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This article is about Cloud's appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. For other uses, see Cloud Strife.

Cloud (クラウド, Kuraudo) is a downloadable newcomer in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U representing the Final Fantasy universe, being the sixth third-party character. He was announced right before the end of the Nintendo Direct of November 12th, 2015 and much like Ryu, he is packed with his themed stage, Midgar.

Cloud was released in a bundle with Midgar after the Direct on December 15th, 2015. The bundle costs $5.99 for one version of the game and $6.99 for both.

Cloud currently ranks 2nd place on the tier list for his fast yet powerful attacks which have decent range and combo potential. He has a large variety of both long-range and short-range moves which significantly aid his approach options, and his unique Limit Break system grants Cloud fast mobility and enhanced strength with his special attacks, which are fatal if not blocked. However, his grab and recovery options are rather poor.

Attributes[]

Strengths[]

  • Fast movement speed on both ground and air. His initial dash is also one of the fastest in the game, next with Captain Falcon and Little Mac.
    • His Dashing Speed is the 10th fastest in the game, being slightly higher than Roy's; his Air Speed is among the top 15.
      • Under the effect of Limit Break, his Dashing Speed goes from 10th to 5th fastest in the game, being slightly higher than Zero Suit Samus'; his Air Speed becomes the fastest in the game.
  • Can Wall Jump.
  • Low and reliable short hop useful for setting juggles, much like Sheik's.
  • Many of his attacks have hitboxes that are long in duration, with high active frames.
  • Except for the first two hits of his Neutral Attack and his Down Tilt, all of his attacks have disjointed hitboxes as he fights with a sword. Thanks to this, he has high priority on most attacks.
  • Strong Aerial attacks that are safe on shield if properly spaced.
  • Fast and powerful Smash Attacks and Special Attacks that can score earlier KOs if used at the right time.
  • Down Tilt moves forwards along the ground, leading into various aerial combos. It also allows him to dodge some attacks.
  • His Buster Sword grants him a large range for most attacks.
  • Has three Meteor Smashes, Forward Aerial, Down Aerial and the third hit of Climhazzard (the descending hitbox).
  • Blade Beam has low startup and travels quite fast.
    • When Limit Break is full, it gains multi-hit properties and deals much more damage and knockback.
  • His Side Special, Cross Slash, can trap opponents between hits.
    • When Limit Break is full, it gains super armor, deals much more damage and knockback, and has no end lag and no start lag.
  • His Up Special, Climhazzard, is quite fast and launches Cloud upwards much like Marth and Lucina's Dolphin Slash.
    • When Limit Break is full, it sends Cloud extremely high.
    • Similarly to Shulk's Up Special, pressing the Special button again while preforming this move will cause Cloud to quickly plummet downward with his sword extended.
  • His Down Special, Limit Charge, when fully charged slightly increases all his stats, and powers up his Special Moves in terms of damage, launch power, and in some cases distance covered or even adds multi-hit attributes.
    • Much like other charging attacks, the player can cancel the charge with side dodge or shield. It is also possible to cancel it into normal attacks.
    • He can use Finishing Touch as his Down Special once using Limit Break, which can deal massive knockback to nearby enemies.
    • Like Little Mac, Cloud's Limit Bar fills when he deals and takes damage. However, it can be manually filled via Limit Charge if desired.

Weaknesses[]

  • Too dependent on the Limit Break mechanic.
  • Low grab range and weak Throws in terms of knockback, none being able to reliably KO.
    • Lacks guaranteed Combo Throws, with his only reliable one being off Down Throw, which stops working after mid percentages.
  • Neutral Attack has considerable lag even when shield-cancelled.
    • Neutral Attack also moves Cloud forward, making it easy to punish.
  • None of his Tilts except of Forward Tilt have KO potential, meaning only his Smash Attacks and Special Attacks are reliable for ground kills.
  • Blade Beam has considerable ending lag that leaves Cloud vulnerable. It is also weaker in the air and dosen't go as far.
  • Cross Slash can be easily blocked, leaving Cloud vulnerable during its execution. In addition, he can only deliver all attacks once it connects with the opponent.
  • Climhazzard has poor recovery potential and lacks horizontal range (except when powered up), and misuse can cause players to suicide if the B button is pressed again when used for recovery.
  • Limit Bar resets when Cloud is killed, much like Little Mac's Power Meter.
    • Once a Special Attack is used under the Limit effect, Cloud must refill his Limit Bar in order to have another special attack enhanced by it.
  • Finishing Touch can only be used once Limit Break is charged. Additionally, it is only effective against opponents with high damage percentage.
    • Failing to connect Finishing Touch can result in harsh punishment.

