What’s better than one? Two, of course! That’s the idea behind the puppet archetype in fighting games. Instead of just controlling one character, you get to play as two at once. It can be difficult, confusing, and disorienting, but learn how to play the archetype and you'll be a threat in any FGC.
Puppet Characters in Fighting Games
There’s typically one “main” character and an ancillary character that acts as a “puppet” of the first, hence the name. The characters either share the same characteristics like the Ice Climbers from Super Smash Bros Melee or possess more unique traits like Chaos and Azhi Dahaka in Under Night In-Birth. Sometimes, puppets such as Luma can die, while the main character keeps fighting, but not always. Other variations feature a puppet for specific attacks (Yu Narukami in BBTAG) or remain on-screen (Ken and Koromaru in Persona 4: Arena Ultimax) until defeated.
Puppet Character Examples
There are a plethora of notable puppet characters throughout the fighting game community.
- Rosalina & Luma (Smash Bros)
- Stand users (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future)
- Ice Climbers (Smash Bros)
- Bridget (Guilty Gear)
- Zato-1/Eddie (Guilty Gear)
- Carl Clover (BlazBlue)
- Relius (BlazBlue)
- Forsburn (Rivals of Aether)
- Viola (Soul Calibur V)
- Ms. Fortune (Skullgirls)
- Almost every Persona character (Persona 4 Arena/Ultimax/BBTAG)
- Pom (Them’s Fightin' Herds)
- Menat (Street Fighter V)
Learning Curve / Difficulty
It takes a certain amount of dexterity to really excel with a puppet character, and sometimes the negatives (split health, handicaps if one is damaged or defeated, technical inputs, and a lot of management to control the stage) can outweigh the positives.
Set-Ups and PlayStyle
Puppet characters can create traps and strong setups if players use both fighters to attack and mix-up from multiple angles or sides. While they’re not exactly zoners, properly spacing with a puppet is similar. Watch a few of the unique puppet characters from throughout the genre in action for a better understanding of their playstyle.
Gameplay
Here’s a high level set featuring Hijster’s Chaos in Under Night In-Birth. Notice how puppet characters require additional practice to know how and when to best use your partner.
Play the competition like a puppet in the Open Series or discover other fighting game archetypes like Zoners, Rushdown, and Grapplers.