Summary
MultiVersusmight just end up having the most diverse cast in any fighting game to date. The bright, cartoonish art direction lends itself well to characters like Shaggy, Steven Universe, and Jake the Dog, but the team at Player First Games has proven time and again that it’s not afraid of including some more out-there inclusions in the roster. Characters like Jason Voorhees, Agent Smith, Stripe, and Gizmo, prove thatno character is strictly off-limits from appearing inMultiVersus.
Beetlejuice himself is the most recent addition to the game’s ever-expanding roster, and players are still working out how to best utilize his move set. Recreated from the character’s appearance in Tim Burton’s 1988 classic of the same name, Beetlejuice comes toMultiVersuswith plenty of gross-out gags and spooky set dressing, but it remains to be seen if the character can join the ranks of the game’s most top tier fighters.
What’s Beetlejuice Like in MultiVersus?
Beetlejuice has been out for around a week. After a brief three-day period of only being available for Gleamium and Founders tickets, he is now available for purchase with earnable fighter currency.Beetlejuice is classified as an Assassin, meaning he’s a fast, agile fighter with high-damage attacks, offset by a slightly squishier health pool. Beetlejuice excels at dealing heavy damage like any good assassin should, but, in practice, seems to have very few moves that reliably seal the deal on a stock.
Once again, the developers have proven their mettle by faithfully recreating the characters' mannerisms, dialogue, and personality. Each of Beetlejuice’s moves is pulled directly from something the character did in the movie, with some light homages to the spin-off cartoon the character featured in from 1989 to 1991.Beetlejuice’s moves featurejust about everything fans would have expected from the character, including sandworms, bugs, coffins, and his trademark “scary face,” which he used to great effect on the Maitlands in the original film.
Effect (Air)
(Hold) Side + Basic
Beetlejuice falls forward into a coffin that lands on enemies. This coffin blocks projectiles.
N/A
Neutral Attack
Beetlejuice turns his hands into hammers and charges an overhead slam that breaks armor.
Beetlejuice shoots spikes all out of his body.
Side Basic
The start of Beetlejuice’s jab combo; can be repeated up to three times.
An underhanded boxing glove punch
Beetlejuice charges a boxing glove uppercut
Swings a hammer above Beetlejuice’s head
Down Basic
Charges a tap dance. The longer the charge, the more hits the attack makes. Breaks armor.
Beetlejuice’s eyes pop out of his head, damaging whatever is below him.
Neutral Special
Charges Beetlejuice’s scariest face. Cancelable mid-charge to save for later. The closer Beetlejuice is to the opponent when the attack is sprung, the more knockback it has. Can be used to teleport to enemies when used with his passive.
Same as ground.
Side Special
Try to catch a bug by pouncing on it. The longer this move is charged, the further it goes. Hit at the end to knock the opponent upward.
Swing forward on a beetle while kicking in front. Hit with the end for more power.
Up Special
Beetlejuice kicks a beetle projectile forward. If it hits an enemy, it will follow Beetlejuice around and improve his next up air special.
Beetlejuice swims upward in the air, hitting enemies as he goes. If there’s a beetle following him, he can perform a second attack, changing direction.
Down Special
Draw a chalk bomb in the air, then walk away leaving a fuse behind while it charges. Then light the fuse and let it blow.
An afterlife door spawns and a Sand Worm pops out.
Beetlejuice’s Passive Explained
Beeltejuice’s passive is something of a double-edged sword; it’s incredibly effective, but only situationally. If Beetlejuice’s ally passes him on the stage, they receive a pair of boxing gloves. If they hit an enemy 3 times while this buff is active, Beetlejuice can teleport to the enemy using his Neutral Special. This is one of his best kill confirms when charged, making the passive an easy way of eliminating enemies, while also being a fun nod to thecharacter’s lore from the originalBeetlejuicemovie.
Of course, the downside to this passive is that it’s functionally useless inMultiVersus' 1v1 and Free for All game modes. It’s unfortunate that his effectiveness is so hampered in two-thirds of the game’s playable content, but when used to its full effectiveness, this passive undoubtedly makes him a true powerhouse in 2v2.
Full List of Beetlejuice’s MultiVersus Cosmetics
How to Play Beetlejuice in MultiVersus
As an assassin, Beetlejuice is a hypermobile characterwith fast movement and special moves that are as effective at repositioning as they are at dealing damage. The chaotic nature of the character fits well with his personality and makes him an incredibly unpredictable opponent in matches. And while dealing damage with him is as easy as it is fun, there’s one snag that the devs can easily fix with Beetlejuice.
Some of Beetlejuice’s best kill moves are incredibly hard to land in a real match situation. The bomb requires a lot of setup to work, and the scary face works best when used in conjunction with his passive, being very difficult to land otherwise due to its range. He absolutely can still take stocks, but it’s a lot harder than one would expect from a character in the assassin class, certainly harder than hisassassin peers like Arya, Finn, and Taz. But with enough practice and patience, dedicated Beetlejuice mains will be showing the rest of the community who the ghost with the most really is.
