All-Star Battle ★ Vanilla Ice
Vanilla Ice is a DLC character in the PS3 game, released alongside Narciso Anasui for the fourth campaign. He, DIO, and Old Joseph Joestar are the only characters to have two different Styles (Stand and Vampirism Powers in the case of Ice and DIO).
Vampire characters (Dio Brando, DIO and Vanilla Ice) and Pillar Men characters (Wamuu, Esidisi and Kars) can't fight on stages that contain sunlight. To play on those stages they need to be equipped with the Red Stone of Aja on the character select screen, which is unlocked by beating their respective parts in Story Mode.
Costumes
Although his default hair color is brown in ASB, his unlockable Color D changes his hair color to white and his clothes to pink, the same ones seen in the Capcom games and the OVA.
Command List
Vanilla Ice has 950 HP.
Exclusive to Vanilla Ice is a Stand Power Gauge, which shows how much Cream can be used and slowly regenerates at all times when not full; Ice always starts the match with the gauge half-full. Only one ability may be used when Cream is active; Ice is unable to use his Throw, HHA, or GHA while inside Cream. The Stand Power Gauge also depletes if Cream blocks or takes damage. When empty, Ice will automatically exit Cream. Of special note is that Cream is the tallest entity in the game while active, being slightly taller than even Wamuu.
ON GROUND Vanilla Ice can summon or dismiss Cream, altering his available abilities. Ice enters Cream's mouth doing so, and begins depleting the Stand Power Gauge with his Stand active.
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(Stand Off only) ON GROUND WHEN DOWNED This attack can only be used when the opponent is down. Ice viciously kicks them repeatedly.
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+ // (Stand On only) ON GROUND IN AIR OK WHEN DOWNED Spending a 1/5th of the Stand Power Gauge, Cream swallows itself to switch into its moving void form and flies forward, dealing immense damage on-contact and knocking the opponent into the air. The directional button combined with attack button inputted alters Cream's path and speed.
- Backwards () makes Cream move slower.
- Forwards () makes Cream move faster.
The attack can be freely re-inputted multiple times without stopping in order to juggle the opponent or hit them multiple times in a single continuous motion. It grants invincibility while in effect, is unblockable, and can hit a downed opponent. If the entire Stand Power Gauge is used up in a single combo with every attack hitting, the total damage dealt is even superior to Ice's GHA. However, such a singularly powerful move also suffers from a lengthily telegraphed start-up period that makes Ice easily susceptible to counters and parries when using it, with little-to-no ability to feint.
- Light (): Cream moves a short distance forward. This version can be jumped over, but is more controlled when trying to juggle the opponent or approach with relative caution.
- Medium (): Cream moves upward at an angle, making this variation function as an anti-air. This version can be avoided if the opponent is distant enough.
- Heavy (): Cream rapidly moves forward a great distance. This version is easily jumped over and is less controlled when trying to juggle the opponent, but is otherwise the most aggressive version of the attack.
+ // ON GROUND Vanilla Ice delivers a fast rising uppercut in a classic "Shoryuken"-style maneuver. Like one, it knocks the opponent off their feet, and functions as a reversal and anti-air. (Flash Cancel comboable)
+ // ON GROUND Vanilla Ice summons Cream to deliver a series of chopping attacks while advancing forward, knocking the opponent down on the final hit. If Medium () or Heavy () is inputted, the attack has a longer start-up period but initiates a guard effect against High- and Middle-hitting attacks before executing, protecting the Stand so long as it's not challenged by a Low attack. (Flash Cancel Comboable)
ON GROUND This move can only be used following any skill marked with a star (☆). Ice follows up on his attack by grabbing his opponent, plunging his fingers into their neck/torso, and draining their blood to steal a small amount of health (much like DIO did to Joseph; This also marks the first time in any JoJo media that Ice is seen draining blood).
x2 + // then // ON GROUND Vanilla Ice summons Cream in its void form above him and sends it into the ground, and a second button press causes it to come back up in a moving assault before burrowing once more. Cream can damage the opponent upon its sudden initial appearance in the air, doubling it as an anti-air attack. The attack is unblockable and can hit a downed opponent. The first attack button input determines the range of the ability, and the second input determines the direction of Cream's attack. (Flash Cancel comboable) First input:
- Light (): Cream reappears right in front of Ice.
- Medium (): Cream reappears at mid-range.
- Heavy (): Cream reappears at long-range.
Second input:
- Light (): Cream moves backward towards Ice before disappearing back into the ground. If Light is used for both inputs, Cream moves past Ice and covers a small area behind him as well.
- Medium (): Cream shoots straight up, functioning as an anti-air before disappearing back into the ground.
- Heavy (): Cream moves forward before disappearing back into the ground.
ON GROUND Vanilla Ice lifts the opponent by the neck and holds them still as Cream is summoned in its void form to collide with them.
+ 2 ATK Buttons ON GROUND Vanilla Ice enters Cream as it flies forward with its arm outstretched. If it connects, Cream grabs the opponent and violently shoves them into its mouth before spitting them out, reminiscent of Ice's devouring of Avdol's severed arms. The HHA cannot be chained into as it has a long start-up period, and is not a part of Ice's Easy Beat combo as a result. However, it is a Throw and thus is unblockable, and has the added effect of completely restoring Ice's Stand Power Gauge to full if successful.
+ 3 ATK Buttons, or 
ON GROUND Vanilla Ice enters Cream as it swallows itself and flies in a vertical circle with its void form. If it connects, Cream will knock the opponent off-balance. When they regain footing, they will have realized too late that the Stand's void form is carving an inescapable closing spiral on them. When the void reaches them, it viciously and mercilessly thrashes them into the air before a final upward hit sends them away (in the exact same fashion Ice nearly consumed an injured Polnareff and his earring, as well as in the Capcom game).
Gameplay Overview
Vanilla Ice's normal attacks possess good range and are difficult to punish, a minor boon to accentuate his devastating specials. More importantly, he possesses multiple anti-airs and guard-point skill, allowing him to turn a defensive position into an offensive one. This is also accessorized by the chance to steal his opponent's health afterward as a possible follow-up. Ice can pressure the opponent at a distance, while they're airborne, or even as they're recovering from knockdown using Cream's power. His Stand's ability is both strong for the ranges it covers, and is always unblockable in every move involving its void form. Both his HHA and GHA being unblockable as well further emphasizes his unique formidability. Ice's most intimidating move lies in his only Stand On special, "Once and for all!"; Drawing from the Stand Power Gauge, he holds access to the ability to rapidly deal enormous damage comparable to a GHA from both a neutral state and especially as a means to bookend most combos.
Ice's glaring weakness is the linearity and sluggishness of most of his special abilities to offset his great range, power, and guard-defeating potential, and opponents can easily react to and outmaneuver his attacks. He suffers against characters with counters or parries as a result, such as Diavolo, and otherwise tends to leave himself very vulnerable after using most of his skills if he does not successfully connect with his foe.
In all, Vanilla Ice is an explosive yet easy-to-use character whose multitude of unblockable moves allow him to constantly overpower a careless foe. He rapidly whittles down his opponent with his set of simple, destructive attacks while requiring some caution against those who have the abilities necessary to avoid them, and can be trusted to end battles very suddenly when the correct moves are made.
Trivia
- In All-Star Battle, Ice can drain blood from his opponent despite that in canon, he had no idea that he was a Vampire. This was most likely added to justify his use of the Vampirism Style along with the Stand Style.
- In the English localization, the subtitles of his default opening line read "Let's kick it one time...", referencing the opening lyrics for his namesake's, Vanilla Ice's song, "Ice Ice Baby".
