Editing King K. Rool (SSBU)

{{Disambig2|King K. Rool's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''|the character in other contexts|King K. Rool}}

{{Cquote|''King K. Rool Comes Aboard!''|cite=Introduction tagline}}

{{cleanup|Introduction needs to be shortened to summarize his most noteworthy strengths and weaknesses. Any additional information belongs in their respective sections below}}

'''King K. Rool''' ({{ja|キングクルール|Kingu Kurūru}}, ''King K. Rool'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. He was announced as a [[newcomer]] during the August 8th, 2018 [[Nintendo Direct|Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct]] alongside {{SSBU|Simon}}, {{SSBU|Richter}}, {{SSBU|Chrom}}, and {{SSBU|Dark Samus}}. King K. Rool is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #67]].

Much like {{SSBU|Bowser}}, {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}, and {{SSBU|Diddy Kong}}, ''Ultimate'' forgoes King K. Rool's voice actor ({{iw|mariowiki|Toshihide Tsuchiya}}), in favor of realistic crocodilian vocals.

 

King K. Rool is currently ranked 80th out of 82 on the ''Ultimate'' [[tier list]], in the middle of E+ tier, making him the lowest ranked newcomer. Typical for a super-heavyweight character, King K. Rool possesses a wide arsenal of very powerful, hard hitting attacks, with many of them also having great range. King K. Rool also boasts some of the best endurance in the game - he is the second [[weight|heaviest]] character behind {{SSBU|Bowser}}, which in combination of his unique character-specific perk, [[Belly Super Armor]], high falling speed, and a very long-distanced recovery thanks to [[Propellerpack]], allows him to survive to ludicrously high percentages and utilize [[rage]] very well, especially with his aforementioned powerful attacks.

 

 

 

 

Overall, King K. Rool's weaknesses outweigh his strengths, leaving him with limited high-level representation and a small playerbase, with only a few notable representatives such as {{Sm|Lukewarm}} and {{Sm|Ben Gold}} in the early metagame.

*Clear {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} with {{SSBU|Link}} or anyone in his unlock tree, being the 1st character unlocked.

With the exception of the third method, King K. Rool must then be defeated on [[Jungle Japes]]. In World of Light, he is fought on [[Pirate Ship]].

King K. Rool is a character that ostensibly fits the mold of a super [[heavyweight]], being the 2nd heaviest character in the game behind {{SSBU|Bowser}} and possessing a large array of powerful attacks with long range, but with below-average mobility; while his [[falling speed]] and [[gravity]] are noticeably above average, his [[traction]] and [[jump]]ing force are average at best, and he also has the 20th slowest [[air speed]], the 17th slowest [[walk|walking speed]], the 13th slowest [[dash|dashing speed]], and the 8th slowest [[air acceleration]] in the game.

Despite this, King K. Rool's initial dash has above-average speed, which gives him a great [[dash dance]] and [[foxtrot]], the latter of which partially alleviates his sluggish grounded mobility. However, he has some characteristics that notably set him apart from his heavyweight peers; he has a wide variety of versatile moves, access to two conventional projectiles, a long-distanced [[recovery]], and other valuable techniques that aid his playstyle in regard to focusing on punishing mistakes and zoning against horizontal approaches.

 

King K. Rool's greatest strength is the immense utility of his moveset. Though many of his attacks are typical of super-heavyweights, he also has attacks that exchange brute strength (though most of them are still powerful) for unique attributes that contribute to his punish-focused playstyle. This is best shown through his character-specific perk, [[Belly Super Armor]]: attacks with this property gain short periods of this [[super armor]], which can block incoming attacks during their duration. This mechanic gives him an advantage that allows him to win more exchanges than he would normally. Additionally, it affects a large amount of his moves, granting more safety on moves such as his {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|forward tilt}} and {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|dash attack}} to break through projectiles or difficult to punish attacks. As a result, Belly Super Armor heavily helps his approach and general disadvantage.

Alongside the utility of his Belly Super Armor, King K. Rool has effective grounded attacks. His {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|neutral attack}} has good range and high speed, making it reliable as a quick get-off-me option. It is also tied with {{SSBU|Incineroar}}, {{SSBU|Ike}}, and {{SSBU|Wario}}'s neutral attacks as the third most damaging non-infinite neutral attack in the game, and leads into a tech situation at low to mid percentages. His tilts are very effective; for example, {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|up tilt}} comes out very quickly, deals respectable damage and knockback during its initial frames, and has enough range to hit platforms above K. Rool while also being slightly disjointed due to his punching arm being intangible for its duration. This can also be used to anti-air or prevent approaches from characters such as {{SSBU|Lucina}} and {{SSBU|Roy}}. It is also the most reliable move out of {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|down throw}}, becoming a true combo from around 120% and reliably [[KO]]ing most characters at such percents if near the ledge.

 

 

All of his [[smash attacks]] are incredibly powerful, and coupled with their unique traits and the belly armor on his up and down smashes, allow for very effective punishment. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Forward smash}} deals heavy knockback regardless of where it hits, especially if angled upwards. It also confirms out of a down tilt bury at 70%, KOing the opponent provided they are not too far from the ledge. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Up smash}} functions as a quick anti-air, is extremely strong for its speed, and also has a small [[meteor smash]] hitbox in addition to a third hitbox that punishes grounded foes. However, only the first is really useful as the other two are weak and largely ineffectual. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Down smash}} deals massive shield damage and lifts K. Rool's entire body off the stage from frame 4, allowing it to dodge most ground-hugging moves and makes it his best hard punish option considering its immense strength. Overall, his smash attacks are all formidable for hard punishes. Both up and down smash are equipped with Belly Super Armor, which is especially useful in the case of down smash as it allows it to punish more attacks than similar moves such as {{SSBU|Ridley}} and Incineroar's respective down smashes could.

