Donkey Kong (SSB): Difference between revisions
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'''Donkey Kong''' ({{ja|ドンキーコング|Donkī Kongu}}, ''Donkey Kong''), written as '''DK''', is a [[starter character]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' He has slow, yet powerful attacks, like his trademark move: the [[Giant Punch]]. Due to this, his archetype has also inspired the archetype for most of the heavyweight characters in subsequent games, in which he has also appeared. His voice clips mostly use gorilla grunts and sounds. | '''Donkey Kong''' ({{ja|ドンキーコング|Donkī Kongu}}, ''Donkey Kong''), written as '''DK''', is a [[starter character]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' He has slow, yet powerful attacks, like his trademark move: the [[Giant Punch]]. Due to this, his archetype has also inspired the archetype for most of the heavyweight characters in subsequent games, in which he has also appeared. His voice clips mostly use gorilla grunts and sounds. | ||
Donkey Kong is currently ranked 9th out of 12 on the [[tier list]] | Donkey Kong is currently ranked 9th out of 12 on the [[tier list]]. He has powerful moves such as his aforementioned Giant Punch which when fully charged, deals 36% damage. He also sports an infamously abusable [[grab release]], remarkable reach throughout his moveset, and is the heaviest character in the game, making him very difficult to KO, especially vertically. Donkey Kong also benefits from the [[buff|buffs]] in international releases thanks to the changes to [[SDI]] system as well as the decreased shield stun. However, he is somewhat slow, and is also the largest character in the game, which coupled with his heavy weight makes him an easy target for combos. Despite his incredible endurance, his off-stage survivability is almost non-existent, as his recovery has among the worst vertical distance in the game. In the Japanese tier list, Donkey Kong is ranked 12th, as he does not have the changes from the SDI system and the decreased shield stun, causing him to struggle even more there. | ||
==Attributes== | ==Attributes== | ||
[[File:SSB64 Congratulations DK.png|thumb|250px|Donkey Kong's | [[File:SSB64 Congratulations DK.png|thumb|250px|Donkey Kong's [[congratulations screen]].]] | ||
[[File:Ssb64donkeykong.jpg|thumb|Donkey Kong using Hand Slap in the ''SSB'' instruction booklet.]] | [[File:Ssb64donkeykong.jpg|thumb|Donkey Kong using Hand Slap in the ''SSB'' instruction booklet.]] | ||
Donkey Kong is the [[weight|heaviest]] and largest character in ''Super Smash Bros.'' This means he gets hit quite easily, and he also has a poor [[shield]] | Donkey Kong is the [[weight|heaviest]] and largest character in ''Super Smash Bros.'' This means he gets hit quite easily, and he also has a poor [[shield]] game, making him vulnerable to [[shield break]] combos such as {{SSB|Yoshi}}'s Z-canceled [[DJC]] neutral aerial performed repeatedly. However, he can take many hits and high [[damage]] before being [[KO]]'d. Like heavyweight characters in subsequent games, Donkey Kong has attacks that deal lots of damage and have strong [[knockback]]. He also has two [[meteor smash]]es (forward and down aerials), and some extremely powerful finishers, including his forward smash and Giant Punch when fully charged or close to fully charged. However, his attacks are generally slow and laggy, and most of his KOs still require setup. | ||
Contrary to popular belief, Donkey Kong has slightly above-average [[dash]]ing speed (although he does have a relatively slow [[air speed]]). Donkey Kong has a great [[grab]] and [[throw]] game due to having the longest non-tether [[grab]]bing horizontal range, terrific throw combos (especially when there are walls), and the infamous [[infinite throw trap]] that allows him to rack up damage easily and effectively. He also has a KO throw in his back throw. Donkey Kong has good [[reach]], which allows for decent [[combo]]s despite slow attack speed, but he lacks a [[projectile]] and a reliable way to deal with them, making his [[approach]] poor and unvaried. His Up B however also breaks projectiles, outside of {{SSB|Fox}}'s laser. | Contrary to popular belief, Donkey Kong has slightly above-average [[dash]]ing speed (although he does have a relatively slow [[air speed]]). Donkey Kong has a great [[grab]] and [[throw]] game due to having the longest non-tether [[grab]]bing horizontal range, terrific throw combos (especially when there are walls), and the infamous [[infinite throw trap]] that allows him to rack up damage easily and effectively. He also has a KO throw in his back throw. Donkey Kong has good [[reach]], which allows for decent [[combo]]s despite slow attack speed, but he lacks a [[projectile]] and a reliable way to deal with them, making his [[approach]] poor and unvaried. His Up B however also breaks projectiles, outside of {{SSB|Fox}}'s laser. | ||
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==Moveset== | ==Moveset== | ||
''For a gallery of Donkey Kong's hitboxes, see [[Donkey Kong (SSB)/Hitboxes|here]].'' | |||
{{MovesetTable | {{MovesetTable | ||
|game=SSB | |game=SSB | ||
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|dashname=Iron Kick ({{ja|アイアンキック|Aian Kikku}}) | |dashname=Iron Kick ({{ja|アイアンキック|Aian Kikku}}) | ||