Summary[]

Kuroham-cloud

Cloud's stats by Kurogane Hammer.

Cloud is a Pressure and Zoning type of fighter, capable of fighting up close and from a distance with his long reach and powerful attacks.

Cloud is a semi-heavyweight, making him difficult to KO, and possesses very quick mobility, possessing a very high dashing speed, air speed, and air acceleration, but has a high fast fall and high gravity, somewhat limiting his aerial prowess.

Cloud's greatest asset is his disjointed range, being second to Shulk's. Because of it, Cloud can easily space opponents and disrupt approaches while making his own at a safe distance, granting him versatility at close and long-range combat. Combining this range with his power grants Cloud a very versatile aerial game: neutral aerial covers a wide range around Cloud, and his directional aerials provide good options for approaching and edgeguarding, especially his down and forward aerials due to being able to Meteor Smash.

Cloud's ground game, though not nearly as potent as his aerial game, grants him good options, with his neutral attack and tilts provide good combo options due to their fast speed and decent power. Cloud's Smash attacks are potent KO options due to their range and power, though to compensate they have a long startup.

Cloud's Special Moves offer Cloud a wide variety of options. Blade Beam is a good projectile for zoning and forcing approaches despite its end lag. Cross Slash is a quick damage racker, though it requires Cloud to successfully connect all hits to succeed. Climhazzard functions like Aether, as Cloud can scoop up opponents in an ascending slash and knock them downward with an optional downward slam, making the move risky for recovery and edgeguarding.

Another powerful asset that Cloud possesses is the Limit Break mechanic. This mechanic greatly enhances Cloud's mobility, granting him very quick movement rivaling that of Sonic or Captain Falcon. In addition, Cloud can expend the gauge to power up any of his Special Moves, increasing their KO potential, and granting Cloud an additional finisher in Finishing Touch due to its high knockback.

However, Cloud is held back by many flaws. His most obvious flaw is his recovery; his high gravity and fast fall speed can put Cloud at risk when off-stage, and Climhazzard grants Cloud no horizontal distance and a short vertical distance, making it easy for opponents to knock him off-stage. In addition, Cloud's grab game is severely lackluster, possessing a short range and the inability to link into Cloud's attacks. Most importantly, despite his numerous finishers, Cloud's KO capacity is inconsistent due to his reliance on the Limit Break mechanic, which can be easily exploited if Cloud misuses a Limit Break Special Move, and therefore puts himself at risk when charging it back up.

Overall, players must fully utilize Cloud's disjointed range to disrupt approaches and attacks that can potentially knock him off-stage. In addition, the Limit Break system must be used with precision to ensure that Cloud successfully KO's an opponent without risk for punishment, and recharging must also be taken with care, as Cloud is left vulnerable regardless of the method taken.

Moveset[]

Cloud can use the Limit Break status to improve his mobility and increase the power of his Special Moves. Similarly to Little Mac's Power Meter, whenever Cloud deals or takes damage, or alternatively uses his Down Special, a Limit gauge will fill up, which is only displayed when using Limit Charge. Cloud must deal 250% damage, take 100% damage, use Limit Charge for six seconds, or any combination of the three to fill up the gauge. There is no time limit on Limit Break status, so Cloud only reverts to his normal status only if he expends the gauge to use a Limit Break Special Move or if he is KO'd.

While in Limit Break status, Cloud's mobility is greatly enhanced, with his gravity, falling speed, fast fall speed, initial dash distance, and running speed being increased by 10%, his walk speed and traction being increased by 15%, and his air speed and acceleration being increased by 20%.

