King Dedede (PM)

King Dedede in Project M and Project+
Universe	Kirby
Base game appearance	Brawl
Moveset inspiration	King Dedede (SSBB)
Alternate costume	Samurai Dedede

King Dedede (known as simply Dedede in-game) is a playable character in the Brawl mod Project M. He has received speed and combo buffs though suffering from a removal of his chain-grabbing abilities.

King Dedede ranks 34th out of 41 on the official tier list, near the top of the D tier. This is a large drop from his position on the Brawl tier list, where he is ranked 12th out of 38. In the official Project + tier list, he places 41th out of 42, placing in D tier.

Attributes

King Dedede is a character whose strengths lie in his offense. Every one of his attacks boasts speed, power, reach, or hitbox placement, giving him a powerful neutral and punish game. He also has great comboing ability, having combo starters such as his up throw and combo finishers such as his forward aerial. He also has superb camping abilities due to his aforementioned reach and hitbox placements, as well as his versatile Waddle Dee Toss. He also has a highly above average recovery thanks to his many jumps, the new airdodge physics, and his useful Super Dedede Jump. However, Dedede's biggest boon is his back aerial; despite it having less range than in Brawl, his higher air speed and the removal of hitstun canceling allow it to wall of pain better. It also maintains its minimal lag, long duration, power, and still has a favorable hitbox placement.

However, Dedede has numerous flaws, mainly in terms of defense. He is a very large target with slow mobility, making it easy to camp him out. He also has merely above average vertical endurance despite being a super heavyweight due to his average gravity and slightly above average falling speed. He also suffers from his recovery being somewhat predictable due to it mainly being linear. Dedede is also very easy to combo due to his aforementioned weight and size, as well as his gravity only being slightly lower than his falling speed.

Dedede overall fares worse in PM than Brawl as a result of the flaws created in the transition, as well as the significantly harsher environment which is no longer subject to his chainthrows.

Changes from Brawl to PM

King Dedede gained both buffs and nerfs from Brawl to PM. The buffs made him better offensively, but worse defensively, almost turning him into a glass cannon. Despite having been slightly buffed overall, he is considered to be worse relative to the cast due to the loss of his chain throw and many characters gaining new options to outclass his own.

Attributes

• King Dedede's hurtboxes are smaller.
• King Dedede has significantly faster air speed (0.658 → 0.9), no longer being the slowest, significantly improving his midair approach and recovery combined with Super Dedede Jump's added versatility.
• King Dedede's traction is higher (0.0484 → 0.07).
• Number of midair jumps reduced (4 → 3), somewhat worsening his recovery, making it more difficult to land safely, and enforcing more use of Super Dedede Jump.
• King Dedede falls much faster (1.95 → 2.25), however, Dedede falls much slower relative to the rest of the cast than in Brawl, going from the fastest to the 10th fastest fall speed. This nerfs his vertical endurance and his ability to mix-up landings, but makes him less susceptible to combos relative to the cast than in Brawl, and gives him a much better SHFFL.
• King Dedede's gravity is higher (0.0837 → 0.095).
• Spot dodge has a longer duration (frames 2-20 → 2-21).
• Spot dodge has a new animation where Dedede now moves out of the Z axis as soon as his intangibility has worn off making his spot dodge much easier to punish.

