PAC-MAN

Smash Attacks

SIDE SMASH

PAC-MAN attacks forward with a Ghost in hand.

DOWN SMASH

PAC-MAN charges up and then pushes a Ghost out on either side of him. This hits opponents horizontally away.

UP SMASH

PAC-MAN swings a Ghost overhead as an attack to knock opponents upward.

Basic Attacks

Standing Attack

This three-hit attack string has PAC-MAN doing two punches then a flipkick to knock opponents up and away.

Forward Tilt

PAC-MAN does a powerful side kick. This can be aimed up or down.

Up Tilt

PAC-MAN clobbers the opponent on top of the opponent’s head with this overhead strike. This attack has some invincibility.

Down Tilt

Transforms into retro PAC-MAN and chomps forward suddenly. This has good range and is quite surprising.

Dash Attack

PAC-MAN goes retro and chomps at the opponent multiple times.

Edge Attack

PAC-MAN hurls himself up and then kicks the opponent away with a sweep attack.

Air Attacks

Neutral Air Attack

Transforms into retro PAC-MAN and spins rapidly to hit the opponent.

Up Air Attack

A flipkick attack in the air.

Down Air Attack

PAC-MAN kicks downward multiple times, hitting up to four times.

Forward Air Attack

PAC-MAN kicks out horizontally in front of him. This attack doesn’t do much damage but recovers very quickly.

Back Air Attack

This reverse dropkick has good damage and knockback.

Special Attacks

Bonus Fruit (Neutral Special)

PAC-MAN summons fruit to throw. As the fruits cycle in his hand, you can hit Left or Right to evasive roll or shield to store that item. Next time you hit the button, it throws that fruit. You can also pick up fruit to throw again if you are quick enough. See the sidebar for more information.

Power Pellet (Side Special)

PAC-MAN summons Pac-Dots that end with a Power Pellet, and he chases after it. You can aim the pellets upward or downward, but if you bounce off the ground you stumble and are left vulnerable. Hold the button down to summon more Pac-Dots!

Pac-Jump (Up Special)

Set up a trampoline to launch yourself high into the air. The trampoline can be used three times. The first bounce leaves it blue, second bounce leaves it yellow, and the third bounce leaves it red, indicating it has expired. Each jump is higher than the last, and opponents can use the trampoline, too!

Fire Hydrant (Down Special)

Throw down a fire hydrant that blasts jets of water. The hydrant shoots water out both sides or out the top. The hydrant drop deals damage, but the water jets only push opponents; the jets don’t damage them.

Final Smash

SUPER PAC-MAN

PAC-MAN transforms into a giant version of his retro self and goes on a chomping spree! Retro PAC-MAN can only move Up, Down, Left, or Right. Hitting a direction sends him chomping in that direction. Each chomp he lands on an opponent deals about 15% damage and turns the opponent into a pair of eyeballs. Follow the eyes to increase your chances of chomping them again and knocking them farther off-stage. PAC-MAN can pass through platforms in this form, so there’s no hiding place to get away from him!

Strategy

PAC-MAN has slightly above-average weight and average mobility. Despite being a smaller character, he has decent range, which is also helpful whenever he transforms into retro PAC-MAN. His Smash attacks all use the Ghosts, so they extend out farther from his body, making them safer to use. In the air, he has a lot of good options, including his Power Pellet and Fire Hydrant. His throw has a longer startup than most, but it has good range as well. Overall, PAC-MAN is well rounded and quite capable; his biggest weakness is punishment out of shield and slower heavier attacks, despite his average weight.

Ranged fighting is where PAC-MAN excels. His Bonus Fruit gives him multiple options for projectiles. Boss Galaxian has the most damage potential by itself because it can loop and hit again, but Bell’s stun is useful to combo for more damage. Many of the Bonus Fruit projectiles can be picked up or caught after they’ve been thrown, allowing you to throw them again if you’re fast enough. If the Bell doesn’t make contact with anyone and you’re able to pick it up off the floor, throwing it an opponent can still stun that opponent! When using Power Pellet offensively, aim your trail of Pac-Dots upward after the point at which it will hit the opponent. This way you are more likely to combo into the second hit. Hitting opponents with the big Power Pellet knocks back farther as well. Fire Hydrant is another long-range fighting tool when you drop it while airborne. Additionally, PAC-MAN can hit opponents above him when he throws the Fire Hydrant downward. You can attack the Fire Hydrant to send it flying toward opponents as well! With Pac-Jump, you can only grab onto the edge three times. You must return to the ground to reset this, or PAC-MAN can’t grab the ledge from trampoline jumps again.

Your best options for KOs in the air are Back Air and Up Air. Forward Air is amazing; you can use it multiple times per jump. Down Air is good for racking up damage, but it doesn’t meteor smash. On the ground, Forward Smash, Up Smash, Side Tilt, and Dash Attack have great knockback, and Up Tilt has some invincibility while Down Tilt’s sudden dash forward will catch opponents off guard. For edge-guarding, PAC-MAN has a bunch of great options. Use the Fire Hydrant against opponents far from the stage, then use Power Pellet to get back to the stage yourself. On the stage itself, set up the Fire Hydrant to push opponents from the stage with its blasts of water or set up the Pac-Jump trampoline to force them into a jump. When they try to get back, use Bonus Fruit, and stop them from advancing with your Forward Air, Up Air, or Back Air.

Recovery

PAC-MAN has some great recovery tools. For vertical recovery, he has his Pac-Jump Special that basically adds a trampoline to any part of a stage. The more you jump on it, the higher you get, but if you use it you enter a fall state. For horizontal recovery—as well as some vertical recovery—use PAC-MAN’s Power Pellet. The good thing about Power Pellet is you can control it so PAC-MAN moves in an arc upward or downward. Additionally, you enter a unique state after Power Pellet that allows you to use any other Special (although not Power Pellet again). To slow your fall, use Bonus Fruit, but you need to cancel out of it by using an air dodge. Don’t forget to use your wall jump as well!