Cloud can also use the Limit Break status to use a more powerful form of his Special Moves; however, he will expend the gauge entirely, and require Cloud to refill the gauge. The following is a list of the effects of Cloud's Special Moves while under Limit Break status:

  • Blade Beam has transcendent priority and can hit the opponent multiple times before launching them. The shockwave changes its color to blue instead of green.
  • Cross Slash's hits come out at once regardless if they connect, and deal high knockback to the opponent. The kanji symbols are outlined in blue.
  • Climhazzard deals more knockback and launches Cloud higher with horizontal maneuverability. Climhazzard's sword trail changes to blue instead of red.
  • Limit Charge is replaced by Finishing Touch, which consists of Cloud performing a single whirlwind slash, dealing 1% damage but very high knockback.

Ground Attacks[]

Normal[]

  • Standard Attack: Does two kicks alternating his legs, and swings the Buster Sword with a slash. Looks similar to Shulk's Neutral Combo. Quite fast and covers good range, with each kick moving Cloud forward. Strangely, the sword attack has less reach than the kicks. (2%, 2%, 3%)
  • Side Tilt: Does a forward swing in an arc. Possibly based on his normal attack in Final Fantasy VII. Fast startup, but considerable ending lag, however with long duration of hitboxes. Can link from his Down Throw at low percentages. Cloud's strongest Tilt in terms of knockback, capable of KO'ing opponents around 140% to 150% It also moves Cloud slightly forward. (11%)
  • Up Tilt: Does a fast overhead swing. Covers a good range all around him, much like Bowser and Donkey Kong's Up Tilts. The starting hitbox hits behind him. Can combo into itself at low percentages, linking into aerials at later percentages. However, lacks KO potential. (8%)
  • Down Tilt: Slides with his leg outstreched, covering a good range in front of him and surprisingly large hitboxes. Looks similar to his slide kick in Ergheiz: God Bless the Ring. Functions similar to Mega Man's Down Tilt. Quite fast when used as a surprise attack, however it can be easily punished if poorly used. Useful for tech chases, quick punishes and juggling setups. (6% clean, 7% late)
  • Dash Attack: Slides along the ground to a halt and slams with the broad part of his Buster Sword in front of him. Fast but easy to punish. Can link from his Down Throw at low to mid percentages. Quite powerful, capable of KO'ing at high percentages. (11% clean, 8% late)

Smash Attacks[]

  • Side Smash Attack: A very fast triple slash attack, with the first two hits trapping opponents and the third hit having more range and dealing strong knockback, in a similar fashion to Pit and Dark Pit's Forward Smashes. Can link from his Down Throw at low percentages. Extremely powerful, being able to KO opponents at less than 100% uncharged. (3%, 4%, 13%)
  • Up Smash Attack: Does a strong swing upwards. Quite fast with good range, and has long hitboxes in terms of duration, as well being an efficient anti-air move. While powerful, it is Cloud's weakest Smash Attack. (13% clean, 12% late, 8% end)
  • Down Smash Attack: Cloud crouches and hits first with the hilt of his sword, which pulls the opponent into the second hit, stabbing with the blade. Functions like Ganondorf's and Toon Link's Down Smashes. Looks similar to Wolf's and Little Mac's Down Smash Attacks. It is Cloud's fastest Smash Attack, being a very reliable punish against side-dodges, as well being excellent for edge-guarding due to its horizontal knockback. (4%, 12%)

Other Attacks[]

Air Attacks[]