Ground Attacks

• The first two hits of neutral attack have decreased start-up (first hit: frame 12 → 9, second hit: frame 11 → 9) with longer duration on the first hit (2 frames → 3), and significantly faster interruptibility frames on both hits (FAF 38 → 28 (hit 1), 28 → 25 (hit 2)). The first hit now has a hitbox which launches vertically (361° → 80°) and the second hit now has consistent knockback (20 (base), 50 (scaling) → 55/0) and its angle has been altered (85° → 90°) making it connect better.
• Neutral attack's multi hits have smaller hitboxes.
• Forward tilt deals more damage (6%/4% → 12%/9%), making it much stronger despite it's decreased knockback scaling (80/100 → 70/80). It also deals more shield damage (0 → 9 (clean), 0 → 6 (late)), and has more reach (4.5u → 5.7u).
• Forward tilt now sends opponents at a Sakurai angle (65° → 361°).
• Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 34).
• Up tilt now only grants intangibility to Dedede's head as opposed to his whole body. The universally increased falling speeds combined with the altered knockback formula also hinder its KO potential against most characters.
• Down tilt has smaller hitboxes (6u → 4.92u (clean), 4u → 3.279983u (late)) and can no longer trip.
• Dash attack has a larger hitbox (5u → 6.9u), and now gives King Dedede heavy armor between frames 8-29, significantly improving its utility. It also sends opponents at a different angle (361° → 35°) now being a semi-spike.
• Dash attack now has a weaker late hit which deals less damage (16%/14% → 10%).
• Forward smash has more range, and the tip meteor smashes characters who are holding onto ledges. The early sourspot also deals more damage (13% → 16%) and the late hit deals more damage (5% → 12%) and knockback (100 (base), 30 (scaling) → 40/70). The late hit can also now hit aerial opponents.
• Forward smash has a shorter duration (frame 42-54 → 42-50).
• Up smash has much more range, less start-up with a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-23), much less ending lag (FAF 68 → 54), and both the sweetspot and the sourspot deal much more damage (14%/9% → 20%/17%), making it much stronger despite it's decreased knockback scaling (95/96 → 79/80).
• The front hit of down smash deals more damage (15% → 18%), and the move now consistently sends opponents behind Dedede (105°/80°/50° → 130°/125°/120°), allowing him to KO opponents easier despite the front hit having less knockback scaling (82 → 79). It also has less ending lag (FAF 53 → 47).

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral aerial, forward aerial, and back aerial have more landing lag (neutral aerial: 15 frames → 22, forward aerial: 30 frames → 32, back aerial: 21 frames → 22), though this is heavily compensated by L-cancelling.
• Up aerial and down aerial have less landing lag (up aerial: 22 frames → 20, down aerial: 30 frames → 20).
• Neutral aerial and forward aerial no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Dedede's higher gravity/falling speed as well as the latter auto-canceling later (frame 35 → 41).
• King Dedede's increased air speed and the changes to hitstun/falling speeds/air-dodging also makes forward aerial and back aerial much more effective at wall of pain combos.
• Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 38).
• Neutral aerial sends opponents at a different angle (60° (clean)/80° (late) → 75°). When combined with the changes to the game's mechanics, this significantly improves its combo potential.
• Forward aerial has less start-up with a longer duration (frames 16-18 → 13-18) longer range, and higher knockback scaling (90 → 100).
• Forward aerial has slightly increased ending lag (FAF 37 → 40).
• Back aerial has less range (8.5u → 5.534983u (clean), 7u → 4.92 (late)). The late hit also has a shorter duration (frames 9-25 → 9-21) now matching its animation and the move can no longer cause tripping. Lastly, Dedede can no longer perform two back aerials in a short hop due to his lower short hop.
• Up aerial is now a single hit, which gives it increased reliability and juggling potential.
• Up aerial deals less damage (2% (hits 1-7) 19% (hit 8) → 12% (clean)/9% (late)) with its knockback compensated (50 (base), 130 (scaling) → (4/30)/85) and has a slightly shorter duration (frame 10-25 → 10-24).
• Each hit of down aerial lasts one frame longer (frame 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27: 18 frames total → frame 9-10, 12-13, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28: 19 frames total). Down aerial also has less ending lag (FAF 48 → 38) and auto-cancels earlier (frame 44 → 34) now doing so in a short hop.
• The final hit of down aerial deals less damage (5% → 3%) and knockback (50 (base), 140 (scaling) → 70/105), resulting in the move dealing 2% less damage if all hits connect (17% → 15%) and hindering its KO potential.
• Down aerial SFX changed to match up aerial SFX.

