July 2022 Major Tier List Update!
★13.0 Best Character Tier List
Patch Notes and Updates
★ All Update and Patch Note History
☆ Ver. 13.0.1 Patch Notes and Balance Changes
This is a guide to using Pac-Man in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Pac-Man's bread and butter combos, how to unlock, frame data, alt costumes and skins, as well as Pac-Man's matchups, counters, and tier list placement can all be found here.
List of Contents
| Pac-Man | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Game Series | Pac-Man |
| Smash Bros. Debut | Super Smash Bros. for WiiU/3DS |
| Fighter Number | 55 |
| Unlock Order | 49 |
| Number of Jumps | 2 |
| Weight | 95 Units (44/87) |
| Dash Speed | 1.672 (48/87) |
| Air Speed | 1.092 (39/87) |
| Fast Fall Speed | 2.16 (71/87) |
| Special Attributes | Crouch Walk, Wall Jump |
 |
Tier
|
Smash Ultimate Pac-Man has the unique characteristic of being able to choose from a variety of projectiles in his neutral B. Each of these has its own effects and uses, but the 7th item that appears, the Bell, will stun the opponent, making it very good for a heavy follow-up attack. His fire hydrant is also used as a way of putting a layer of separation between Pac-Man and the opponent, and can be launched forward after it takes enough damage. Pac-Man's main gameplan relies on using these tricky projectiles to create mind games with the opponent, limiting their movement and punishing a bad option.
Pac-Man's grab is very slow and punishable, meaning that it is mainly only good for a hard read. His range is rather below average, and combined with the fact that very few of his moves have good knockback, it means that Pac-Man can sometimes struggle to kill until getting an opponent to a pretty high percent. Pac-Man is a tricky character, and players will need to learn the ins and outs of his unique special attacks to get the most out of him.
| Strengths | ・Great at limiting opponent's movement with a variety of projectiles ・Very powerful recovery ・Very good follow-ups from item tosses |
|---|---|
| Weaknesses | ・Very poor grab ・Recovery is somewhat predictable ・Easily comboed ・Struggles to kill early on |
|
|
|
| -2 | |
|---|---|
| -1 |              
|
| 0 |                                   
|
| +1 |                       
|
| +2 |     
|
1. -2 = Disadvantage. -1 = Slight Disadvantage or Even. 0 = Even. +1 = Slight Advantage or Even. +2 = Advantage.
2. The matchup chart was based around both the opinions of professional players of each character, as well as our own experience through playing Pac-Man.
3. Characters within each tier are unordered
4. Pokemon Trainer's individual Pokemon (Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard) as well as Echo fighters with no significant difference than their regular counterpart are not shown.
5. For other characters who are not shown here, we are still investigating the matchup.
| Beginner Combos |
|---|
| Up Throw→Short Hop→Up Air |
| Nair→Jab |
| Dair→Fair→Fair |
| Advanced Combos |
| Neutral Special (Bell)→ Down Special→Throw Bell Into Hydrant→Up Smash |
| Neutral Special (Galaxian)→Fair→Grab Galaxian→Throw Galaxian |
| Up Throw → Short Hop → Up Air |
|---|
| A quick throw combo. After using Up Throw, you can press jump and uptilt simultaneously for a shorthop uptilt making the combo easier to execute. |
| Nair→Jab |
|---|
| A quick combo from neutral air into jab. It works against enemies until mid percentages but it will not hit against smaller opponents. |
| Dair→Fair→Fair |
|---|
| From the ground, immediately use shorthop into Dair. Once the last tick hits, it will launch the enemy forward to quickly follow it with a short hop and two forward airs for decent damage. This combo will require a bit of practice as the second forward air may be hard to land. |
| Neutral Special (Bell)→ Down Special→Throw Bell Into Hydrant→Up Smash |
|---|
| You'll first need to set your Bell then place a hydrant. Once the Hydrant fires, you'll want to throw the bell into the hydrant to gain more time to reposition while the bell flies and possibly, hit the enemy. This can allow you to use free smash attacks and even charged ones for a possible K.O. |
| Neutral Special (Galaxian)→Fair→Grab Galaxian→Throw Galaxian |
|---|
| A lengthy combo that can deal massive damage when executed properly. You'll need to have the enemy on mid percentages and the Galaxian item from Pac-Man. |
| Move | Frames |
|---|---|
| Up B | 4 Frames |
| Neutral Air | 6 Frames |
| Item Throw (Forward) | 8 Frames |
| Forward Air | 8 Frames |
| Item Throw (Back) | 11 Frames |
| Up Smash | 11 Frames |
Pac-Man has access to some very good out of shield options. His fastest out of shield option is his up special, which is decent, but has a small hitbox, so it is mostly only used for a quick escape option. However, his neutral air is typically a much better option, since it can be used from frame 6, and will allow him to combo the opponent. With an item in hand, chucking it at the opponent is also a fast and low commitment option that can lead into follow-ups, and can punish opponents from a distance. While his grab has good range, it is very slow out of shield (16 frames), and will usually not be fast enough to punish an opponent.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 (A) |
2.4 | 4 |
| Jab 2 | 2.4 | 4 |
| Jab 3 | 4.8 | 4 |
After throwing out all of Pac-Man's jabs, there is little end lag, making it a good get-off-me tool.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Dash Attack (Hits 1-3) (Dash ＋ A) |
2.4 | 10 |
| Dash Attack (Hit 4) | 4.8 | 37 |
| Forward Tilt (← or → + A) |
9.6 | 5 |
| Up Tilt (↑ + A) |
7.8 | 7 |
| Down Tilt (↓ + A) |
7.2 | 7 |
Pac-Man's dash attack lasts a long time and has almost no end lag. It is used as an approach tool, and for catching opponents' landings. It can also cross-up shields, making it very hard for an opponent to punish.