  • Standard Air Attack: Swings the Buster Sword around himself in a wide arc. Looks similar to Shulk's Standard Air Attack, with high range and great combo potential. Weak in terms of knockback, but it is very fast and covers a large range while protecting Cloud. It can also be a great setup for other attacks, such as Cross Slash in Limit Form Has little to no landing lag when shield cancelled or fast fall cancelled. Auto-cancels from short hops. (8%)
  • Forward Air Attack: Braver, also known as Brave Slash, from Final Fantasy VII; which is Cloud's first Limit Break in the game. He does an overhead swing and slashes forward in a downwards arc. Looks similar to Ike's Forward Air Attack. Has considerable startup lag and moderate ending lag, but has large range. It is a very potent Meteor Smash (almost strong as Ganondorf's Down Air Attack) if the attack hits in the middle of the blade near the hilt after completing the swing; otherwise it'll cause horizontal knockback. Can be frame cancelled in a full hop with fast fall. (14% sweetspot, 13% clean, 11% late)
  • Back Air Attack: Faces his back and does a single swiping swing, resembling his Aerial Fang from Dissidia Final Fantasy. Looks similar to Ike's Back Air Attack. Quite fast and safe on shield, being useful for edge-guarding. (13%)
  • Up Air Attack: Pushes his sword upwards, with one hand holding the base and the other holding the blade. Very fast and with long hitboxes in terms of duration, being useful for juggles after a Down Tilt to frame trap opponents. Has little to no landing lag when shield cancelled or fast fall cancelled. Auto-cancels in short hops. (13% clean, 9% late)
  • Down Air Attack: Stabs downward, which Meteor Smashes if it hits at the initial hitboxes in the middle of the sword while the main hitbox is active (when it is glowing green); otherwise causes horizontal knockback. Resembles Zack Fair's High Jump command from -Crisis Core- Final Fantasy VII. Looks similar to Shulk's Down Aerial, and has long hitboxes like Link's Down Aerial. It is possible to reduce the landing lag by immediately using it in a full hop. (15% sweetspot, 13% clean, 8% late)

Grabs and Throws[]

  • Pummel: Knees the opponent with his right leg. Moderate speed. (3%)
  • Forward Throw: Does a flip kick. Low knockback, being useful for tech chases at low percentages. (4%, 3%)
  • Back Throw: Turns his upper body around and does a backward kick. Low knockback. (3%, 3%)
  • Up Throw: Hurls opponent into the air and attacks them with helicopter kicks. Good for Up Aerial setups. (2%, 4%)
  • Down Throw: Slams the opponent forcefully into the ground. Cloud's main throw for combos, being able to lead into most of his tilts, his Forward Smash and even Cross Slash until mid percentages. (7%)

Special Moves[]

Cloud's Special Moves
3DS/Wii U Ultimate
Standard Special Blade Beam
Side Special Cross Slash
Up Special Climhazzard
Down Special Limit Charge/Finishing Touch
Final Smash Omnislash

Taunts[]

  • Up Taunt: Spins the Buster Sword twice before placing it on his shoulder while stating  興味ないね ("Not interested"). Based on his original victory animation from Final Fantasy VII, though he places it on his shoulder to resemble his official artwork.
  • Side Taunt: Places the Buster Sword on his back before putting his arms together in front of him while surrounded by a green glow. Based on the spell-casting animation from Final Fantasy VII.
  • Down Taunt: Places the point of the Buster Sword on the ground and leans back while scoffing.

On-Screen Appearance[]

  • Descends from the air onto the stage and catches the Buster Sword. Based on the ending animation of Omnislash Version 5.

Idle Poses[]

  • Rubs the edge of the Buster Sword.
  • Holds the Buster Sword in front of himself.

Victory Poses[]

  • Spins the Buster Sword before placing it on his back while saying  悪く思うな ("No hard feelings.") . Based on his victory animation from Final Fantasy VII
  • Spins the Buster Sword before placing it on his back while turning away and saying ついてないな ("Better luck next time.")
  • Performs two slashes before assuming his battle stance while saying  お前に俺は倒せない ("You cannot defeat me.")

In competitive play[]

Since his release, players saw Cloud as a high-tier character, thanks to his incredible combination of range, mobility, power, and Limit Break mechanic, the latter in particular was highly valued for its ability to not only grant his special moves KO potential disproportionate for and beyond his weight class, but also make them fast and safe, especially Cross Slash. This positive outlook on Cloud was even more apparent in doubles play, where he can greatly benefit from having a teammate to alleviate his weak recovery and helping to land his Limit Break specials as the finisher to team combos, while Cloud himself can provide stage control and wall out his opponents for his teammate. Following his release, he started seeing strong results thanks to professionals such as komorikiri, Mew2King and Tweek, which led him to be ranked 12th on the first 4BR tier list, placing him at the middle of the B tier, confirming his high-tier status.

