Squirtle Arsenal

Grounded Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Neutral Attacks

Squirtle swings with the fastest attack available to a Pokémon Trainer Pokémon. Point-blank, Squirtle’s neutral attack combo is a legitimate offensive and defensive threat. Use it to slide out of dashes and check foes, to react instantly after dropping shield, and to hit them in the back just after landing from short-hopping air attacks. The first two hits are a one-two jab sequence, while the third hit is a spin-kick finisher. The combo can be executed tapping Attack repeatedly, or just holding it.

Dash Attack

Speedy Squirtle flies out of a run or dash with a sideways screw kick that resembles its forward air attack. Challengers nailed by this pop a little bit up in the air near Squirtle, in position for more hits.

Defensive Attacks

Tilts

Side Tilt

Squirtle ducks away momentarily to swing its tail forward. The tail’s angle can be slightly altered, aimed up-forward or down-forward. This quick attack might deal low damage, but Squirtle’s tail is intangible. Poke with the tip of side tilt tail swings for a safe check against shields, or a low juggle hit.

Up Tilt

For up tilts, these Pokémon all have a similar upward-leaping attack, though with much different results. Squirtle hops in place with a headbutt pointed straight up. This isn’t really effective against standing opponents nearby. Save it for hopping into enemies falling from the air.

Down Tilt

This long-reaching tail swipe deals more damage than Squirtle’s other tilts, though it’s slower to hit. It also has more severe knockback, kicking defenders farther away.

Smashes

Side Smash

One of Squirtle’s water-based attacks. After the charging period (if desired), the trusty turtle ejects a short-range water spout straight forward. It might look like this attack sweeps upward somewhat, but it doesn’t. The range for the linear hit is good, at least.

Up Smash

While up tilt doesn’t offer lateral coverage, up smash more than makes up for it. Squirtle leaps upward with forceful spigots bursting to either side. Anyone caught by either spout pops up into the air, potentially jugglable. When comparing clear-out options, up smash has better follow-up potential, while down smash pushes everyone farther away.

Down Smash

Squirtle spins first to the front, then points behind with a gushing waterspout, sweeping both sides with liquid. Anyone in the way is knocked or pushed away, like a down tilt hitting both sides.

Grabs

Grabs

Squirtle has a quick, short-range grab animation to match its lightning-fast neutral attack punch. These attacks sync up with air attacks to give it a quick, punchy point-blank offense. Squirtle’s diminutive grab attacks give you a chance to squeeze in one or two more than usual before the follow-up throw.

Front and back throw give the usual options tossing a foe to one side or another, without exceptional range. Up throw places them in better position for juggles at jump height, while down throw bounces them off the ground right before Squirtle, good for short-hopping or ground-level juggles.

Aerial Attacks

Aerials

Neutral Air Attack

Squirtle extends its little limbs in a midair tumble and essentially becomes a circular projectile. It deals the most damage right on activation, but the attack’s active period lingers long enough to make this a great all-purpose air attack. It can be good jumping into enemies air-to-air and falling onto standing foes, whether fast-falling or drifting normally, and whether landing in front of them or behind.

Forward Air Attack

Squirtle lies prone in midair and kicks forward with its whole lower body, generating a small corkscrew of water. The most damage is dealt with the initial thrust, though Squirtle’s legs stay out for a split second after at lower strength.

During forward air attack, Squirtle kicks forward like during many fighters’ spearing back air attacks. Or like Squirtle’s own spearing back air. Front and back air start out basically identical, but you’ll want to lean on one or the other in different positions. Forward air is punchier and easier to use, but back air has more potential, with more risk too. See back air’s description for more on this.

Back Air Attack

Squirtle spins with its tail extended to its full length backward, hitting multiple times with a very good backward-aimed hitbox (for such a small brawler). Scoring all of the drilling hits before the final airborne finisher requires Squirtle’s jump arc to line up correctly with the enemy’s trajectory and position. Basically you can’t be falling down past them or leaping up above them too quickly, or you’ll spin too far for the final hits. Score all the hits plus the final kick, and the victim gets knocked away a decent distance, taking more damage than during forward air attack.

Back air attack’s tailspin and forward air attack’s watery kick basically do the same thing, with different results. Forward air deals less damage, but all in one hit, with much better landing lag if done on the way down. Back air has better hitboxes and more damage and juggle potential, but runs the risk of missing hits if the aim isn’t lined up. Also, low-altitude back air ends with unique landing lag: Squirtle lands on its belly with a thud, shell up. Its impact with the ground is a low-damage hit, capable of working seamlessly as the final hit if aimed correctly. Aimed poorly, it just leaves Squirtle extra vulnerable after landing (not to mention probably a little out of breath).

Up Air Attack

Squirtle whips upward with its tail, starting aimed up-forward and rotating to up-back. Matches are full of chances to chase after higher-altitude adversaries with up air attack. The most basic examples are right after grabbing and hurling someone with up throw, or launching them with up smash.

Aside from its use for batting enemies around above, up air has some use as a very late, precise jump-in. Aim to hit just before Squirtle lands, with the initial up-forward-aimed strike. Squirtle has minimal landing lag falling like this, able to follow up immediately with all kinds of options depending on whether the last-moment up air popped up an enemy or was blocked.

Down Air Attack

Like back air attack’s spinning tail attack but aimed straight down. Squirtle drills down while falling, hitting multiple times. After five starting hits, a sixth hit knocks victims away. This down air attack can’t meteor smash, and can be a little finicky to aim and get all the hits. Still, it’s decent short-hopping at grounded foes or stepping off a stage edge to snipe straight down with the tail at a recovering foe before jumping back to safety.

Special Moves

Specials

Neutral Special: Water Gun

Squirtle’s Water Gun is a zero-damage move, like Mario’s F.L.U.D.D., used for redirecting items, shots, and enemies. You have to charge up first before Squirtle can squirt its water jet. The charge can be canceled early by dodge-rolling (but not by sidestepping, jumping, or double-jumping), if you need to dodge something incoming.

The best (or certainly most fun) use of Water Gun is when edge-guarding, if the opportunity presents itself to push someone back with the water stream just as they’re making their final play for the ledge.

Charge this in spare moments early, taking a second or two of charge when available, then rest with the water torrent as a tool in your back pocket. Don’t force the gimmick; just take a good opportunity if it comes along.

Side Special: Withdraw

Squirtle pulls into its sturdy shell and spins in one direction, bouncing off after hitting anything. Squirtle is invincible while spinning, though if anyone leaps on top with good timing, Squirtle will be flipped like a Koopa in Super Mario Bros.!

While Squirtle spins, hold forward or backward to influence momentum a bit. Hold forward to travel as far as possible, keeping the move active for the max amount of time; hold back to move the minimum amount. This move can be a good sudden change-up to rush through projectiles or to hit someone who failed to tech a knockdown. The damage diminishes a little bit the farther it travels, but not much. If you have altitude to work with when kicked offstage, Withdraw is even a decent recovery move to travel horizontally with a threatening hitbox, as long as the move finishes up in time for you to use Waterfall to snag a ledge.

Up Special: Waterfall

Squirtle surfs a sudden huge spout of water upward like a big ball. This is useful as a defensive reversal, a juggle extender, and a recovery lunge. Holding forward or backward can influence the surging waterball’s travel. Afterward, Squirtle is helpless until landing.