 

His aerials are also fairly unique in their utility. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Neutral aerial}} grants the longest duration of belly armor in K. Rool's moveset, making it a reliable combo breaker or landing tool to prevent juggling. Neutral aerial also has very low landing lag, allowing it to combo into moves such as neutral attack, up tilt, dash grab, and dash attack, the latter in particular being a KO confirm at certain percentages. The move's long-lasting, lingering hitbox and Belly Super Armor makes it a very effective edgeguarding tool, as it can negate a variety of recovery moves and gimp most opponents with ease. King K. Rool's {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|forward aerial}} is arguably his best move overall, being a cornerstone for his neutral game. It has amazing range, hits exceptionally hard, and because of its low landing lag, it is safe on shield and is his best combo starter at low percentages. This gives the move a extreme utility as a neutral tool, KO move, combo starter, decent air-to-air option against some characters, as a potent albeit situational edgeguard option, for catching jumps and even as an occasional punish out of his burying moves. Forward aerial also deals non-[[tumble]] [[hitstun]] at 0%, allowing him to confirm into a grab.

 

{{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Up aerial}} is a very unorthodox move with a surprisingly high amount of utility. It has quick start-up, a very long-lasting hitbox, and excellent KO power, while also working as a good platform movement out of a short hop. This is most effective when platforms are low, such as on {{SSBU|Battlefield}}; it can also be used as a situational third jump while recovering, stalling K. Rool in the air while allowing it to potentially cancel out projectiles thrown at him. Because of the Belly Super Armor, long-lasting hitbox and the fact that K. Rool does not perform the slight jump while in hitstun, it can be used as a situational combo breaker. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Down aerial}} and {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|back aerial}} are [[meteor smash]]es, with the former coming out relatively fast and being a potent combo starter and 2-frame punish, and while the latter is very slow, it is also one of the strongest meteor smashes in the game. King K. Rool's back aerial also creates a wall of hitboxes behind him as a sourspot (which is also extremely powerful and can KO as early as 75%) covers his entire arm. His up and down aerials utilize belly armor, but their utility is situational due to their hitboxes being separated from K. Rool's belly. His neutral, forward, and back aerials are also relatively safe on shield, which is unusual for a super-heavyweight character. All in all, each of King K. Rool's aerials possess respectable utility and are overall considered to be his best moves.

 

His [[special move]]s have a wide array of uses as well, with several efficient [[projectile]]s; the [[Blunderbuss]] is useful for edgeguarding purposes (such as forcing a situation where the opponent has to recover low, allowing for a down aerial) and throws out a Kannonball that can be sucked back in and aimed in a few directions. The Blunderbuss can also act as a command grab, sucking in opponents and shooting them out in different directions, with the forward reshoot in particular sporting very high knockback. The suction of the Blunderbuss is an effective ledge-trapping tool, especially on stages with platforms. Since K. Rool can drop through platforms while still having slight control over his movement, he can limit the opponent's options to effectively escape the ledge.

 

 

 

King K. Rool also has one of the best grab games among the entire cast. Each of his grabs have very long ranges and 3 active frames, while his throws boast a mix of high damage outputs and/or respecttable utility. King K. Rool's {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|up throw}} is almost identical to Incineroar's equivalent throw aesthetically, but is somewhat different mechanically: it involves him jumping toward the upper blast zone quickly and, as a result, can result in him landing on a platform after he descends. It is the most damaging throw in the entire game, dealing almost 20% if the 1v1 multiplier is enabled, making it a very effective damage racking tool. It also leaves the opponent in a juggling situation. It is also one of the strongest up throws in the game, and with help of platforms it can KO even earlier. King K. Rool's {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|back throw}} is a similarly powerful throw with fantastic KO potential near the ledge, which becomes even more potent with [[rage]]. It also sends the opponent at a [[semi-spike]] angle, setting up for potentially deadly edgeguards even when it fails to KO.

 

At higher percentages, King K. Rool's notorious {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|down throw}} can lead into various mixups with tilts, up smash or aerials depending on the opponent's mash speed. Most notably, he can create a 50/50 situation at around 80%-100% with the throw - up smash covers mashing, allowing him to hit the opponent before they mash out and net a KO, or if they decide not to mash, forward smash will KO them. In addition to this, dash attack or up tilt are reliable options at higher percentages, allowing K. Rool to straight up KO with the throw starting from 120%-140%. {{Mvsub|King K. Rool|SSBU|Forward throw}} does decent damage, can help put an opponent offstage and in a disadvantageous position, and leads into a dash attack for a true combo until around 20%. Once this is out of range, it is great for setting up edgeguards. With all of this, K. Rool is always able to deal significant damage if he lands a grab, and is able to KO with his throws earlier than almost every character in the game to the point where he gets a huge chunk of his KOs with his grabs. All of this is made even more effective with his excellent grab range; combined with his effective initial dash, this can allow for a string of grabs that strongly deters shielding.

 

King K. Rool has access to a large amount of [[Advanced technique#King K. Rool|advanced technique]]s. These techniques assist with movement, mixups, and even enable combos. As a result, he is a rather technical fighter that can be rewarding to a player looking for a simple character with a high learning curve. They are all somewhat practical and reward creative use, allowing players to build interesting playstyles of their own. This makes him easily accessed at a low level, while still being usable on a higher level of play. As long as the player is aware of the options that the design of these techs provide, King K. Rool will reward them for it.