With the release of Corrin and Bayonetta, the subsequent nerfs to them and other top-tier characters, and various advancements to his metagame, Cloud became a very popular character in tournaments. His own nerfs did not seriously hinder him, and he remained a fundamentally strong character choice for both newer and professional players, the latter of which saw MkLeo formally picking him up. This was apparent with him appearing more frequently in the top placings of tournaments in comparison to some top-tier characters like Sheik and Zero Suit Samus, and consistently winning almost every major doubles event at tournaments. As a result of this spike in popularity and success, Cloud was ranked 2nd on the second tier list, placing him in the S tier; his tier rise was tied with Palutena's for the fifth highest between the first and second tier lists.

Despite his success, Cloud's placement initially received mixed thoughts from the community, as his rather exploitable weaknesses held him back from consistently achieving top 8 placings in singles for several national tournaments, such as EVO 2017 (the highest ranking Cloud being komorikiri, who placed 17th) and Super Smash Con 2016 (the highest ranking solo Cloud being Tweek, who placed 13th). As his metagame progressed, however, Cloud's singles results became considerably more consistent, as players, especially MkLeo, Tweek, and komorikiri, started seeing more top 8 placements at national tournaments. Although Cloud would drop to 3rd place on the third tier list due to the rise of Bayonetta, his continued consistency would see him rise back to 2nd place on the fourth and current tier list.

At the end of the game's main competitive lifespan, however, many players once again questioned Cloud's tier placement as his results as a solo main weren't as impressive compared to other characters such as Diddy Kong, Sheik, Zero Suit Samus, Fox, and Rosalina & Luma. Furthermore, several top players pointed out that top players were getting better at exploiting the character's poor recovery. Finally, MkLeo and Tweek, two of the best Cloud players in the world, started to use Bayonetta more frequently, leading to a small decline in representation at top level play. Due to all of this, a few players such as Mr.R and MkLeo claimed that Cloud is overrated and that he should be ranked slightly lower while other players claim that his polarizing strengths are too strong for him to be ranked any lower.

In doubles, Cloud was considered by many players to be broken enough to ban, as he was banned at the above tournaments. Thanks to his many advantages, Cloud players consistently won Smash 4 doubles tournaments after his release. This was evident with Cloud being more dominant than Meta Knight in Brawl singles.

Costume Gallery[]

Let's Mosey

Trophy descriptions[]

Cloud
The protagonist of FINAL FANTASY VII, Cloud wields the enormous Buster Sword, a memento from his comrad Zack. Once a SOLDIER of Shinra, he now fights as a mercenary against the corporation he originally served. His decision to join AVALANCHE's insurgence, however, will transform his destiny.
  • FINAL FANTASY VII (11/1997)
Cloud (Alt.)
Filling the Limit Gauge allows Cloud to perform a Limit Break, supercharging his next special move. His down special becomes Finishing Touch. With a huge swing of his sword, Cloud summons a whirlwind that inflicts only 1% damage, but boasts brutal launch power. Go for a KO while foes' damage is still low!
  • FINAL FANTASY VII (11/1997)
Omnislash
Cloud sets out to prevent Sephiroth from sending Meteor crashing into the planet. The fate of the world on his shoulders, Cloud confronts his enemy one on one. He unleashes a flurry of swift slashes before delivering the finishing blow. In Smash Bros., the final strike creates an explosion, launching nearby fighters.

Announcement Video[]


Cloud's trailer makes various allusions to Final Fantasy VII itself:

