Rommel Zapanta 
Image: Bandai Namco Studios, Sora & Nintendo via HGG
Rommel is our expert fighting games writer.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Super Smash Bros Ultimate is filled with a lot of characters all with varying play styles. You have rushdown, zoning, and all-rounder characters that are in the roster. There are some characters however that are more of a wild card, one of them is Jigglypuff. Which is why we created the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Jigglypuff Guide.
Anyone who has played as Jigglypuff knows they are a very unique character. If used correctly, they can be a deadly opponent to fight. This guide will teach you how to be efficient with Jigglypuff and know the tools to win games against a variety of opponents.
Playstyle of Jigglypuff
Jigglypuff is a very floaty character. In order to use them, it will require a lot of patience, timing, and never letting go once they are in. Jigglypuff has short and stubby arms and legs, so close combat is crucial.
The main game plan is to annoy the opponent with in and out pressure and give them no chance to recover once you get a hit on them. After that, it is to finish them off by meeting them offstage using aerial pokes to keep them off the ledge. From here, it would be good to go through the strengths and weaknesses of Jigglypuff
Strengths
The air mobility that Jigglypuff has is arguably the best from the rest of the cast. You can air-jump 5 times and can move across horizontally really fast. Mix both of those together, and you have a very dangerous character to deal with when off the main stage.
Once Jigglypuff gets an opponent offstage, it is basically checkmate. Jigglypuff’s air control is so good that it is nicknamed “The Wall of Pain”. The explanation for that will be mentioned again later though this guide.
Weaknesses
Since Jigglypuff is a floaty character, one of the huge downsides of them is that they can die at early percentages easier.
If the timing is wrong, a lot of Jigglypuff’s up-close moves can trade off with the opponent. This can cause problems if you get knocked off-screen or have a higher damage percentage. Jigglypuff will not win head to head battles easily.
Another downside is that Jigglypuff will die instantly if their shield breaks. All characters have a move that can deplete shield health easily, so that puts Jigglypuff at a bigger risk than everyone else. Defense is not Jigglypuff’s strong suit, so it’s best to avoid situations of being pressured.
Jigglypuff’s Moves
A lot of Jigglypuff’s moves are very limited within their range. For such a small frame, they are able to cover a lot of space when mixed in with their air mobility. The key is to use a lot of the air moves. This way, Jigglypuff would be used to their full potential of range, and can really take control once a move can land.
Neutral A
This move is a solid choice for poking. It can be pressed twice to combo two jabs. Neutral A is really quick to interrupt the opponent from making a move. You can hit them with a single jab to see what they do, which can control the match.
Forward Tilt
Not a bad option, but not a great one either. Forward Tilt is simple tool to get Jigglypuff’s pressure started and to keep your opponent away. It is a little slow compared to other buttons, but can be situational because of the angles you can create with it.
Down Tilt
A little similar to Forward Tilt, Down Tilt is perfect for sending the opponent off stage with the perfect angle to follow up. Use this if the opponent is trying to recover and grab the ledge.
Up Tilt
This Jigglypuff move is mostly used as a combo starter. In order for Up Tilt to connect, Jigglypuff’s back must be facing the opponent. After this connects, you can try and follow up with an aerial attack or just connect with another up tilt if they are at low percentages.
Forward Smash
A long reaching move that has decent damage and knockback. There are better options considering that this move is really unsafe if it is dodged or blocked. Best to avoid Forward Smash move if you are looking to finish off a stock.
Down Smash
Not a high damaging move, but similar to Down Tilt, Down Smash gives Jigglypuff a good angle for a follow. The move does not have a lot of range, so best to be in the correct position if an opponent tried to roll.
Up Smash
Up Smash covers most of Jigglypuff’s upper body. It is able to kill at a very high percentage. You can hit the opponent if they are in the air above, but it will require some strict timing since it does not cover as much area as the other moves they have.
Run Attack
If timed correctly, Run Attack can be a KO move for Jigglypuff. However, it is super slow and really punishable after being blocked- so use it carefully.
Neutral B
There is no reason to use Neutral B, other than trying to recover from the sides of the screens if far enough. Without Neutral B, Jigglypuff can easily recover because of their mobility.
Side B
Side B is a great move if dealing with a defensive opponent. If it connects with a shield, it depletes it a lot, increasing the chance of a guard break. Use this to scare the opponent into not guarding and make them play your game.
Up B
Instead of a recovery move like most of the cast, Jigglypuff does not have a recovery Up B. Due to them having a lot of air mobility, it is not necessary. Instead, it is replaced with a singing move. If the opponent is close enough, the song puts them to sleep- leaving them vulnerable for an attack. It will require you to have great positioning to make this move connect.
Down B
Down B will KO an opponent in the lower percentages. This move has huge knockback and is usually paired well after a hard read. The crowd loves a good rest combo and read. If you know exactly what the opponent is going to do, and you want to call them out on it, Down B is perfect for that.
However, don’t miss it because this will leave Jigglypuff sleeping for a couple of seconds. It’s the perfect definition of high risk, high reward.