 

 

 

However, its effectiveness varies depending on whether clashing against his attacks is actually worthwhile. The HP system of Belly Armor makes it quite exploitable and can occasionally act as a liability for survival, forcing him to rely more on non-armored moves when it's about to break. Additionally, due to their brief duration, his belly armor attacks are more reliable on quick, single-hit moves than long, multi-hitting attacks. The utility of Belly Super Armor as a combo breaker is also limited by its relative slowness to come out, being active from frame 6 on neutral and up aerial. K. Rool's other options to escape combos in the air are similarly limited; his air dodge is slower than most of the cast, starting at frame 4, and Gut Check, which also makes him intangible at frame 4 and can heavily punish reckless opponents, is in turn very vulnerable to staggered pressure, especially when used carelessly.

 

 

 

Additionally, King K. Rool's air game can overall be seen as mediocre. Although his aerials are generally very potent moves and have interesting attributes, including two meteor smashes and armor on some of them, all of these moves (apart from his neutral aerial) suffer from one fatal flaw—very high ending lag in the air—making many of them somewhat situational, and forcing K. Rool to land with the moves to minimize the ending lag in the air. His down aerial's meteor smash hitbox only lasts for two frames and the move itself has high ending lag, making the potential punishes off of it very situational. His up aerial has extreme ending lag (the highest of any aerial in the game), preventing King K. Rool from acting even after a jump (though platforms can alleviate this), making it somewhat risky to use high up in the air. While his back aerial is very strong and has a lingering hitbox, it has very high start-up lag, which makes it easy to stuff out especially with its lack of armor or intangibility, and it additionally has a very weak sourspot that doesn't KO at reasonable percents, making it somewhat inconsistent.

 

Additionally, none of King K. Rool's aerials autocancel in a short hop. His forward and back aerials require a full hop double jump to autocancel, while up aerial does not autocancel without being very high up. The high ending lag of his aerials makes fast-falling them offstage extremely risky, as it is possible to self-destruct before even getting a chance to recover, which depletes edgeguarding options. Due to the high overall lag of his aerials, K. Rool is unable to juggle for extended periods of time, and his aerial game is mostly constrained to a reactive playstyle. K. Rool's slow aerial mobility further hampers his aerial capacity, and his massive hurtbox makes him a very easy target if in the air, giving him a limited air game, making his playstyle generally more grounded.

 

[[Crownerang]], while a very strong move on its own, is flawed in many ways. If an opponent picks up the crown after it has been thrown, it leaves him without one of his best tools. The crown can actually be used to edgeguard against [[Propellerpack]], or it can be thrown up to keep it from respawning. It is also very possible for opponents to combo with the crown, or pick it up again after throwing it, with very little counterplay available. The player must adopt an entirely different playstyle while the crown is on the field, or else risk losing a stock. As the pick-up animation takes 17 frames to complete, this also means that it can interrupt crucial combos, leading to the opponent getting away and resetting to neutral. While this is alleviated slightly through tech, it does not help a lot.

 

King K. Rool's recovery, while effective in theory, is very exploitable by the majority of the roster. Propellerpack is very linear, and a knowledgeable player can edgeguard him for long periods of time. It is immensely slow, and moving around with it reduces the vertical speed and leaves strong momentum, which can lead to a self-destruct if not accounted for. The hitbox does not cover him horizontally at all, and as he cannot cancel the animation, he always has to commit to it. He is usually forced to recover low, which is extremely dangerous due to how many characters have their own unique ways to beat out Propellerpack. Characters such as {{SSBU|Piranha Plant}} and {{SSBU|Villager}} have moves ([[Ptooie]] and {{Mvsub|Villager|SSBU|forward smash}} respectively in this case) that can also counteract the vertical hitbox.

 

Propellerpack also leaves him very vulnerable to [[stage spike]]s, though [[LSI]] greatly alleviates this and allows him to [[tech]] to unreasonable percentages. The move can be angled to try and prevent this, though K. Rool usually will not recover without taking a large amount of damage. K. Rool also has very few ledge options; his only unique one is [[forward aerial]], which requires frame-perfect precision to ledgesnap. Other than this, his ledge options are very limited—even Crownerang is too laggy to be used from the ledge reliably—and thus many characters can keep him there for a long time before finally KOing him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

''For a gallery of King K. Rool's hitboxes, see [[King K. Rool (SSBU)/Hitboxes|here]].''

|neutralname=Palm Stamp ({{ja|パームスタンプ|Pāmu Sutanpu}}) / Snatch Claw ({{ja|スナッチクロー|Sunacchi Kurō}}) / Sole Kick ({{ja|ソールキック|Sõru Kikku}})

|neutraldesc=A sumo-esque palm thrust (comes out on frame 3), followed by a claw swipe (frame 4), followed a front kick (frame 5). The first hit can be repeated by holding the attack button, and can [[jab reset]] large characters specifically, allowing for some interesting situations. The second hit resembles King K. Rool's standard attack from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Barrel Blast}}''.