Grabs and Throws

• Dash grab has more range.
• Standing (frame 6 → 7) and pivot grab (frame 7 → 9) have more startup lag. Standing grab also has more ending lag (FAF 30 → 31) and pivot grab has less range.
• Forward throw deals more damage (12% → 14%) and more knockback (70 (base). 80 (scaling) → 80/75).
• Back throw has much higher knockback scaling (65 → 94) making it among the strongest throws in the game.
• Back throw deals slightly less damage (10% → 9% (throw), 16% → 15% (total)).
• Up throw has less base knockback (70 → 60). When combined with the changes to the game's mechanics, this makes up throw a significantly better option to follow-up into moves, and can even be used to chaingrab fast-fallers.
• Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 36).
• Down throw sends opponents at a higher angle (20° → 32°) and has altered knockback (0 (base), 80 (set), 100 (scaling) → 50/80/40) now putting every character into tumble. This removes Dedede's ability to chaingrab with it, making it act like how it does on lightweight characters in Brawl. As a result, it is a significantly inferior throw by comparison; no longer nullifying certain characters.

Special Moves

• King Dedede has significantly more momentum in the air when using Inhale, improving its utility.
• Waddle Dees can be thrown in 3 different angles with different strengths, and can now perform the "Waddle Dash" by repeatedly throwing and picking up a Waddle Dee or Waddle Doo, King Dedede moves forward at a very fast rate, significantly improving his mobility, recovery, and approach.
• Super Dedede Jump now has a hitbox during the rising portion, and canceling the move completely negates Dedede's momentum, giving the move more versatility for recovering and leaving him less vulnerable against edge-guarders.
• Super Dedede Jump no longer has super armor, only having medium armor throughout the rising portion.
• Jet Hammer applies a momentum boost on swinging based on the level of charge. King Dedede also gains light armor while charging, and the move has drastically less start-up (frame 29 → 9) and ending lag (FAF 77 → 57) when uncharged. It also now semi-spikes (361° → 35°) which along with its altered (albeit overall decreased) knockback (uncharged: 20 (base), 100 (scaling) → 40/80, fully charged: 30/80 → 40/75) improves its edgeguarding potential. Aerial Jet Hammer also deals more damage (uncharged: 10% → 11%, fully charged: 28%/16% → 30%) and fully charged Jet Hammer now deals consistent damage (30%/20% → 30%) and it has a new (albeit extremely weak) late hit signinificantly lengthening its duration (frames 9-11 → 9-33).

Revisions

v2.1

• Dedede can grab the edge towards the end of his Up-B cancel flip.
• Dedede's spot dodge animation was smoothed out.

v2.5b

• Dedede's dash attack hitboxes adjusted for better coverage.
• Dedede's up tilt belly hitboxes adjusted for better coverage.
• Dedede's forward smash has an added large ground bounce hitbox that only affects grounded opponents and is non-clankable.
• Dedede's Neutral air weak hitbox match the size of the strong hitboxes for better coverage.
• Dedede's Neutral air IASA fixed to occur slightly before the animation ends.
• Dedede's Forward air IASA fixed to occur slightly before the animation ends.
• Dedede's Side-B can toss waddles at more noticeable angles.
• Dedede's Side-B default throw speed decreased, and strong throw speed increased.
• Dedede's Up-B hitboxes adjusted for better coverage.
• Dedede's Up-B damage across all of its hitboxes increased significantly, and shield damage on landing hit greatly increased.
• Dedede's Up-B landing stars have more base knockback.
• Dedede's Down-B self-damage cap is 100% (down from 150%).

