Best Echo And Semi-Echo Fighters In Super Smash Bros Ultimate

Key Takeaways

Echo Fighters in Super Smash Bros Ultimate are clones with modified stats; they expand existing fighters’ playstyles.
Clones like Daisy, Richter, Dark Samus, and others have subtle differences from their originals, offering unique gameplay experiences.
Characters like Lucina, Dr. Mario, Pichu, and others have distinct differences in their movesets, playstyles, and mechanics.

As someone who has been around for quite some time, I’ve seen the evolution of video games, and let me tell you, these characters are a sight to behold. From the original Street Fighter duo to the trio of Star Fox, each one of them has their unique charm and playstyle.

In the latest edition of Super Smash Bros Ultimate, we have a fresh feature called Echo Fighters. Essentially, this is just a snazzy new title for characters that have been designed as clones since Super Smash Bros Melee. These characters were more straightforward back then, with tweaked stats and animations. The role of Echo Fighters is to provide variety in the playstyles of the existing fighters.

Because all participants are present now, the clones from earlier records have come back sporting fresh movesets. Although their new fighting styles bear a resemblance to those of their role models due to similar attacks and special moves, they offer a unique twist thanks to their specialized skills. Despite seeming like faint echoes, they significantly alter the overall experience.

14 Peach & Daisy

Royal Echoes

Daisy functions much like Princess Peach, making it easy for players to adapt. However, she doesn’t bring many new moves or playstyle changes, as they share the same moveset and floating ability. The main distinctions between them are found in their animations, such as a differently colored Toad companion. Essentially, Daisy can be seen as an additional costume option for Peach, similar to Ken and Ryu in Street Fighter 2.

In the initial versions of Super Smash Bros Ultimate, there was a unique distinction between Daisy and Peach’s down-special moves. Specifically, at higher damage levels, Daisy could use her turnips to confirm KOs, unlike Peach who would throw harder for KOs instead. However, this subtle difference was later eliminated in update 3.0, restoring the intended balance between their character designs.

13 Simon & Richter

Brave Echoes

In a similar fashion to his ancestor Simon, Richter adopts the same fighting strategy to corner the adversary. As for the Belmonts, they mimic their ancestral combat style with their whips and tools in the game Castlevania. However, they stand out from one another through their taunts and unique down special moves.

For the Belmont family, holy water serves as a crucial weapon to ensure a knockout. The multi-strike move varies based on the character’s element: Simon’s down special is fire-infused, making it simpler for him to ignite explosives such as grenades. However, Richter’s special doesn’t ignite as easily because it’s aura-based. This aspect becomes particularly significant for Olimar when engaging with elemental vulnerabilities and resistances of his Pikmin, specifically the red and blue ones.

12 Pit & Dark Pit

Divine Mirrors

Dark Pit shares many similarities with his counterpart Pit, making them both versatile, easy-to-use fighters. They share identical combo patterns and use disjointed, multiple attack sequences. Their recovery methods are often identical, utilizing Palutena’s guidance or landing with protective, reflective shields. However, their unique special moves differ in the side special and neutral special abilities.

In essence, both Pit and Dark Pit use their special moves in somewhat similar ways, but with distinct characteristics. The neutral special allows them to shoot distant light arrows, while the side special has them charge up for a close-range powerful punch. However, there are differences: Pit’s special moves are weaker but his arrow can curve more effectively, and when he uses his arm move, he sends the opponent skyward, making them susceptible to juggles. Dark Pit’s special moves are stronger, but his arrows don’t curve as well to hit diagonally angled opponents. His side special launches the opponent horizontally for effective KOs, but only when he’s facing toward the nearest blast zone. When Dark Pit uses his side special while facing away from the blast zone, it just pushes the opponent back, resetting the neutral position, which isn’t particularly advantageous for Dark Pit.

11 Samus & Dark Samus

Replicating Bounty Hunters

Dark Samus represents a sinister duplicate of the bounty hunter, Samus. However, unlike Samus, Dark Samus exudes a more ominous presence. Given that it mimics the original, it employs similar weaponry such as arm cannons, bombs, and missiles to subdue adversaries at a distance. A key distinction is that its arm cannon possesses an elemental quality; while Samus’ is fire-based, Dark Samus wields electricity. Electric attacks inflict greater impact upon striking opponents, but may also result in more recovery lag for the user during combat sequences.