|ftiltname=Buster Clap ({{ja|バスタークラップ|Basutā Kurappu}})

|ftiltdmg=11% (arms), 13% (hands)

|ftiltdesc=Rears back and performs a forceful clap, similarly to {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}'s forward smash. Gains [[Belly Super Armor]] when he rears back to clap, making it a highly effective approach option with pivot canceling. Sends at a [[semi-spike]] angle and is decently fast for its power (comes out on frame 12), KOing at 107% at the edge of [[Final Destination]]. It can be angled up and down, making it a decent anti-air tool when angled up, and it is capable of hitting the ledge when angled down. This move has impressive range due to a massive, disjointed hitbox surrounding K. Rool's hands. It does suffer from moderately high ending lag, though this flaw can be partially mitigated when spaced correctly. The combination of its range, Belly Super Armor, KO potential, and ability to angle it up or down makes it a useful grounded move on King K. Rool's kit.

|utiltname=Uppercut ({{ja|アッパーカット|Appākatto}})

|utiltdmg=12.5% (clean), 7.4% (late, arm), 8.9% (late, fist)

|utiltdesc=An uppercut. Has a wide hitbox, covering the front of K. Rool, and starts low enough to reach prone enemies. Almost as fast as his neutral attack, coming out on frame 5, which is very fast for a move with reasonably decent KO power. Has intangibility on the arm during its duration, effectively making the move slightly disjointed. Loses power the longer it is out, with the sweetspot dealing rather strong diagonal knockback, and the sourspot dealing weak, mostly vertical knockback, which can potentially lead to another up tilt or up air. This move is a reliable followup from [[down throw]] due to its combination of speed and power.

|dtiltname=Bury Leg ({{ja|バリーレッグ|Barī Reggu}})

|dtiltdmg=13% (clean), 10% (late, non-burying), 8% (late, burying), 7% (late, quake)

|dtiltdesc=A stomp. K. Rool's foot [[bury|buries]] grounded opponents, though it cannot do damage to an already-buried enemy. Much stronger on aerial opponents, and can KO at 104% at the edge of Final Destination. The stomp causes a shockwave near his foot. This deals weak vertical knockback to nearby opponents and allows for moves like [[forward aerial]] to be used out of it. Starts with the non-bury hitbox on frame 13, before the bury comes out at frame 14. [[Forward smash]] is true out of this from around 70%, and frequently KOs at that percent range. The hitboxes can hit some opponents under low platforms (such as the left and right platforms on {{SSBU|Battlefield}}). Due to how buries work in ''Ultimate'', it is possible to "store" knockback on a buried opponent using a weak attack, forcing them to get unburied over time and sent at the angle of the weak attack; this can create long combo strings at low percents.

|dashname=Body Attack ({{ja|ボディアタック|Bodi Atakku}})

|dashdmg=15% (clean), 11% (late)

|dashdesc=A [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling strikes#Body avalanche|body avalanche]]. It covers a good distance and has incredibly fast start-up for its power (comes out on frame 7), but has very high ending lag. It also deals much less damage later into the attack. Has Belly Super Armor and can KO, allowing it to tank opposing hits (especially projectiles) as a risky [[approach]]. KOs at 102% at the edge of Final Destination, making it a very good move to use out of [[down throw]] through [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-mWaJuVdlo Instant Dash Attack], as it KOs larger characters earlier than forward tilt. It resembles the body avalanche he used in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Land}}''.

|fsmashname=Dynamite Punch ({{ja|ダイナマイトパンチ|Dainamaito Panchi}})

|fsmashupdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|19.95}} (sweetspot), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|17.325}} (close)

|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|19}} (sweetspot), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|16.5}} (close)

|fsmashdowndmg= {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|19.57}} (sweetspot), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|16.995}} (close)

|fsmashdesc=Dons a boxing glove, referencing his King Krusha K. Rool persona from ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong 64}}'', and throws a [[wikipedia:Cross (boxing)|straight punch]]. This move has a sweetspot on the glove and a sourspot on K. Rool's arm. It can also be angled and deals more damage if angled up or down, which gives it some versatility, depending on the angle. Although the move is slightly faster than forward smashes of other super heavyweights, it still comes out slow with a short-lasting hitbox (frames 19-21), and it suffers from extremely high ending lag even for its type, making it very punishable when missed. However, the move is very powerful, with the sweetspot KOing at 53% at the edge of Final Destination. The sourspot on his arm deals less knockback and damage but is still moderately powerful. The boxing glove is also disjointed, which can be used to hard punish short hop approaches in niche circumstances. It's also very effective out of down tilt, as the move is fast enough to connect and KO at around 50%-70% before the opponent mashes out.

|usmashname=Heavy Fall ({{ja|ヘビーフォール|Hebī Fōru}})

|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|17}} (headbutt), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|8}} (late headbutt), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|10}} (plank); {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|3}} (meteor smash)

|usmashdesc=An upward [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling strikes#Battering ram|battering ram]] followed by a comical plank. The headbutt has a small hitbox, but has fast start-up (frame 6) and can KO from medium to high percents. It also has a slightly later hitbox on frame 10 that deals slightly less damage, making it somewhat inconsistent at times. The initial headbutt can be used to hit opponents on platforms above him, or as a risky anti-air move. It is King K. Rool's fastest out of shield option, though it is too situational and risky to be very effective for this purpose. It is also a highly effective follow-up from down throw, as it is able to hit opponents who mash out, being an effective KO confirm at around 90%-110%. The plank comes out later and has a big hitbox, but deals less damage and knockback, making it more suited for covering the headbutt or ledge trapping at best. The plank animation weakly [[meteor smash]]es opponents, though this is ineffective for edgeguarding due to its low knockback. In addition, it is the weakest meteor smash in the game, failing to KO at realistic percents. It can be used to force tech situations or awkward placements off-stage, but these are highly situational and impractical. The sheer number of hits do make it useful for causing shield damage under platforms. Each hitbox is situated on K. Rool's head and body respectively, meaning it can miss entirely if used poorly. Additionally, the move has extremely high ending lag, with the first actionable frame being 72 and the last hit being on frame 23. The headbutt KOs at 100%, while the plank KOs at 162% at the edge of Final Destination, respectively. This move has Belly Super Armor shortly after K. Rool hops and before he flops onto the ground. There are also intangibility frames on K. Rool's head when the sweetspot comes out.