v2.6b

• Dash attack has medium armor which lasts through the strong hit.
• Up tilt's endlag is slightly faster.
• Down aerial has smaller gaps between each hit.
• Forward throw's damage has been increased slightly, knockback decreased slightly to compensate.
• Down throw can be interrupted earlier.
• Neutral-B has more mobility in the air than previously.
• Up-B has a hitbox at the beginning of Dedede's ascent.
• Up-B has medium armor during the same timeframe as the hitbox.
• Turn grab range reduced slightly, and has a bit more startup to match other Turn Grabs.
• Neutral aerial's 1st hit angle is slightly higher.

v3.0

• Forward smash's meteor hitbox now only hits grounded targets (Aerial-only Spike hitbox on hammer head now has proper priority).
• Aerial Up-B no longer has medium armor. Grounded Up-B medium armor starts and ends much sooner.
• Forward air's hitboxes were cleaned up and polished to match the animation better.

v3.5

• Stars produced when landing after Super Dedede Jump are slightly bigger.
• Wavedashing ability significantly improved.
• Super Dedede Jump now depletes all jumps.
• Dash attack now has a flash overlay to denote knockback armor and screen shakes on faceplant.
• Super Dedede Jump now has a flash overlay at startup to denote knockback armor.
• Fixed the vertical positioning when charging Jet Hammer on the ground.
• Adjusted ledge jump animations to prevent warping.

Moveset

Up to date as of version 3.6.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			6%	Hits his opponent with two quick swipes of his hammer, then sticks it out in front of him and spins it.
			5%
			2% (loop)
Forward tilt			12% (clean), 9% (late)	Extends his hammer forward and spins it quickly.
Up tilt			12%	Sets his hammer down and quickly jumps upwards while headbutting. Dedede's head has some intangibility frames while the hitboxes are out.
Down tilt			10% (clean), 6% (late)	Does a sweeping kick low to the ground.
Dash attack			16% (clean body), 14% (clean head), 10% (late)	Trips and face-plants forward. A powerful dash attack, capable of KOing most fighters at low percentages.
Forward smash			16% (early), 24% (clean), 12% (late), 5% (shockwave)	Raises his hammer over his head and swings it at the ground in front of him. If the hammer comes into contact with a ledge that a character is grabbing, that character will be meteor smashed.
Up smash			20% (hammer), 17% (body)	Pulls his hammer back then swings it vertically over his head.
Down smash			18% (front), 15% (back)	Swings his hammer near the ground, performing a low spinning hammer attack.
Neutral aerial			12% (clean), 7% (late)	Extends his arms and legs and attacks with his stomach. His limbs produce a second, weaker hitbox soon after.
Forward aerial			15%	Pulls his hammer back slightly then swings it in front of him upwards.
Back aerial			13% (clean), 9% (late)	Extends one foot backward. Has sex kick properties.
Up aerial			12% (clean), 9% (late)	Spins his hammer above his head.
Down aerial			2% (hits 1-6), 3% (hit 7)	Extends his hammer below him and spins it, dealing multiple hits.
Grab			—
Pummel			3%	Lays his hammer down and headbutts the opponent.
Forward throw			6% (hit), 8% (throw)	Hits opponent forward with his hammer.
Back throw			6% (hit), 9% (throw)	Hits opponent with his hammer behind himself.
Up throw			4% (hit), 5% (throw)	Throws his opponent above his head, then pushes them upwards.
Down throw			4% (hit), 4% (throw)	Slams opponent on ground and sits on top of them.
Floor attack (front)			6%	Gets up and kicks both sides.
Floor attack (back)			6%	Gets up and kicks both sides.
Floor attack (trip)			5%	Gets up and swings his hammer both sides of himself.
Edge attack (fast)			8% (foot), 6% (body)	Pulls himself up slightly, then heaves himself onto the stage while kicking in front of him.
Edge attack (slow)			10%	Pulls himself slowly onto the stage, then quickly swings his hammer over his head in front of him.
Neutral special		Inhale	5% (release), 10% (spit), 9-18% (star)	Inhales the opponent, and does damage upon spitting them out. Does collateral damage to anybody hit by the character being spit out, depending on that character's weight.
Side special		Waddle Dee Toss	5% (Waddle Dee), 7% (Waddle Doo), 22% (Gordo)	Pulls one of his minions out of his sleeve and throws them forward. Unlike in Brawl, the minion can be thrown in three different trajectories, much like Snake's hand grenades.
Up special		Super Dedede Jump	6% (jump), 15% (fall), 16%/20% (landing/body), 5% (stars)	Jumps extremely high and comes crashing down. Unlike Brawl, if the move is cancelled and he falls to the ground, he will get up instantly instead of fumbling around, making it safer to cancel the move.
Down special		Jet Hammer	11% (uncharged), 30%/7% (fully charged/late)	Raises his hammer above his head, and it opens up to create a jet of white flame. The longer the move is held, the more damage, knockback, and directional boost to Dedede occurs. However, Dedede starts taking damage if the move is held past maximum charge.
Final Smash		Waddle Dee Army	2% (Waddle Dee), 8% (Waddle Doo), 15% (Gordo)	Whistles, and then dances for ten seconds while Waddle Dees, Waddle Doos, and Gordos move about the stage. During these ten seconds, he is invincible.