|dashdmg=12% | |dashdmg=12% | ||
|dashdesc=Donkey Kong sticks his foot out and slowly advances forward before stopping completely. The move launches opponents up and towards Donkey Kong with set knockback. It comes out very quickly on on frame 3 although this is the only positive with the move. | |dashdesc=Donkey Kong sticks his foot out and slowly advances forward before stopping completely. Possibly a reference to the ending of the arcade version of ''Donkey Kong Jr.''. The move launches opponents up and towards Donkey Kong with set knockback. It comes out very quickly on on frame 3 although this is the only positive with the move. | ||
Dash attack has incredibly high ending lag, it covers a short amount of distance and while it technically has a lot of active frames, its hitboxes end before Donkey Kong stops moving, giving it a deceptively short amount of range, especially during the later parts of the animation. These factors make the move difficult to land and incredibly unsafe if it does not connect. It can even be unsafe on hit in some cases, especially if the opponent [[crouch cancel]]s the move and even when it is safe on hit, it is too laggy to lead into anything (although it can lead into followups if it is interrupted by a weaker attack). It can set up tech chases on Dream Land platforms but even in this case, Donkey Kong might not have a significant enough frame advantage to punish the opponent's tech options. It can also be used to [[clang]] with other attacks due to its quick speed but this is overall very risky and not reliable, as a mistimed dash attack can be fatal for Donkey Kong. | Dash attack has incredibly high ending lag, it covers a short amount of distance and while it technically has a lot of active frames, its hitboxes end before Donkey Kong stops moving, giving it a deceptively short amount of range, especially during the later parts of the animation. These factors make the move difficult to land and incredibly unsafe if it does not connect. It can even be unsafe on hit in some cases, especially if the opponent [[crouch cancel]]s the move and even when it is safe on hit, it is too laggy to lead into anything (although it can lead into followups if it is interrupted by a weaker attack). It can set up tech chases on Dream Land platforms but even in this case, Donkey Kong might not have a significant enough frame advantage to punish the opponent's tech options. It can also be used to [[clang]] with other attacks due to its quick speed but this is overall very risky and not reliable, as a mistimed dash attack can be fatal for Donkey Kong. | ||
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|dsname=Hand Slap | |dsname=Hand Slap | ||
|dsdmg=10% | |dsdmg=10% | ||
|dsdesc=Delivers an earth-shaking blow to the ground, sending nearby enemies skyward. It has considerable power, consistent and repetitive damage, and a large hitbox. Cannot be used in midair. It is possible to combo this move by only using one hit of it | |dsdesc=Delivers an earth-shaking blow to the ground, sending nearby enemies skyward. It has considerable power, consistent and repetitive damage, and a large hitbox. Cannot be used in midair. It is possible to combo this move by only using one hit of it into a giant punch vs. everyone other than {{SSB|Jigglypuff}}. | ||
}} | }} | ||
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===[[Crowd cheer]]=== | ===[[Crowd cheer]]=== | ||
{{ | {| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" | ||
| | |- | ||
| | !{{{name|}}} | ||
| | !Cheer (International) | ||
| | !Cheer (Japanese) | ||
| | |- | ||
! scope="row"|Cheer | |||
|[[File:Donkey Kong Cheer International SSB.ogg|center]]||[[File:Donkey Kong Cheer Japanese SSB.ogg|center]] | |||
|- | |||
! scope="row"|Description | |||
|*clap* Donk- *clap* -ey *clap* Kong || Don - key Kong! | |||
|} | |||
===[[Victory pose]]s=== | ===[[Victory pose]]s=== | ||
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:''See also: [[:Category:Donkey Kong players (SSB)]]'' | :''See also: [[:Category:Donkey Kong players (SSB)]]'' | ||
*{{Sm|Allgreen|Japan}} - A North Carolina player | *{{Sm|Allgreen|Japan}} - A North Carolina player who commonly competed in Japanese tournaments. While he does not use Donkey Kong at every tournament, co-maining him with {{SSB|Kirby}}, he placed 17th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2019}} and 25th at {{Trn|Kansai 2020}}, and was considered a hidden boss on the [[2019-2020 Smash 64 Power Rankings]]. | ||
*{{Sm|Amasawa|Japan}} - Was one of the best Japanese players in the early | *{{Sm|Amasawa|Japan}} - Was one of the best Japanese players in the early metagame while maining Donkey Kong, despite being considered significantly worse in the Japanese version of ''Smash 64''. He holds wins over {{Sm|Red}}, {{Sm|Sekirei}}, and {{Sm|Rinko}}. | ||
*{{Sm|Darkhorse|USA}} - While he mains {{SSB|Captain Falcon}}, he has | *{{Sm|Darkhorse|USA}} - While he mains {{SSB|Captain Falcon}}, he has used solo Donkey Kong at a few events, such as placing 9th at {{Trn|Hitstun 5}} and 17th at {{Trn|Keystoned II}} with wins over {{Sm|Wookiee}} and {{Sm|Roman}}. He also used the two characters to place 5th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}} and 7th at {{Trn|Shine 2017}}. Was previously ranked 33rd on the [[2019-2020 Smash 64 Power Rankings]] with Captain Falcon and Donkey Kong being his primary characters listed. | ||