|dsmashname=Gigant Press ({{ja|ギガントプレス|Giganto Puresu}})

|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|18}} (body), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|4}} (quake)

|dsmashdesc=A [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling strikes#Big splash|jumping splash]]. Has Belly Super Armor during the leap, and deals heavy shield damage. As K. Rool physically leaves the ground when using the move, his hurtbox gets shifted into the air, allowing it to dodge ground or belly-level attacks to deal a hard punish. It is extremely powerful, being one of the strongest down smashes in the game, KOing at 50% at the edge of Final Destination. It also has a quake hitbox that provides minimal protection if the opponent avoids the splash itself. The move is very laggy overall, with its strongest hitbox coming out on frame 22, and it also suffers from very high ending lag, which makes it very punishable if used poorly. However, thanks to its initial hop and armor, the move is surprisingly hard to intercept despite its high startup. It also can be used on platforms against opponents that try to attack K. Rool from below. The quake is extremely weak, but it covers the high ending lag of the move somewhat, and it can occasionally lead to a forward tilt.

|nairname=Iron Balloon ({{ja|アイアンバルーン|Aian Barūn}})

|nairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (late)

|nairdesc=A [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Diving splash|splash]]. Decently fast (comes out on frame 7), acts as a [[sex kick]] and has Belly Super Armor. In addition, it has very little lag in comparison to most of King K. Rool's moveset, and is his safest move on shield. Finally, it is also his fastest out-of-shield option that is somewhat practical, next to his neutral attack. Because of all of this, it is one of the safest and most versatile moves to use in K. Rool's kit. It can be used for landing, contesting aerials, approaching, and even gimping, as it beats out most recovery moves, even ones with hitboxes. In addition, due to its safety, it can be used to pressure, and it can also combo into several moves, such as his neutral attack, up tilt, forward tilt, dash attack, grab, and even situationally into down tilt, which can lead to devastating early KOs. However, it has poor range, only covering his belly, and is unsafe on hit at low percents. It is similar to an attack he uses in ''Donkey Kong Land''.

|fairname=Drop Kick ({{ja|ドロップキック|Doroppu Kikku}})

|fairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|15.5}} (clean feet), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|13.5}} (clean legs), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|10}} (late feet), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (late legs)

|fairdesc= A dropkick. Hitbox comes out on frame 11. Its sweetspot is at K. Rool's feet, which has a higher priority over the sourspot, making it easy to land. Has a very large hitbox with sweetspot being notably disjointed, giving it a very good range. The sweetspot has strong knockback, KOing around 100% near the edge of Final Destination. It deals disproportionately high damage, making it an very efficient damage racking tool. The move also acts as a sex kick, allowing it to be used for approaching or as a situational edgeguarding option. However, the move has relatively low landing lag, considering its power, huge, lingering hitbox, and relatively decent startup of 11 frames. This low landing lag combined with its power and range makes it K. Rool's safest move in neutral when the move is being used while landing, being safe on shield, especially when spaced correctly. Its properties make it K. Rool's best combo starter at low percents, with sweetspot being able to lead into neutral attack, forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack and grab at low percents. It can even confirm down tilt thanks to it being +15 on hit with a good landing at 0%. The sourspot on this move lies around the torso and can be used well with down tilt. It has a late hitbox with drastically weaker damage and knockback, which has some niche combo utility at mid percents, being able to lead into grabs thanks to it not sending into [[tumble]] until around 65%. However, it is very hard to land consistently. Overall, the move is considered to be among the best and most versatile moves in K. Rool's moveset.

|bairname=Rock Breaker ({{ja|ロックブレイカー|Rokku Bureikā}})

|bairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|14.5}} (arm), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|19}} (fist)

|bairdesc=Turns around and throws a delayed {{iw|wikipedia|overhand punch}} behind himself. It is similar to {{SSBU|Mario}}'s forward aerial both aesthetically and mechanically: it is very slow (comes out on frame 18), but it powerfully meteor smashes opponents if K. Rool's fist hits. Against grounded opponents, it launches them diagonally with extremely high knockback, being able to KO middleweights at 65% near the ledge, making it one of the strongest aerial attacks in the entire game. The larger, disjointed sourspot around the fist is significantly weaker, dealing rather weak diagonal knockback against both grounded and airborne opponents, failing to KO reliably until 160%. It also has a slightly lingering hitbox, making it an important tool in neutral when full hopped.