Pac-Man's forward tilt will slighlty lift your opponent up. When your opponent is pressuring you at close range, use this attack to create some space. Forward tilt has decent range, but it is not a safe option on shield.
Pac-Man's up tilt gives his fist intangibility, but has a small hitbox which makes it hard to use. This attack is best used only for opponents that are directly above you, and can be also used as a combo starter.
Pac-Man's down tilt comes out fast and has great range, and since Pac-Man returns to his original position after using it, it is a good move for poking your opponent.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Forward Smash (Smash ← or → + A） |
26.8 | 16 |
| Forward Smash (Weak Hit) |
25.2 | 16 |
| Forward Smash (Late Hit) |
15.1 | 19 |
| Up Smash (Hit 1) (Smash ↑ + A) |
5.4 | 11 |
| Up Smash (Hit 2) | 23.1 | 15 |
| Up Smash (Late Hit 2) | 13.4 | 18 |
| Down Smash (Smash ↓ + A) |
21.8 | 15 |
| Down Smash 1 (Late Hit) | 11.7 | 18 |
Pac-Man's forward smash has very strong knockback. Its startup is slow and can be hard to land, so pair it with the hydrant's water blast to increase your range while sliding in.
Pac-Man's up smash has a large hitbox. Before up smash begins, a hitbox comes out on the side of Pac-Man, making it easy to land this attack while sliding across the stage from the hydrant's water.
Pac-Man's Down smash has strong horizontal knockback. It hits on both sides, so use this attack to call out an opponent's roll.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral Air (A + no direction while airborne) |
12 | 3 |
| Neutral Air (Late Hit 1) |
10.2 | 6 |
| Neutral Air (Late Hit 2) |
7.2 | 10 |
| Forward Air (Hold ← or → in the direction you are facing + A while airborne) |
9.18 | 5 |
| Back Air (← or → Opposite of the direction you are facing + A while airborne) |
14.16 | 9 |
| Back Air (Late Hit) |
8.4 | 12 |
| Up Air 1 (↑ + A While Airborne) |
12 | 9 |
| Down Air (Hits 1-3) (↓ + A While Airborne) |
2.4 | 6/13/20 |
| Down Air (Hit 4) (↓ + A While Airborne) |
8.4 | 27 |
Pac-Man's neutral air comes out fast and has a lingering hitbox. Pac-Man's entire body becomes a hitbox, making it great as a get-off-me attack. It's also super safe on shield (-3/-4), and is one of Pac-Man's main combo tools.
Pac-Man's forward air comes out fast and has little end lag. The move can be used twice on an opponent in one jump, so it is great for carrying an opponent off stage. It is also safe on shield (-6), and is another combo tool.
Pac-Man's back air is a powerful move with fast startup, high damage, and high knockback. It can be used to edgeguard opponents offstage, or used on the fire hydrant to send it flying at an opponent.
Pac-Man's up air has quick startup and a lingering hitbox. Use it when your oppoenent is directly above you to rack up damage.
Pac-Man's down has sends opponents at an angle that is great for KOing offstage, as well as comboing on stage at lower percents. Great for edgeguarding, and Pac-Man's strongest aerial move when all 4 hits land.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral Special (Cherry) (B) |
3.96 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Strawberry) |
6.0 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Orange) |
7.8 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Apple) |
10.2 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Melon) |
13.2 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Galaga) |
9.6 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Bell) |
7.8 | 19 |
| Neutral Special (Key) |
18 | 19 |
| Side Special (Weak Hit) (← or → + B) |
5 | 24 |
| Side Special (After eating Power Pellet) |
7.6 | 24 |
| Side Special (Fully Charged) |
14.4 | 42 |
| Up Special (↑ + B) |
6.0 | 4 |
| Up Special (Late Hit 1) | 7.2 | 12 |
| Up Special (Late Hit 2) | 8.4 | 17 |
| Down Special (Falling Hydrant) (↓ + B) |
10.8 | 9 |
| Down Special (Tumbling Hydrant ) |
15.6 | - |
Pac-Man's neutral special summons various items that can be thrown. Memorizing how each item moves and its special perks is key to playing Pac-Man. Only one item can be used at a time, but if you recatch a thrown item, pressing B will allow you to continue cycling through. Items can be re-caught once, and doing so willl allow you to use it out of shield, or as a combo tool.
