Part 17

Aerial Attacks: Utilize the back aerial for high damage, the up aerial for quick kills on weakened foes, and the forward aerial which has a unique horizontal hit from Popo and a downward hit from Nana. The neutral aerial is a standard knock-away attack, while the down aerial is a plunging move that should be avoided.

Grab Combos: Abuse Nana's independent attacks out of a grab. Try tapping directions on the c-stick while grabbed (don't hold Z) for Popo's grab attack and Nana's smash attacks.

Down Throw + Blizzard: Hit down and B during a grab to have Popo perform a down throw while Nana hits with Blizzard, useful for damage and follow-up attacks.

Hammer Squall/Forward Tilt: With precise inputs, Nana can perform a Hammer Squall or forward tilt. Note that Nana's second attack always launches the opponent, but this can be exploited for combos like a forward tilt followed by a forward smash.

Jump Grab Combo: Press X or Y to make Nana jump while holding an opponent to initiate a down throw to forward aerial combo.

Chain Grab (Down Throw): At lower percentages, you can chain grabs using down throw followed by a running forward grab. This works on most characters but some break out sooner.

Forward Throw Infinite: Attempt a forward throw and immediately input a dash grab. If timed correctly, Nana will grab the opponent, allowing for repeated grabs by alternating between Popo and Nana for an infinite combo. This is difficult to perform consistently.

Ice Block: Use this projectile to harass foes from a distance. If desynchronized, the Ice Climbers can fire these in an alternating pattern, making them hard to deal with.

Hammer Squall: Useful for recovery and grab combos, but otherwise limited in use. Mashing B rapidly during recovery with Hammer Squall can increase air time.

Belay: A recovery move where the climbers jump up connected by a rope. If Nana grabs the ledge, she pulls Popo to it. A single climber can still gain some air from this move.

Blizzard: A damage-racking move. On the ground, it hits both sides. In the air, both climbers shoot forward. A short hop before using Blizzard is recommended for optimal use, especially in grab combos.

Movement: The Ice Climbers cannot wall jump, wall cling, or crawl, and have only one midair jump. Their roll and spot dodge are average.

Death Condition: Only Popo dying counts as a KO. Nana has her own invisible damage counter and her shield depletes separately. They may also have independent stale move negation.

Desynchronization: This can be achieved by grabbing or by pressing the shield button and a direction simultaneously, causing Nana to roll the wrong way. Both climbers still accept inputs when desynchronized.

Ledge Sharing: The Ice Climbers can share a ledge, and either climber occupying it prevents enemies from grabbing it.

Icy Surfaces: They ignore the slippery effects and tripping on icy surfaces.

Matchups: They perform well against most characters but struggle against light characters who can attack safely from the air, as these characters break out of grabs easier and the Ice Climbers are weaker in aerial contests. Mr. Game & Watch, Meta Knight, Jigglypuff, and Kirby can perform well against them. Bowser and Donkey Kong are particularly vulnerable to grab combos due to their size, weight, and falling speed.

R.O.B. Unlock Conditions: Play 160 brawls, have R.O.B. join your party in The Subspace Emissary, or collect 250 different trophies.