|uairname=Stretch Headbutt ({{ja|ストレッチヘッドバット|Sutorecchi Heddobatto}})

|uairdesc=An upward battering ram. It causes K. Rool to float slightly, giving it more reach. It has extremely high ending lag due to King K. Rool laughing after the move, preventing him from acting even if performed out of a double jump, making it risky to use offstage and making it the laggiest aerial in the game. However, is one of K. Rool's fastest aerial attacks (comes out on frame 7), and deals less damage if hit later. In addition to this, the early hitbox is among the strongest up aerials in the game, being able to KO at around 100% and even earlier if used near the upper blast zone, giving K. Rool a possibility to pick up very early KOs with the move, especially with rage. The early hit has a large, disjointed hitbox much larger than K. Rool's head, which also lingers for a disproportionately long time. The move has Belly Super Armor while K. Rool stretches his head out, ending after the hitboxes are over. When short-hopped, this move can allow K. Rool to move onto a platform, allowing for some movement options, and significantly helps with the issue of the move having high ending lag. Like up smash, there are intangibility frames on K. Rool's head during the attack, making it disjointed and allowing it to beat projectiles or some other even reasonably disjointed moves, such as {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}'s down aerial. This move can also be used for recovering from high to mid-levels, as K. Rool can be moved from side to side while using the move. <!--K. Rool's crown does not increase this move's damage, this has been tested. Remember that short hop attacks have a damage penalty in ''Ultimate''.-->

|dairname=Meteor Stomp ({{ja|メテオスタンプ|Meteo Sutanpu}})

|dairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|12}} (early), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|9}} (late)

|dairdesc=A front flipping [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling strikes#Double foot stomp|double foot stomp]]. The hitbox is situated on K. Rool's legs. Decently fast (comes out on frame 14) and meteor smashes if the early hitbox connects, although the meteor smash itself is rather weak. If the opponent is hit by the early hitbox - but not meteor smashed - on-stage by this move, it confirms into a wide variety of attacks. There is also a late hitbox with a sweetspot on K. Rool's hips that has more knockback growth, plus a sourspot on the feet. It also has Belly Super Armor after K. Rool stomps, giving it some safety.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|grabdesc=Reaches out. King K. Rool's grabs are moderately slow, but have great ranges. If K. Rool misses, his left eye comically bulges in frustration.

|pummelname=Grab Headbutt ({{ja|つかみヘッドバット|Tsukami Heddobatto}})

|pummeldesc=Headbutts the opponent. Slow but strong.

|fthrowname=Ground Throw ({{ja|グラウンドスルー|Guraundo Surū}})

|fthrowdmg=10% (throw), 7% (collateral)

|fthrowdesc=A one-handed [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling throws#Gorilla press slam|military press slam]]. The slam possesses a collateral hitbox that can affect nearby opponents. It combos into dash attack or a dash canceled neutral attack at 0%. It also has non-[[tumble]] hitstun at that point, making the combos extremely consistent.

|bthrowname=Friction Throw ({{ja|フリクションスルー|Furikushon Surū}})

|bthrowdesc=Pins the opponent to the ground and drags them backward before flinging them behind himself. KOs at 124% at the edge of Final Destination, though [[rage]] greatly assists its KO power.

|uthrowname=Super Back Breaker ({{ja|スーパーバックブリーカー|Sūpā Bakku Burīkā}})

|uthrowdesc=Heaves the opponent over his head, leaps high into the air, and then descends to perform an {{h2|wikipedia:Backbreaker|Argentine backbreaker rack}} [[wikipedia:Backbreaker#Backbreaker drop|drop]]. This is the most damaging throw in the entire game, and it's powerful enough to KO at around 160%, or even earlier if he lands on a raised platform.  

|dthrowname=Piledriver ({{ja|パイルハンマー|Pairu Hanma}}, ''Pile Hammer'')

|dthrowdesc=A {{iw|wikipedia|powerbomb}}. Has the lowest damage output of K. Rool's throws, but this is compensated by its burial ability granting it follow-up potential. K. Rool's most versatile throw overall, as well as one of his most versatile tools in general. Down throw follows up to numerous moves depending on the opponent's percent, including jab, up tilt, and up air at lower to mid percents, as well as forward tilt, forward, and down smash at higher percents. It is also possible to infinite many fighters by throwing them, using neutral attack while they are buried, and re-grabbing them when they are released. However, most followups can be avoided if the opponent mashes out (especially since the throw itself is slow and gives plenty of time to react), making its KO setups unreliable at much higher percents. Only dash attack, forward and up tilts are able to follow up at 125% and KO reliably. However, up smash and up aerial can be used to discourage mashing and create 50/50 situations at lower percents, as the prior KOs at 100% a lot of the time.

|floorfdesc=Swipes in front of himself with one claw then kicks behind himself with one foot.

|floorbdesc=Swipes his claw around himself.

|floortdesc=Swipes both sides of himself with his claws.

|edgedesc=Pulls himself up from the ledge and swipes forward with one claw. Has very long-range, being slightly shorter than {{SSBU|Bowser}}'s.

|nsdmg=13% (Kannonball), 12% (throw), 17% (relaunched Kannonball)

|nsdesc=Pulls out a {{iw|mariowiki|blunderbuss}} and fires a {{iw|mariowiki|Kannonball}} forward while donning the pirate hat worn by his alter-ego {{iw|mariowiki|Kaptain K. Rool}} in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest}}''. Only one Kannonball can be in play at one time, with another being usable after ≈2.5 seconds. After a Kannonball is fired, the special button can be held to use the blunderbuss's vacuum function, sucking in nearby enemies or the Kannonball itself (though the move will eventually cancel after several seconds), similarly to [[Inhale]]. K. Rool can drop through soft platforms while vacuuming with his blunderbuss, and he also can move left and right as well while airborne, which is very useful for ledge trapping. Once it sucks something in, K. Rool will immediately launch it out at a slight angle upward in front or behind him, or directly upwards, depending on the held direction. The blunderbuss' forward "throw" KOs at 100% near the edge of Final Destination, though its upward and backward variations have noticeably less knockback. A launched fighter or re-launched Kannonball is capable of KOing as early as 70%, with the Kannonball lingering while doing minor damage after the first hit.