  • The very beginning of the trailer is a nod to the opening of the original game, showing the small glows of Lifestream flowing through the air, with the "Bombing Mission" theme playing in the background.
  • At 0:47, the background the splash card for Cloud's announcement has a design that calls back to the posters for Advent Children.
  • At 0:51, the screen twirls and the iconic Battle Theme, "Those Who Fight'", starts to play, referencing the random encounters present in the game. Also, Charizard, Samus and Kirby appear lined up against Cloud, a nod to the turn-based battle system.
  • At 0:55, Cloud fights Mario, Sonic and Ryu in succession at the Punch Out Arena. This could be a reference to the Battle Arena in Gold Saucer, where Cloud fights by himself against waves of opponents.
  • At 1:06, Cloud is shown lying down in front of Zelda, in her crouching animation, holding a Lip's Stick, with some Pikmin, at the Kalos Pokémon League stage. This is a reference to his first encounter with Aerith, the flower girl, who is one of the main characters in Final Fantasy VII; he meets her after falling from the Sector 5 Reactor, crashing through a church ceiling and landing on a flower bed that is tended by Aerith. The stage in question also references that very church.
  • At 1:23, Cloud is shown riding on King of Red Lions while looking quite dazed, referencing a discussion on motion sickness he has with a travel-sick Yuffie Kisaragi in the original game aboard the ShinRa ship during the invasion of Junon, and also aboard the Highwind airship when the party acquires it. Despite not suffering from motion sickness in these events, Cloud does suffer from it in his flashbacks, more specifically at the back of a ShinRa truck alongside Zack and Sephiroth on a mission to exterminate monsters at Mt. Nibel.
  • At 1:25, Cloud, seen in his Advent Children alternate costume, attacks Wario in his Wario Bike, proceeding to picking it up and walking away with it. This references the motorbike minigame from the original game in which Cloud rode a motorbike, the Hardy Daytona, and protected his friends aboard a pickup truck from a convoy of ShinRa bike troopers. This is also a reference to Cloud's own bike, the Fenrir, in the animated feature Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.
  • At 1:39, Cloud is seen performing his signature casting animation from Final Fantasy VII (which is one of his Taunts) near the Prince of Sablé, who proceeds to transform into a frog. This is a reference to the recurring magic spell, Frog, seen in the series. In Final Fantasy VII it is accessible through the Transform Materia. As the name suggests, the magic turns enemies into frogs.
  • At 1:58, the trailer showcases the Midgar Stage, where various Summons appear, among them Odin, Leviathan, Ramuh, Ifrit and Bahamut ZERO.
  • At 2:16, Ike and Cloud are seen standing in front of each other, with close shots of their faces, while Cloud is holding a Smash Ball, and proceeds to unleash his Final Smash, Omnislash. This is a reference to the scripted battle that happens between Cloud and Sephiroth by the end of the game. This also references the fact that Omnislash resembles Great Aether in terms of functionality.
  • At 2:36, Cloud is seen at Gaur Plains, as six Mii Fighters are seen running and jumping around using the Chocobo hat. This is a reference to the Chocobo Farm, a place in Final Fantasy VII where Cloud can raise and breed Chocobos he captures around the world. A seventh and much larger Mii Fighter is seen using the same hat, sleeping at the right side, which in turn references Chubby Chocobo (also known as Fat Chocobo).
  • In addition, this scene also references the Chocobo Woods, a location in Final Fantasy III where Chocobos and the Chubby Chocobo can be found. Cloud's phrase, "Smells like Chocobos", is a recurring quote in the series which references the fact that Chubby Chocobo can only be summoned in places that "smell like Chocobos" in Chocobo Woods.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