| Item Name | Movement | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherry | Short distance while bouncing 3 times Bounces once when it lands |
| 2 | Strawberry | Flies somewhat far while bouncing Bounces twice when it lands |
| 3 | Orange | Flies straight forward Fast and easy to hit your opponent |
| 4 | Apple | Thrown diagonally Bounces twice |
| 5 | Melon | Very slow movements High damage |
| 6 | Galaga | Goes forward before spinning around once It can hit twice, making it useful for combos |
| 7 | Bell | Thrown diagonally, falls straight down It will paralyze the opponent |
| 8 | Key | Flies forward at high speed Highest damage |
Pac-Man's side special lets you control his direction with the control stick, making it fantastic for recovery. This attack will be canceled if he does not eat the power pellet at the end, so be careful that your opponent does not attack it when you are using the move. When offstage, it's a good idea to mix this move in with your double jump before usng up special to make it back to the ledge.
Pac-Man's up special will place a trampoline below him, allowing him to land on it jump high for three times in a row. Each time the jump gets higher. However, on the 4th hit, the trampoline will disappear and you will fall below, so make sure to recover before then. It is quick and can be used out of shield since it has a hurtbox, though it is primarily used for recovering.
Pac-Man's down special lays down a fire hydrant.The water dispersed from the hydrant will push enemies and items away. The hydrant can be knocked away if it takes around 13% damage. The speed and tragectory of the hydrant will depend on the attack it receives, but the damage will remain constant. It works well as a ranged attack and can KO at the ledge at later percents. Hiding behind the hydrant is also useful for playing defensively, but be careful that the opponent doesn't hit it toward you, as Pac-Man can also be damaged by it.
| 1v1 Damage (%) | Startup Frames | |
|---|---|---|
| Pummel | 1.62 | 1 |
| Grab (Normal) | - | 12 |
| Dash Grab | - | 14 |
| Pivot Grab | - | 15 |
| Forward Throw (Hitbox) (← or → While Grabbing) |
9.6 | 13 |
| Back Throw (Hitbox) (← or → While Grabbing) |
13.2 | 25 |
| Up Throw (Hitbox) (↑ While Grabbing) |
6 | 18 |
| Down Throw (Hitbox) (↓ While Grabbing) |
1.8 | 16/24/32 |
| Down Throw (Throw) | 8.4 | 34 |
Pac-Man's forward through cannot be used to connect combos. Use it to throw your opponent off stage and then work to prevent their recovery with tools like the fire hydrant.
Pac-Man's most powerful throw is his back throw. Back throw can kill at the ledge at high percents (~140%).
Up throw can combo into up airs due to low knockback power. At lower percents, this is Pac-Man's go-to throw.
Down throw will lightly bounce your opponent upward, but unfortunately does not combo due to its long end lag.
| Attack | How to Use | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Super Pac-Man | Press B after obtaining the Smash Ball | A giant Pac-Man dashes forward on the screen, eating opponents he runs into and sending them to the blast zone where they will take damage. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Basic Movements | The vulnerability for breaking falls on the ground now aligns with other fighters. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Other | Increased shield size. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Neutral Special | Will no longer drop the Bonus Fruit while charging the neutral special even if flipped left or right with attacks like Mario’s side special. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Up Smash Attack | Made it easier to hit multiple times. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Down Special | Increased the downward attack range of the fire hydrant while its falling. Reduced the power against shields. |
| Neutral Special | Reduced the power against shields. |
| Change | |
|---|---|
| Forward Air Attack | Shortened the landing time and the amount of time you cannot grab edges after using the move. |
| Down Air Attack | Shortened the landing time after using the move. |
| Neutral Special | Extended the time that Bonus Fruit stays around after it hits. |
| Unlocking Via Smash Mode |
|---|
| 49th Fighter Unlocked After unlocking Olimar, let 10 minutes pass OR play another battle in smash after soft-resetting OR return to the menu from World of Light |
| Unlocking via Classic Mode |
| Clear Classing Mode 3 times using Kirby. |
| Unlocking via World of Light |
| Mushroom Platforms |
There are three ways to unlock Pac-Man. Completing any of these, then defeating Pac-Man when they appear in the “a New Challenger Appears” screen will allow you to use them afterward.
 List of Fighters |
|
 Tier List |
 Unlocking Fighters |
| Character Stats | |
|---|---|
| Weights of All Characters | Run Speeds of All Characters |
| Air Speeds of All Characters | Fast Fall Speeds of All Characters |
Pac-Man Guide: Matchup Chart and Combos
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© 2018 Nintendo
Original Game: © Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Characters: © Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc. / Pokémon. / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / SHIGESATO ITOI / APE inc. / INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS /
SEGA / CAPCOM CO., LTD. / BANDAI NAMCO Games Inc. / MONOLITHSOFT / CAPCOM U.S.A., INC. / SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
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