|ssdmg=9% (projectile), 7% (returning), 6% (item)

|ssdesc=Takes off his crown and flings it forward in a style based on his boss battle in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country}}''. Functions similarly to [[Boomerang]]. Has 12% damage-based [[armor]] while K. Rool is throwing his crown. Deals less damage when returning. Unlike Boomerang, it cannot be smash thrown. The crown will attempt to return to K. Rool while flying, though it will slowly lose altitude. Only one crown can be thrown at once. If K. Rool fails to catch it, the crown will drop as an item for anyone else to use, and will reappear on his head after 12 seconds or if K. Rool touches it again (does not count if the crown hits him as a thrown item, or if the crown is from another K. Rool). The pickup animation can be [[Crown canceling|canceled]] through using a move or "unavoidable" animations such as jumpsquat when coming into contact. It also has a number of advanced techniques, such as [[crown sliding]].

|usdesc=Equips the {{iw|mariowiki|Propellerpack}} worn by his alter-ego {{iw|mariowiki|Baron K. Roolenstein}} in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble}}'' and flies upward. Covers an excellent amount of distance, allowing K. Rool to fly from one end of Final Destination to the other, though changing direction is difficult. Upon reaching peak height for a moment, K. Rool will slowly drift down while flapping his arms as a direct reference to his damaged state during his boss battle in ''Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble''. Pressing down will render K. Rool [[helpless]], make him fall faster, and lower his landing lag. The propellers above K. Rool deal multiple weak hits, protecting him from edgeguards while even allowing him to drag opponents to the top blast line, though this can be [[DI]]'d out of if it hits more than 3 times.

|dsdmg= 1.5× (gut counter, reflected projectiles) (minimum 12%, maximum 50%)<br/>{{rollover|1.05×|0.7× of the counter/reflection|?}} (shockwave) (minimum 8.4%, maximum 35%)

|dsdesc=Puffs out his stomach and retaliates against attacks. It works like a [[counterattack]] and can also [[reflect]] [[projectile]]s. However, the counter hitbox is centered on K. Rool's stomach, making the rest of his body vulnerable (most notably his face), much like how [[Toad]] functioned in ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''. Its sweetspot has a damage multiplier of 1.5×, tying it with [[Slip Counter]] and [[Counter Throw]] for the second-highest damage multiplier out of any counterattack in ''Ultimate'', surpassed only by [[Tetrakarn]]. It is possible for the opponent to get hit by both the reflected projectile and the counterattack if the opponent is close enough, causing them to receive double the amount of damage and resulting in KOs from moves like a fully charged [[Charge Shot]] at extremely low percents. The shockwave has a hitbox further away that deals 0.7× of the counter's damage (resulting in a multiplier of 1.05×).

|fsdmg=3% (stomp), 10% (tackle), 25% (energy beam), 10% (ending)

|fsdesc=K. Rool stomps, stunning any nearby opponents and lunges forward while catching those in his path. If at least one opponent was caught, a cutscene plays in which K. Rool sits on his throne at {{iw|mariowiki|Crocodile Isle}} before firing a massive energy beam from his {{iw|mariowiki|Blast-o-Matic}}. The beam then fires through {{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Kong Island}}, destroying the island and dealing massive damage on the victims.

 

*Descends from the sky with his arms crossed before chuckling. His pose is based on how he appears in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Donkey Konga}}'', while his descent is a reference to ''Donkey Kong Country''.

===[[Taunt]]s===

*'''Up taunt''': Viciously bites forward four times. It is similar to {{SSBU|Bowser}}'s side taunt.

*'''Side taunt''': Slaps his belly once in amusement. Despite being a taunt, it uses K. Rool's Belly Super Armor during the frames before he slaps his belly.

*'''Down taunt''': Performs a [[wikipedia:Glossary of sumo terms#S|shiko]], a powerful stomp in sumo that functions as both an exercise and a pre-bout ritual to ward off evil spirits.

SSBUKingKRoolTaunt2.gif|King K. Rool's side taunt.

*Slaps his belly twice and gloats.

 

 

*'''Left:''' Shifts his eyes left and right before ending with a triumphant pose.

*'''Up:''' Flips his cape around before ending in a pose similar to his official artwork.

*'''Right:''' Belly flops on-screen and rebounds with a backflip, before landing on his feet and slapping his belly with his tongue sticking out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More recently, however, many of King K. Rool's top players have either decreased in tournament attendance or moved towards different characters. Many of his buffs, while accentuating his strengths, failed to answer many of his weaknesses, such as a poor [[out of shield]] game and lack of non-committal anti-airs. With multiple periods of competitive viability, his staying power at top level can be called questionable, with him fading in and out of top cut lists over months. King K. Rool's true viability is hotly contested, with some arguing his national-level top cut placements prove his potential, while others would call it a fluke. King K. Rool would end up ranking 74th on the first tier list, near the top of the low tier. With a lack of top-level representation throughout 2023, alongside his inherent flaws and inconsistent top-level results, he would fall even further to 80th on the second and current tier list, in the newly created E+ Tier, ranking him among the worst characters in the game. 2024 however has marked a strong improvement for King K. Rool's results, with the return of Kirbykid, now LukeWarm, showing sparse yet strong performances at events, and the rise of breakout players such as {{Sm|Sanyukkuri}} and {{Sm|Bruho}} winning large events {{Trn|Seibugeki Rising 3}} and {{Trn|Mash Harder 10}}, continuing to contest the character's competitive perception.