One way to rephrase this for easier understanding: Among other differences, Dark Samus’s animation stands out more than anticipated. Compared to Samus, Dark Samus floats more, staying aloft longer. This floatiness enhances the effectiveness of creepy fighters with advanced moves like reverse specials, as it adds variety to their movement patterns. However, its neutral stance has a disadvantage: when jumping or rolling, Dark Samus has a larger hitbox than Samus because Samus can shrink herself into a ball form, reducing her size.

10 Legend Of Zelda

The Three Heroes

In Super Smash Bros, the role of the Legendary Hero is shared among Link, Young Link, and Toon Link. Each character showcases impressive swordplay, with moves like forward-tilt and up-air demonstrating broad reach and strength. They also initiate combos using back air and nair, employing these techniques as both starting points and for applying pressure safely. Despite their individual distinctness, the way they utilize their weapons is remarkably similar.

What truly distinguishes them is their unique special abilities. Each character employs explosives like bombs, arrows, and boomerangs, but with differing reach and potency. Unlike Young Link and Toon Link who shine with their swiftness, accuracy, and quick projectiles, Link stands out due to his proficiency with the remote bomb. Unlike other characters whose bombs detonate upon impact, Link can trigger his at will. This provides him an edge in applying pressure among the three heroes, while granting him opportunities for advanced, damaging combos.

9 Lucina & Marth

Echoes Of Caution

Lucina adapts Marth’s sword fighting style, but with significant differences in their swords. Marth’s sword is significantly longer than Lucina’s, with its pointed end. Keeping a good distance from opponents increases the damage and knockback for Marth. However, this requires precise positioning, as missing the ‘sweet spot’ can lead to less effective attacks. This necessitates careful play from Marth players when battling fighters of varying sizes or those who change their hitbox positions.

Lucina’s sword doesn’t have a tipper mechanism, which means her gameplay is simpler and more predictable compared to characters who use tipper swords. However, this lack comes at a cost: her reach and knockout power are reduced, limiting her ability to deal damage and take advantage of fatal blow opportunities. Despite her basic design, she remains one of the top fundamental sword users.

8 Villager & Isabelle

Hardworking Fighters

Accompanying the Villager is Isabelle, who was asked to join the team with her diligent tools. Tom Nook’s associates carry various implements according to their zoning requirements, such as Lloyd and his slingshot. They also have some short-range options like a turnip, bug net, and umbrella at their disposal. What sets Isabelle apart from the Villager is her unique fighting style, which is reflected in her moveset.

In contrast to Isabelle who primarily relies on traps and surprising set-ups, Villager stands out as a more versatile long-range zoner. He offers various methods to challenge opponents from afar through his Lloyd and slingshot abilities. Additionally, he can strategically plant a tree to safeguard himself against incoming projectiles, thus enhancing his overall neutral game. Meanwhile, Isabelle leverages her specials such as Lloyd and fishing rod to limit the stage’s boundaries, relying heavily on an element of surprise. Her set-ups prove exceptionally effective during advantageous situations when the opponent is weakened or cornered.

7 Mario & Dr. Mario

Same Man, Different Degrees

Starting from “Super Smash Bros Melee”, Dr. Mario was essentially a clone of Mario, but over time he developed into a distinct fighting character. Despite his design still bearing some resemblance to Mario, there are only two significant variations between them: his down-air and down-special moves.

In an interesting twist, both Marios exhibit similar moves, but each attack yields distinct results. Mario’s swift attacks propel opponents vertically for continuous combos and KOs, with his up-air and up-special being particularly effective in this regard. Conversely, Dr. Mario’s attacks such as the up-air send foes sideways towards the blast zone, making them more horizontally dominant. Moreover, Dr. Mario has a unique strength that amplifies his neutral-air at its tail end instead of its initial startup, much like Ganondorf who trades speed for power. This means that while Dr. Mario may lack the speed of Mario, he compensates by relying on a fewer number of interactions to gain the upper hand in the match.

6 Pikachu & Pichu

Shocking Pair Of Mice

Pichu, having spent a considerable amount of time in Super Smash Bros Melee, has significantly evolved from his initial counterpart, Pikachu. These two Pokemon are swift combatants, both sharing the same special moves to highlight their exceptional neutral game and speed. Although Pichu fights much like Pikachu, his entire move set carries a notable cost.

In a nutshell, both combatants share a common base style, but Pichu has an edge with his move set. He’s smaller and faster than Pikachu, particularly when deploying special moves, as opposed to Pikachu’s expanded vulnerable zone. Pichu delivers stronger attacks compared to Pikachu, however, this comes at a higher risk due to its self-inflicted electrical damage. This means that missed attacks, including his regular moves, become more critical because of the increasing harm they cause. Unfortunately, this drawback intensifies as Pichu is lighter, making him easier to launch when overusing electric attacks.