In competitive play

Most historically significant players

See also: Category:King Dedede players (PM)

•  Dumshiny - The best King Dedede player in the world. Ranked 6th on the SoCal Project M Power Rankings and 42nd on PMRank 2019, being the highest ranking Dedede player on the latter.
•  Ripple - Formerly the best Dedede player in the world, with his 29th ranking on the 2016 PMRank being the highest a Dedede player ever ranked on PMRank. He was also the only other Dedede player besides Dumshiny to be ranked the 2019 PMRank, ranking at 45th. Also an honorable mention on PMRank 2023.

Alternate costumes

Project M

Dedede's alternate costumes remain unchanged from Brawl. He obtained a costume based on his appearance in the Samurai Kirby minigame.

King Dedede's alternate costumes in PM

Project+

King Dedede gains additional color schemes and new team colors. His second green one has an obi featuring sprites of the Kirby series enemy Sparky, a light-blue and purple color based on concept designs for Parallel Dedede, and a black color scheme with an obi that features the eye shape of one of his possessors, Dark Matter. His Samurai Kirby-inspired costume also gains two additional color swaps. In 2.4, his Samurai Kirby-inspired costume receives visual touch-ups while also having him throw a Key Dee, a Waddle Doo as it appears in the aforementioned Sub-Game (with a yellow complexion to match the enemy Waddle Doos in Kirby Super Star), and a Blado.

King Dedede's alternate costumes in P+

Secret costumes:

Z-Secret Costume: Kirby 64 Dedede: Based on King Dedede's appearance in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, which became the basis for his appearances in Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Extra details include the white crown-like fluff on his hat, his eyes and beak having a different shape, and the removal of his usual kimono. As of 2.4.1, the Waddle Dees he throws now resemble the individual character, the Waddle Doos he throws now resembles the transformed form of said Waddle Dee after being possessed by Dark Matter, and the Gordos he throws now resemble the versions from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards right down to the cyan spikes and wider eyes that look more cross-eyed than how they generally look in most other games.

R-Secret Costume: Shadow Dedede: Based on Shadow Dedede, an entity hailing from the Mirror World in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Extra details include the monochrome bull's-eye emblem in place of King Dedede's own emblem, blank eyes always in an angry expression, and a different colored version of the Super Dedede Hammer normally wielded by Masked Dedede in place of the king's usual wooden hammer.

Trivia

• His original Z-Secret Costume was based on Masked Dedede, a form he takes on at the end of Kirby Super Star Ultra's Revenge of the King Sub-Game, and would later appear as part of his Final Smash, Dede-Rush, in Ultimate. The mask that was part of the costume appears as part of an Easter egg from 2.3 onwards.

External links

• King Dedede's page at the Project M website
• Labbing Discord Tech Post