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Blizzard is the Ice Climbers' down special move in the Super Smash Bros. series, making its first appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee since the Ice Climbers' inclusion. Upon performance, the Ice Climbers rear their palm back and remains still, then shoots out a stream of frigid air from the palm of its outstretched hand for about a second to damage opponents in front. Specifically, this move also has more range than most of the Ice Climbers' melee-oriented attacks. This move can rack up significant damage (even reaching up to KO percentages with enough concentration of snow) if all hits connect, and will freeze antagonists if more than enough hits connect with both Popo and Nana.
Origin[]
Blizzards are one of the hazards in VS. Ice Climber, the arcade expansion of Ice Climber released for the Nintendo VS. System. It also resembles the Ice ability from the Kirby series, which has Kirby breathe icy breath, which can freeze antagonists. Another circumstantial evidence of Blizzard's origins is that the term, "blizzard," defines a severe snowstorm characterized by sustained winds with high strength,[1] which is fittingly relevant for the archetypical motif of the Ice Climbers and their generic series: the "ice-based/mountain climber" motifs. Additionally, Blizzard is also one of the most historically common ice-manipulation powers known for several iconic video game protagonists across the world, specifically to those withcryokinesis.
In the arcade expansion of Ice Climber, VS. Ice Climber, there is a frequent chance where a blizzard blows in that made it difficult for the player to advance, signalized by an intensive howling sound of wind. It is also possible that this attack was inspired by the Ice Copy ability from the Kirby series, since when using it, Kirby exhales a freezing storm that can freeze antagonists (both aspects similar to Blizzard). In the aforementioned series, there is also the Freeze ability (fused with the Ice ability in most installments), which is potentially inspired by the Ice Climbers' Blizzard ability, to freeze in both directions when the duo are together, due to Kirby generating a cold aura that freezes opponents that approach the area of effect around Kirby.