Forward Throw
Forward Throw is the best grab for Jigglypuff to use. It’s most effective at the edge of the map, since it is the perfect arc and setup for Jigglypuff to edge guard.
Up Throw
Up Throw is a good move to use to set up for a Down B. It can be a solid combo starter, but it will require some work to utilize properly since the opponent can control themselves in the air after being thrown.
Back Throw
Similar to Forward Throw, Back Throw sends the opponent in a similar arc. It’s a great option if you need to toss them off stage.
Down Throw
Down Throw is a solid combo starter as well. This limits the opponents movements after being thrown. Use this throw if you need a good throw starter.
Neutral Air
Neutral Air is one of the go-to moves for Jigglypuff mains. This move mixed in with good air mobility is definitely a combination to be afraid of. The move is active for a very long time as well, which makes it the perfect approach move during the neutral game.
Forward Air
The key move of initializing the “Wall of Pain” is Forward Air. At the correct percentages, it can be a combo starter, a poke, and a KO move. This move can lead to a lot of possibilities after it lands. After some practice, you can follow up with anything you’d like.
Back Air
Back Air is similar to Forward Air, but slower and with more damage/knockback. It does not hurt to use since it is practically the same. It switches what side Jigglypuff is facing afterwards so it would be a little hard to do them consecutively in the same direction. Great option to edge guard with.
Up Air
Up Air covers a lot of space above Jigglypuff and can create easy follow ups when at the right percentages. It does have KO potential, but it is best used as a tool to keep the opponent in the air.
Gameplan and Tips for Jigglypuff
Here’s some follow up tips for playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate with Jigglypuff succesfully.
Getting Opponents Offstage with Jigglypuff
With Jigglypuff, you are going to want to stay in the air probably 70% – 80% of the time.
Jigglypuff will dominate the air space and be super annoying during the neutral game. The most reliable approach would be the Neutral Air, since it has a long active time and can cover most ground along with moving side to side in the air. The goal with Jigglypuff is to get them offstage at lower percentages to go for early KO’s.
This is the position Jigglypuff wants to be in when dealing with an offstage opponent:
This position provides enough ground to cover to prevent the opponent from grabbing the ledge. It will take some anticipation, but this can be really hard for the opponent to counter if the Jigglypuff player is making solid choices.
Wall of Pain
Another solid tactic is to use the “Wall of Pain”. Basically, at about the mid percentages around 30% – 60%, forward air can combo into itself, pushing the opponent slowly to the side of the screen. This is really deadly, and is the main position for Jigglypuff to scout out for. However, it does take some work to get into.
Here’s what this might look like:
How to Handle Close Play and Long Range Fighters
Jigglypuff does not have any long reaching or zoning moves, which makes it dangerous for them to approach. However, they have to approach since it is their whole game plan to be up close, which makes some matchups with them really difficult.
Jigglypuff will lose to characters that have projectiles and longer reaching moves to keep them out. To get around projectiles, it will involve a lot of unpredictable movement in the air. Once Jigglypuff is close, throw out a move early just in case the opponent decides to approach. Neutral air would be a great option for that.
When dealing with a long range fighter, try and bait out their moves using Jigglypuff’s air mobility.
Example Matchup
For example, Marth is a tough matchup for Jigglypuff. He will keep Jigglypuff out with his long reach sword and possibly get a tipper hit if positioned correctly.
A lot of his moves will stuff Jigglypuff from approaching. When dealing with this, wait for Marth to over extend their approach or miss a forward smash since that would be Marth’s top KO move. After that, stay close since Marth does less damage the closer you are to him.
Dealing with Pressure
If Jigglypuff is getting pressured, do not shield a lot. As stated before, once Jigglypuff’s shield breaks it is a guaranteed KO- regardless of damage percentage. The best defense is to just stay in the air and be at a range to where you’re away enough and close enough for a punish. If you are caught shielding and getting pressured, a great out of shield option is Neutral air. Only use this sparingly, since using an aerial attack is the only viable out of shield option.
When trying to land Jigglypuff’s Down B, also known as rest, there is a lot to consider. The most common way that players would use rest is to get the opponent to high percentage, make the opponent sleep with an Up B, and finish them with rest for a KO. Trying to land Up B is difficult since Jigglypuff cannot move during it.
The best way to land it consistently, is to combo into it. A common combo with it would be either after an Up Air, or a Side B, which are both good choices depending on the situation. One tip for landing rest is to be as close as possible with the opponent. The hitbox for rest is really small, smaller than Jigglypuff.
The way to land it is to jump directly into the opponent and activate it to make sure it lands like this:
Join the High Ground
Jigglypuff will take some time getting used to, especially if you are not used to floaty characters. But if you take the time to learn how this character should be played, they can be a great pick if someone wants an unorthodox character.
If you have specific questions about playing Super Smash Bros Ultimate with Jigglypuff, leave us a comment below!
Related Reading
You must sign in to comment.
Don't have an account? Sign up here!