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  • Cloud is the first newcomer in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U that is from the 90s, as his game was released in 1997.
  • Cloud's pose in his official artwork in Smash Bros. mimics his pose from his official artwork from Final Fantasy VII. Additionally, in his Advent Children costume, his artwork mimics his pose from his official artwork from Dissidia Final Fantasy, which in turn is a modified version of his original artwork.
  • Cloud is the first character from Square-Enix to appear in the Smash Bros. series.
    • He is notable as Final Fantasy VII never came to any Nintendo systems until the Nintendo Switch released, although the game was initially planned for the SNES and Nintendo 64 before moving to the Playstation.
      • Cloud, however, did appear in the music spinoff, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and its sequel, Curtain Call, for the Nintendo 3DS, as well in Kingdom Hearts: Re:coded for the Nintendo DS. His first appearance on a Nintendo console was in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.
  • Cloud's addition to Smash Bros. marks his fifth appearance in a fighting game, the first being Ergheiz: God Bless the Ring, released in 1998 for the Playstation, and the others being the three installments of Dissidia Final Fantasy (the first two being on the Playstation Portable and the third being on arcade machines).
  • Cloud is the first to have his own post-battle results theme that plays after his victory fanfare instead of the usual theme. His victory theme from Final Fantasy VII is followed by the results theme of the original game, which overlaps the default Versus results theme. This will not happen if he wins a Tourney Mode.
  • Cloud's announcement, "Storms Into Battle!", is a joke referencing his name, as some protagonists of the Final Fantasy games bear names that have a relation or motif with weather (i.e. Cloud, Squall, Tidus).
  • Cloud's dashing animation is a reference to the gliding movement system seen in Dissidia Final Fantasy and its sequels.
    • It could also reference his dashing animation upon attacking during battles in the original Final Fantasy VII.
  • Cloud's intro animation is a possible reference to Omnislash Version 5, an attack he used against Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, where he slashes Sephiroth multiple times in the air before landing abruptly on the ground while his sword falls on his hand.
    • He also can use the very same attack in Dissidia Final Fantasy, where the ending animation resembles his Smash Bros. intro as well.
  • Despite having been voiced in English by Steve Burton in other media, Cloud retains his Japanese voice actor (Takahiro Sakurai) for all regions of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, being the only non-Fire Emblem character that has the same voice in all versions.
    • He is also one of three characters in Smash Bros. to feature a Japanese voice actor in both the Japanese and localized version of the game, the others being Marth and Roy.
    • Cloud's ability to wall jump may come from Dissidia Duodecim, as it was an ability that can be used by all characters.
  • Braver is the only Limit Break that is not part of Cloud's Special Attacks, but rather one of his normal attacks.
  • The green hue present in most of his sword attacks is a reference to the Mako Energy Cloud and other members of SOLDIER are infused with in order to enhance their abilities. The Mako Energy is a central plot point in Final Fantasy VII, being the condensed energy from the Lifestream, the flow which keeps the planet Gaia alive.
  • Much like in Dissidia, Cloud's idle stance in Smash Bros. looks similar to Zack Fair's stance in Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core.
  • Much like in Dissidia, the design of Cloud's Buster Sword is exactly like the original Final Fantasy VII, as opposed to sporting the more detailed design by other Compilation of Final Fantasy VII titles.
  • Gameplay-wise, Cloud's trailer is the longest of all trailers in the game, and features pretty much his entire moveset except for his Getup Attack, Ledge Attack, Pummel, Forward, Up and Down Throws.
  • Cloud's dizzy animation could be a callback to his painful flashbacks and memories in Final Fantasy VII.
  • Cloud is the first third-party character with an Alternate Costume that changes his character model.
  • Cloud is the first third-party swordsman.
  • Cloud is the first character in the game whose weapon changes when his costume swap is applied, followed by Bayonetta.
    • This weapon, the Fusion Sword, is from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and is swapped with his Buster Sword. It does not, however, change any of his attacks or the damage delivered with those attacks, nor can they separate into their normal components as seen in the film.
  • Cloud is the second character in the series whose Final Smash is shown by name upon activation, the other being Pokémon Trainer's Triple Finish in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
  • Cloud is the first of two characters (that don't have a gender swap) to have a different portrait displayed on the Boxing Ring stage depending on what costume they are wearing. The second is Bayonetta.
  • Cloud's Classic Congratulations screen on the Wii U version shows him looking at the Shinra Headquarters in Midgar resembles the promotional image for Final Fantasy VII featuring him in front of Midgar.
  • Cloud's All-Star Congratulations screen resembles the iconic scene of the Nibelheim Incident in Final Fantasy VII, with Palutena taking Sephiroth's pose in the screen
    • Cloud is in his Advent Children attire, despite the event occurring many years before Advent Children. However, this may be a reference to how the Nibelheim Incident was featured as a flashback in Advent Children.
  • Cloud's victory theme is the only victory theme that plays the entire time the player is on the results screen.
  • This is the third time a representative from Final Fantasy crossed over with the Mario series, as Mario Hoops 3-on-3 and Mario Sports Mix featured special appearances by White Mage, Black Mage, Ninja, Moogle and Cactuar.
  • Cloud is the second character in Smash Bros. to feature sound effects during his attack animations that originated in his game of origin, the first being Ryu.
  • Cloud is the second character who has an alternate costume that has a different portrait, first being Wario in Brawl, followed by Bayonetta.

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Universe List of minor universes
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