5 Roy & Chrom

Echoes Of Aggression

Chrom and Roy are embodiments of aggression, demonstrating their exceptional neutral game through speed and unconventional strikes. Their primary distinction lies in the design of their swords; Roy’s weapon has a powerful sweet spot at the hilt, enabling him to deal more damage in close combat. His playstyle is simple, but his character’s constantly shifting hitboxes make his rewards unpredictable and intricate, unlike his counterpart. On the other hand, Chrom lacks a sweet spot, making his combos simpler and more consistent to execute, regardless of distance, including his final blows.

One key distinction between these sword-wielding characters lies in their upward special moves. Unlike Roy, who performs an angled arch attack similar to Marth and Lucina, Chrom’s upward special resembles Ike’s for a more powerful vertical assault. This attribute allows him to effortlessly ensnare airborne enemies beneath him, while also boasting a substantial hitbox in front of him. However, there is one minor drawback: it doesn’t latch onto the ledge, making Chrom vulnerable during that moment.

4 Captain Falcon & Ganondorf

Power Incarnates

Since Super Smash Bros Melee, Ganondorf and Captain Falcon are undeniably the epitomes of aggressive playstyles, often referred to as rushdown. Their move sets, particularly their down-air attacks, are among the most influential in the game. They can swiftly charge towards opponents using their movement specials, while their slow but potent neutral-specials serve as formidable punishment for missteps. Although they’ve branched off from their echo versions, there’s evident inspiration in their move sets.

The greatest differences between the two fighters are their speed and side-special. Captain Falcon holds his neutral game with his speed, letting him link his attacks and grab setups consistently. Despite his better neutral, his approach options are straightforward since his side-special doesn’t grab. Ganondorf is slower with a lot more power in his attacks, especially his disjointed smash attacks. He can even grab opponents with his side special. It doesn’t take him many combos to take stock, making him the most feared fighter when gaining the advantage.

3 Ness & Lucas

Bound To Psi

In a comparable manner, Lucas and Ness utilize their unique psychic abilities in combat. Their floating aerial movements allow for an extended reach, adding unpredictability to complex strategies. In intricate maneuvers, they can alter possibilities, such as deflecting incoming attacks with their forward-smash reflect or absorbing them using their down-special ability.

Ness’ specials are additional benefits for his combo game and approach methods, emphasizing his neutral play. He can create longer combos and carry his opponents along the stage easily with multi-hit attacks like forward-air and up-air. Compared to his counterpart, Lucas’ long combos are more strict, though he still keeps up the damage output with his stronger attacks. Unlike Ness, his specials zone the opponent for KOs rather than combos, making him much better with the match momentum.

2 Ryu & Ken

Fighting The Streets

Originally, the designs for Echo Fighters were influenced by characters such as Ken and Ryu, who hail from classic fighting games. As a result, they handle combat similarly to traditional fighters. Ken’s agility is notable, with many of his attacks having multiple strikes, making opponents use shields more frequently. Meanwhile, while Ryu may not be as swift, he compensates with stronger hadokens, which enhances his long-range pressure tactics.

Ken excels at connecting longer combinations with lower attack strength, whereas Ryu prefers shorter combinations that pack a punch. Essentially, Ken is the offensive, pressure-applying version of Ryu, while the classic Street Fighter character tends to adopt a more defensive strategy, capitalizing on missed attacks.

1 Fox, Falco, & Wolf

Trio Of The Stars

Fox, Wolf, and Falco share similar appearances but excel in distinct areas. Each of them is armed with a weapon, an illusion, and a reflector, giving them the same basic special ability. Although they all share a similar fundamental concept, each special skill has unique characteristics. Fox utilizes his abilities for movement and countering whiffs, whereas Falco and Wolf can employ their tools for aggressive finishes that lead to knockouts.

The distinctive nature of their fighting techniques and regular assaults underscores the exceptional designs they each embody. Fox excels in ground combat, leveraging his speed to overpower opponents using swift moves such as his dash-attack and up-tilt. Falco favors aerial engagements, utilizing his increased jump height and impressive drifting abilities to unleash multi-hit attacks like forward-air and neutral-air. Wolf trades speed for power, resulting in more potent and disjointed strikes, as seen in his forward-tilt and down-smash using his claws.

2024-11-26 06:34