King K. Rool's opponents are among the heaviest characters in the game. The name of the route uses boxing terminology, referencing his boxing-themed final boss fight in ''{{s|mariowiki|Donkey Kong 64}}''. The boss of his route is [[Galleom]], who is the heaviest boss in the game. On an extended note, Galleom's hulking proportions and posture are similar to {{SSBU|Donkey Kong}}'s (King K. Rool's arch-nemesis), and his name is spelled similarly to "Galleon", which can be a reference to ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Gang-Plank Galleon}}'' (the song associated with King K. Rool).

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!Round!!Opponent!!Stage!!Music!!Notes

|1||{{CharHead|Charizard|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Unova Pokémon League]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pokémon|Victory Road - Pokémon Ruby / Pokémon Sapphire}}''||Charizard's {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} is absent.

|2||{{CharHead|Bowser|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Find Mii]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|King Bowser - Super Mario Bros. 3}}''||The stage references Bowser's Castle.

|3||{{CharHead|King Dedede|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Boxing Ring]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|King Dedede's Theme (Brawl)}}''||The stage references the Dedede Arena, where Kirby fights King Dedede.

|4||{{CharHead|Ridley|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Brinstar Depths]] ([[Battlefield form]])||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Metroid|Vs. Ridley}}''||

|5||{{CharHead|Ganondorf|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Bridge of Eldin]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|The Legend of Zelda|Calamity Ganon Battle - Second Form}}''||

|6||{{CharHead|Donkey Kong|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Kongo Jungle]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Crocodile Cacophony}}''||Items do not appear.

|colspan="5"|[[Bonus Stage]]

|Final||[[Galleom]]||[[Base]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Smash Bros.|Boss Battle - Super Smash Bros. Brawl}}''

 

[[Credits]] roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as King K. Rool has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Gang-Plank Galleon}}'' accompany the credits.

{|style="margin:1em auto 1em auto;text-align:center"

|colspan=8|[[File:King K. Rool Palette (SSBU).png|link=Alternate costume (SSBU)#King K. Rool|1000px]]

==[[List of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character trailers#King K. Rool|Reveal trailer]]==

{{#widget:YouTube|id=0-gfC1upmoA}}

SSBUWebsiteKingKRool1.jpg|Posing on [[Green Greens]].

SSBUWebsiteKingKRool2.jpg|Using [[Blunderbuss]] on [[Pirate Ship]].

SSBUWebsiteKingKRool4.jpg|{{SSBU|Villager}} taking out K. Rool's [[Pocket]]ed crown on [[Tortimer Island]].

SSBUWebsiteKingKRool6.jpg|His pink and blue [[Alternate costume (SSBU)|alternate costumes]] on [[Prism Tower]].

SSBUWebsiteSteve2.jpg|{{SSBU|Steve}} striking K. Rool with his down tilt on [[Gerudo Valley]].

===Fighter Showcase Video===

{{#widget:YouTube|id=pKcXgSV8PTE}}

*''Ultimate'' marks King K. Rool's first major video game appearance in over a decade, last appearing in ''{{iw|mariowiki|Mario Super Sluggers}}'', released in 2008.

*King K. Rool is one of five ''Ultimate'' [[newcomer]]s that were previously [[Mii Costume]]s in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', alongside {{SSBU|Inkling}}, {{SSBU|Daisy}}, {{SSBU|Chrom}}, and {{SSBU|Isabelle}}.

**As a result of K. Rool's inclusion, fans of the character issued a [https://twitter.com/KRoolKountry/status/1033530396657508352 thank you letter] to Masahiro Sakurai and Nintendo of America for including him as a fighter. The letter was signed by fans, and Nintendo of America [https://twitter.com/KRoolKountry/status/1059523712838459392 even wrote back] to the fans, expressing gratitude towards them for the fan letter.

*King K. Rool is the second fighter whose [[back aerial]] meteor smashes opponents, with the first being {{SSBB|Lucas}}.

**King K. Rool is also the second fighter who has a smash attack (his up smash) that is able to meteor smash, with the first being {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}'s down smash.

*King K. Rool is also the second fighter to have both a [[counterattack]] and a [[reflection|reflector]] in their default moveset, with the first being {{SSBU|Palutena}}.

**Despite both having reflecting counterattacks, the Techniques menu does not list King K. Rool's Gut Check in the "Counter and Reflect" technique .

**The Techniques menu also falsely states that Gut Check uses his Belly Armor.

*King K. Rool makes the most CGI-animated appearances of any newcomer, appearing in [[World of Light]]'s opening cutscene; as well as the reveal trailers for himself, {{SSBU|Ken}} and {{SSBU|Incineroar}}, {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}, {{SSBU|Sephiroth}}, and {{SSBU|Sora}}.

*King K. Rool is the only fighter to have a taunt that utilizes [[armor]].

*King K. Rool's animation when using the [[Home-Run Bat]]'s forward smash utilizes a one-handed swing, similar to his batting stance in ''Mario Super Sluggers''.

*King K. Rool's [https://www.nintendo.com/amiibo/detail/king-k-rool-amiibo-super-smash-bros-series/ description] from the North American [[amiibo]] website is based on his NTSC trophy description from ''SSB4''.

 

[[Category:King K. Rool (SSBU)| ]]

[[es:King K. Rool (SSBU)]]