Light Plane is a heavyweight, unsurprising for a biplane. It is about as heavy as
, and has one of the largest frames in the game, being about twice the size of
, and about 1.5x the size of
to put things in perspective. Its overall mobility is above-average, with excellent air speed, crippling decent dashing and walking speed, three midair jumps with decent jump height to boot, and has low falling speed. In addition, because it is a plane, it cannot wall jump, wall cling, or crawl.
Given these stats and its attacks, Light Plane is a defensive character at large. Its high jump height, great air speed, and slow falling speed make its recovery among the best in the game, and it can get back to the stage in almost any situation. Usually jumps are enough to get to the ledge, though should that not be the case, it's armed with two special attacks that can seal the deal; both of them allow for great distance and recovery. Furthermore, its weight makes it difficult to actually be launched. However, much like
, its survivability is merely average, though less because of poor stats and moreso because of its humongous frame, making it super easy to land attacks and combos.
Its ground and aerial attacks are a mixed bag. Its large size allows it to cover good range, though the actual damage output is pretty low in a similar way to
. Its aerial attacks are quite useful thanks to its aerial prowess, though it doesn't have very many reliable KO moves barring smash attacks. As for the attacks themselves, they generally consist of wing slaps, twirls, propeller spins, and drifting on the ground. Despite many of these requiring Light Plane to move its entire frame, there is little lag, relatively speaking. In order to grab opponents, it catches them within its propellers. This is also how it picks up items.
Its special attacks are as follows:
Neutral Special - Propeller Spin: Light Plane spins its propellers, creating a windbox in front of itself. The propellers can damage opponents multiple times before launching them, and the windbox can be used to mess up recoveries and push opponents like Mario's F.L.U.D.D.
- Custom 1 - Vacuum Propellers: Instead of a windbox, the propellers create a vacuumbox that sucks in opponents into the propellers.
- Custom 2 - Sharp Propellers: The propellers deal more damage to opponents, though no windbox is created,
Side Special - Runway: In the
Pilotwings games, a runway is present which the Light Plane rides before takeoff. For its side special, it moves forward at a quick speed in a similar way to how planes would move forward before liftoff; Light Plane can damage opponents as it moves forward. It also has super armor, allowing it to push through attacks. If used on the ground, it will not travel off the edge. If used in midair, it will fall into a helpless state aftterwards.
- Custom 1 - Runway Dash: Light Plane spins its propellers while moving, damaging opponents multiple times before launching them instead of simply damaging and launching them.
- Custom 2 - Speedway: Light Plane moves forward faster and travels a longer distance, but cannot damage opponents and loses its super armor.
Up Special - Takeoff: After going down the runway, planes in the
Pilotwings series would take off into the air. In
Smash Bros., Light Plane will spin its propellers as it flies into the air. This attack is unique in that Light Plane can fly around freely in any direction for a short time. Its propellers will also damage opponents that hit them. After some time, Light Plane will stop flying and fall into a helpless state.
- Custom 1 - Fast Takeoff: Light Plane will fly faster, but has less control.
- Custom 2 - Safe Flight: Light Plane has better control where it flies, but it travels less distance.
Down Special - Divebomb: Light Plane will fly upward and crash straight into the ground, creating an explosion that deals heavy damage to opponents in the blast radius. If used in the air, Light Plane will simply fly straight downward. It is similar to Bowser's Bowser Bomb and Yoshi's Yoshi Bomb.
- Custom 1 - Divebomb Blast: The explosion has a larger radius, but deals less damage.
- Custom 2 - Meteor Divebomb: Light Plane can meteor smash opponents while flying downward, but no explosion occurs upon landing.
Final Smash - Attack Helicopter: In a special stage in
Pilotwings, players are able to take control of an attack helicopter. For Light Plane's Final Smash, it reconstructs itself into an attack helicopter, and will fly in the air and start floating around in the background. It has a machine gun mounted on it, and it can fire bullets at opponents in the foreground, which deal damage to them. The crosshair can be moved around with directional inputs, and Light Plane will fire the machine gun by mashing the attack button. After awhile, Light Plane will fly back into the foreground and turn back into its normal state.
As a bonus, half of Light Plane alternate costumes resemble the Sea Planes from
Pilotwings Resort.