*{{Sm|Lorenzo|Brazil}} - The best solo Donkey Kong player in South America and one of the best in 2017, being ranked 61st on the [[2017 64 League Rankings]]. In 2017, he placed 7th at {{Trn|Boss Battle 2}} which marked the first time a Donkey Kong player made top 8 at a ''Smash 64'' major. He continued to give | *{{Sm|Lorenzo|Brazil}} - The best solo Donkey Kong player in South America and one of the best in 2017, being ranked 61st on the [[2017 64 League Rankings]]. In 2017, he placed 7th at {{Trn|Boss Battle 2}}, which marked the first time a solo-Donkey Kong player made top 8 at a ''Smash 64'' major. He continued to give Donkey Kong's best solo results, with 13th at {{Trn|UFSmash 3}} and 17th at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2017}}, being able to secure wins over {{Sm|Shalaka}}, {{Sm|Dext3r}}, and {{Sm|Shears}}. He has been inactive since early 2019. | ||
*{{Sm|tacos|USA}} - The current best Donkey Kong player in the world, albeit as a secondary at many tournaments. Notably placed 2nd at | *{{Sm|tacos|USA}} - The current best Donkey Kong player in the world, albeit as a secondary at many tournaments. Notably placed 2nd at {{Trn|Operation Desert Smash III}} primarily as Donkey Kong, and also placed 2nd at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}} and 13th at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2023}} using DK at frequent points in bracket. During 2021-2022, he was ranked 28th on the [[2021-2022 Smash 64 Power Rankings]] as the highest and only player to use Donkey Kong. | ||
===Tier placement and history=== | ===Tier placement and history=== | ||
Donkey Kong has historically been considered a low to lower-middle tier character. | Donkey Kong has historically been considered a low to lower-middle tier character. He was very unpopular throughout the heyday of ''Smash 64'' due to his major disadvantages being the largest character in the game with sluggish normals compared to almost every other character, who had combo routes that can take advantage of the game's hitstun mechanics. This was hindered further by the fact that in Japan, a country where even lower-tier characters had notable representation, Donkey Kong was very uncommon, and Japanese players considered him the worst character in the game. In North America, he did not fare much better, placing 9th on the first official tier list. | ||
Despite his placement not being much better, Donkey Kong is a vastly more popular character in the Americas, seen with {{Sm|Lorenzo}}, who became one of the best Donkey Kong players of all-time, placing high in South America and boasting DK's best wins and placements in the United States with a 7th place at {{Trn|Boss Battle 2}}. Additionally, Donkey Kong was seen as a popular character for top players to use in pools in less serious matches, seen with players such as {{Sm|SuPeRbOoMfAn}} and {{Sm|Darkhorse}}, with the latter becoming one of his best representatives despite primarily being a {{SSB|Captain Falcon}} player. He used both characters to place 5th at the major {{Trn|The Big House 9}} and supermajor {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}. Donkey Kong also found some counterpick potential with some players such as {{Sm|tacos}}, who is his best representative in recent years, using him at a few major tournaments in specific moments, defeating {{Sm|wangera}} at {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2018}} and {{Sm|Josh Brody}} at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}}. SuPeRbOoMfAn has also made occasional returns to using Donkey Kong, most notably winning the regional [https://www.start.gg/tournament/frame-14/event/smash-64-singles FRAME 14] with him, taking the tournament over players such as {{Sm|KD3}}. | |||
Overall, Donkey Kong remains a uncommon character despite his occasional moments of success, due to his glaring flaws as a heavyweight character in a game where top tiers and even characters that rank below him can oppress him with combos or stuff him out with moves with better frame data. As such, his feats in North America did place him at 7th during the second and third tier lists, but he now remains at 9th on the current tier list. While counterpicking has worked with Donkey Kong before, his chances of being a consistent threat as a solo-main or as a primary character are very difficult and unlikely to be seen due to his history as a character in the metagame. | |||
==In single-player== | ==In single-player== | ||
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===Down special resets and down aerial usage=== | ===Down special resets and down aerial usage=== | ||
Donkey Kong can also cancel the first slap of [[Hand Slap]] by | Donkey Kong can also cancel the first slap of [[Hand Slap]] by only pressing B once, enabling him to combo it into a virtually any move to KO the majority of the cast outside of {{SSB|Jigglypuff}}. It also makes him invincible for the first 2 frames. Donkey Kong's other main KO'ing setup outside of grab-based gimps is a Down Aerial into an Up Smash or a Down Air into a Down Smash. | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||