gives Pikachu problems approaching characters with disjointed hitboxes, ex.: and. This also goes to its finishers as well, where Pikachu needs to be close to the opponent in order to secure a KO. Another problem Pikachu has is its poor combo game, where it mainly has to rely on strings, that don't send opponents into enough hitstun, or its grab and throw game to rack up damage. Pikachu's hurtbox is bigger than its sprite size seems to indicate, which allows it to be hit by attacks that normally shouldn't even touch it.

Although Pikachu is considered one of the best characters in the current demo, it has a fairly small player base and sees low representation in tournaments. Though Pikachu does take some high spots in online tournaments.

Attributes
Pikachu is a small, but fast and agile fighter. Pikachu has good mobility with having the fourth fastest dashing speed in the current demo and can perform Quick attack cancel to move around the battlefield, which gives Pikachu excellent approach options.

Pikachu has reliable KO moves in its forward smash, up smash, Thunder (when the bolt of lightning hits Pikachu it produces a shockwave that deals strong knockback and using the move when the opponent is offstage will Meteor smash them), Skull Bash and its down aerial.

Despite it's poor grab range, contested for the shortest grab in the current demo, Pikachu has a great grab game and throw game. Down throw is good for setting up combos, while also being an effective chain grab on fast and high fallers with being able to be followed up with an up smash at death percents. Forward throw is also good for setting up combos. Up throw is can chain grab Fox and being followed up by up smash on certain characters at death percents.

Pikachu has one of the best recoveries in the game with Skull Bash being used as horizontal recovery option and Quick Attack can be used in different directions(it can go up twice which gives Pikachu one of the best vertical recovery moves in the game).

However, Pikachu suffers from poor reach in the majority of its attacks which leaves it vulnerable to characters with disjointed hitboxes (ex. and ). Pikachu also has problems dealing with certain projectiles which is another approaching problem.

Despite Pikachu's light weight, it is an average faller and its wonky hurtbox makes it susceptible to combos. Pikachu's own combo game is below average due to its attacks sending the opponent into little hitstun to allow for more follow ups.

Ground attacks

 * Standard attack: Headbutts continually. 3% per hit
 * Side tilt: Kicks forward out in front of him with both legs. 8%
 * Forward smash: Produces electricity with his cheeks. Pikachu charges a bolt of electricity in front of him, causing a lot of knockback when released. Uncharged: 20% Fully Charged: 28%
 * Up tilt: Swings tail in an arc above itself. 7%
 * Up smash: Flips very fast, attacking with its tail. Uncharged: 15% Fully Charged: 21%
 * Down tilt: Does a quick, low tail whip. 7%
 * Down smash: Discharges electricity while spinning. Uncharged: 11% Fully Charged: 13%
 * Dash attack: Bashes target with it's head like a mini Skull Bash.. 9%

Aerial attacks

 * Neutral aerial: Spins in a ball. Decent knockback and power. 10%
 * Forward aerial: An electric drill-like move forward. 9%.
 * Back aerial: Spins like a disc and hits multiple times. Four hits for 2% each last one deals 4%. Total of 12%
 * Up aerial: Swings tail while flipping forward. 4-6%
 * Down aerial: An electric drill-like move downward. 12% Another hit when landing. 2%

Grabs & throws

 * Grab: Grabs the enemy with both hands.
 * Pummel: Zaps the enemy. All hits do 1%.
 * Forward throw: Places opponent on back and electrocutes them forward. Can chain grab only a few characters. 7%
 * Back throw: Tumbles with opponent back and throws them back. 9%
 * Up throw: Headbutts opponent upward. Can chain grab fast fallers, but easy to DI out of. 5%
 * Down throw: Slams on top of opponent. Deals 5% and can combo into up tilt, an aerial and an up smash. Can chain grab fast fallers and high fallers, but can be D.I.'ed. Fast fallers can be chain grabbed 0% with only a few high fallers having the same effect, but they can escape it more easily. However, at 55%, characters will enter a Reeling animation, this allows fast fallers and high fallers to become more susceptible to the chain grab, but they can still escape. Characters with lower accelerated falling speeds, such as above average fallers, average fallers and a few floaty characters are susceptible to this, but they have a much more easier time escaping.

Other

 * Ledge attack: Backflip kick. 8%
 * 100% ledge attack: None.
 * Floor attack: Swings its body and tail around. 5%

Misc.

 * Entrance: Pops out of a Poké Ball.
 * Taunts:
 * Standard: Waves with both hands and says "Pika!".
 * Side: Topples on one leg, as if dizzy and says "Pika!".
 * Down: Same as Side.
 * Idle poses:
 * Scratches his ear.
 * Looks around.
 * Fanfare:
 * Wins: Does a 720 backflip, then spins around and looks happily at the camera.
 * Loses: Claps.

Changes from v0.9a
Pikachu has received a mix of buffs and nerfs. Pikachu is one of two characters from last demo, who were top five on the tier list, to not let their nerfs make them less effective. Pikachu benefits from the lower hitstun of the demo by being harder to combo. Pikachu's down tilt and up tilt are better at comboing, giving it a better combo game than last demo outside of grabs.

Notable players

 * Blossom
 * Auraka

Tier placement history
When first introduced in demo v0.8, Pikachu was seen as a character seen with great potential. In demo v0.8b, Pikachu was ranked 7 of B tier. In demo v0.9a, Pikachu rose up to 3rd of S tier where it was seen as a top tier character. In demo v0.9b, Pikachu dropped to 5th of S tier, but is still seen as a top tier character. However, on the second tier list of demo v0.9b, Pikachu stayed 5th place, but dropped down to A+ tier and i still seen as a top tier character.