Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Olimar divides the stage with Pikmin Toss, long grounded hitboxes, Up Smash, and Up Air, and the more stable the Pikmin colors and order become, the stronger his damage and kill flow gets. If Squirtle keeps rushing in from the obvious height, his lighter weight makes one lost exchange snowball into a landing trap or ledge sequence very quickly.
The good news is that Squirtle can shift below that height line. Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, and Neutral Air are all punishable with Squirtle’s shield answers centered on OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), OOS Fair (8f), and OOS Bair (8f). Stopping these close-range buttons is enough to deny Olimar the time he wants for Pikmin Order and fresh pulls, which exposes how weak the body is when forced to fight directly.
By contrast, Pikmin Toss, purple Side B pressure, smash attacks, and most of the aerial walling are not matchups you solve by shielding in place and forcing a punish. It works better to duck under the line with crouch walk, short dashes, and angled approaches, then touch the body with Nair, grab, or Up Tilt right when the Pikmin leave Olimar or when he has to pause.
For kills, ledge coverage is far more repeatable than a raw center-stage swing. Take jump from ledge with Up Air or Back Air, and take landings with Up Smash. Olimar often makes it back from offstage if you overchase, while his grounded reversal game after returning is much thinner, so keep the pressure onstage and finish there.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Squirtle OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -11/-10 |
| |
| Jab 2 | 4 | -9/-8 |
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| Forward Tilt | 15 | -10 |
| |
| Up Tilt | 6/8/10/12/14/16 | -17 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -17 |
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| Dash Attack | 8/11 | -21 |
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| Forward Smash | 11 | — | ||
| Up Smash | 12 | — | ||
| Down Smash | 10 | — | ||
| Neutral Air | 7/11/15/19/23 | -11/-11 |
| |
| Forward Air | 7 | — | ||
| Back Air | 10 | — | ||
| Up Air | 8 | — | ||
| Down Air | 9 | — | ||
| Neutral B | — | — | ||
| Side B | 9 | Purple: -6 |
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| Up B | — | — | ||
| Down B | 2 (Start of Super Armor) | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use crouch walk and short dashes to change the entry height and avoid running straight through Pikmin Toss and long grounded pokes from the same line.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, or Neutral Air, punish immediately with OOS Nair (7f), OOS Uair (8f), OOS Fair (8f), or OOS Bair (8f) so Squirtle gets more direct body touches.
- The moment the Pikmin leave Olimar or before he can reset with Order or new pulls, touch the body with Nair, grab, or Up Tilt and route even short strings toward the ledge.
- At kill percent, avoid forcing the center-stage brawl. Cover jump from ledge with Up Air and Back Air, cover landing with Up Smash, and do not overchase offstage.
Actions to Avoid
- Rushing in at the obvious height and letting Pikmin Toss plus long grounded hitboxes catch Squirtle’s lighter body first.
- Shielding purple Side B or Pikmin Toss, then swinging for a punish that does not really exist and getting pushed back into the same wall.
- Spending all the attention on swatting Pikmin and giving Olimar free time to reorder and pull new ones without pressuring the body.
- Chasing too far offstage for the kill and giving up the stronger onstage continuation that usually closes this matchup more reliably.