Super Smash Bros. 4

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{{disambig2|King Dedede's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''|the character in other contexts|King Dedede}}
{{disambig2|King Dedede's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''|the character in other contexts|King Dedede}}
{{Infobox Character
{{Infobox Character
|name         = King Dedede
|name = King Dedede
|image       = [[File:King Dedede SSB4.png|250px]]
|image = [[File:King Dedede SSB4.png|250px]]
|game         = SSB4
|game = SSB4
|ssbgame1     = SSBB
|ssbgame1 = SSBB
|ssbgame2 = SSBU
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]]
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]]
|tier = H
|tier = G
|ranking = 52
|ranking = 51
}}
}}
'''King Dedede''' ({{ja|デデデ|Dedede}}, ''Dedede'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. His return to the series was announced on January 10th, 2014 to commemorate the release of ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Triple Deluxe}}'' in Japan. He is once again voiced by [[Masahiro Sakurai]], the long-time ''Kirby'' producer and the creator and director of the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. However, he was given with more realistic versions of his ''Brawl'' voice clips.
'''King Dedede''' ({{ja|デデデ|Dedede}}, ''Dedede'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. His return to the series was announced in a [[List of Director's Room Miiverse posts|Director's Room Miiverse post]] on January 10th, 2014, which also commemorated ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Triple Deluxe}}'' being released in Japan on the same day. [[Masahiro Sakurai]] reprises his role as King Dedede's voice actor, albeit via a filter being applied to his ''Brawl'' voice clips.


King Dedede is currently ranked 52nd out of 58 on the [[tier list]], making him the second lowest ranked super heavyweight and makes him the second highest ranked bottom-tier character, which is a significant drop from his previous position in ''Brawl'', where he was ranked 12th out of 38. This also gives Dedede the distinction of having the second largest tier drop from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4'' (behind [[Falco_(SSB4)|Falco]]). King Dedede's primary strength is his large [[disjointed]] range, courtesy of his hammer. In addition to his range, he also possesses some very powerful [[punish]]ing moves, such as his forward and down smash and back and down aerials, with the latter two giving him good edgeguarding potential.
King Dedede is ranked 51st out of 54 on the [[tier list]], placing him at the top of the G tier. This is a significant drop from his high-tier placement in ''Brawl'', where he was ranked 12th out of 38 and is roughly tied with [[King Dedede (SSBU)|his later iteration from ''Ultimate'']] as his worst placement in the ''Smash'' series. Dedede's primary strength is most of his attacks having large, disjointed range, courtesy of his hammer. In addition, he also possesses some very powerful attacks, such as his forward smash, down smash, back aerial and down aerial, with the latter two also functioning as good edgeguarding moves. Dedede also boasts arguably the greatest overall endurance in the game, being the most difficult character to KO vertically, due to having the third highest [[weight]] and the second fastest [[falling speed]], and also very difficult to KO horizontally despite being a fast-falling character with slow [[air speed]], which is also due to his high weight and the fact that he boasts an impressive [[recovery]], due to his multiple [[midair jump]]s and [[Super Dedede Jump]].


King Dedede also boasts arguably the greatest survivability overall in the game. He is the most difficult character to KO vertically, due to having the third highest [[weight]] and the second fastest [[falling speed]]. Despite being a fast-falling character with slow [[air speed]], King Dedede is also very difficult to KO horizontally, which is also due to his high weight and the fact that he boasts an impressive [[recovery]], due to his multiple [[midair jump]]s and [[Super Dedede Jump]].
However, King Dedede is among the slowest characters in the game, possessing one of the slowest [[walk]]ing, [[dash]]ing, and air speeds in the game. Likewise, his moveset is among the slowest in the game, with only his down tilt, neutral aerial and standing grab being active before frame 9. These traits not only hinder Dedede offensively, but defensively as well; alongside his large size, considerable weight and fast falling speed, Dedede's mobility and frame data issues result in him being among the characters that are most vulnerable to rushdowns, combos, and [[camping]], with only his moderate [[gravity]] enabling him to not be as vulnerable as other heavyweights or fast-fallers would be to them. Dedede is also no longer capable of camping himself due to his new side special, [[Gordo Throw]], being [[reflect]]ed by any attack that deals at least 2%. Finally, Dedede suffers from disproportionately weak strength for a super heavyweight: his fastest moves fail to KO until very high percentages, whereas his slowest moves are among the most punishable in the game.


However, King Dedede's tier drop is largely due to the weakening or total removal of moves and/or mechanics that were important to his neutral game. The most examples are the removal of [[chain grab]]bing and his back aerial, as well as his significantly worsened grab game, which has gone from one of the best to just below average.
As a result of his glaring flaws and the weakening or total removal of moves and/or mechanics that were important to his neutral game in ''Brawl'', such as his [[chain grab]] and his old back aerial, King Dedede is widely considered to be nonviable throughout ''SSB4''{{'}}s competitive metagame, with most players considering him one of the worst characters in ''SSB4''. As such, he commands a small playerbase with extremely sparse results, although some King Dedede players such as {{Sm|ZAKI}} have been able to put up some noteworthy performances at superregionals and majors.


Additionally, he retains his poor mobility and sluggish frame data from ''Brawl''. He has one of the slowest [[dash]]ing speeds and his air speed, which was already the slowest, has become even slower. King Dedede's moveset also has among the slowest moves in the game; only his down tilt, neutral aerial and standing grab are active before frame 9. These traits not only hinder King Dedede offensively, but defensively as well; alongside his large size, considerable weight and fast falling speed result, King Dedede's mobility and frame data issues result in him being among the characters that are most vulnerable to rushdowns and combos, with only his moderate [[gravity]] enabling him to not be as vulnerable as other heavyweights or fast-fallers would be to them.
==Attributes==
King Dedede is the third [[Weight|heaviest]] character and, like {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}, is the epitome of the archetypal heavyweight: he has a large frame, slow [[walking]] and [[dash]]ing speeds (despite them being increased), below average [[traction]], the slowest [[air speed]], one of the slowest [[air acceleration]] values, the second fastest [[falling speed]] and average [[gravity]].
 
Unsurprisingly, King Dedede's greatest strength is his impressive endurance, which is often considered to be the overall best in the game. His very fast falling speed gives him the best vertical endurance, while his weight and great [[recovery]] makes his horizontal endurance one of the best. In addition, he is notoriously difficult to [[edgeguard]] and [[gimp]]. Despite his very high falling speed and extremely slow air speed, he possesses four [[midair jump]]s. These help him stall his fall and cover long distances, as well as allowing him to edgeguard safely. His [[recovery]] does not end with his midair jumps. His up special, [[Super Dedede Jump]], grants a very large amount of vertical distance and a good amount of horizontal distance. It also has [[super armor]] and can [[meteor smash]], making it extremely dangerous to intercept, especially if the opponent uses an aerial attack.
 
His potent [[punishment]] game also supplements his great endurance. Most of his attacks deal high amounts of damage and can leave opponents vulnerable to more of his attacks. His most useful moves at that include, but are not limited to, down tilt, down smash and his grab game. The former is also very quick for a super heavyweight, and can help him fend off opponents and set up edgeguards. His [[pummel]] is highly damaging, making it good for adding up damage before throwing the opponent. His forward throw can reliably launch opponents off-stage, while his back throw deals very high damage. Lastly, his down throw can combo into up tilt, up smash and any aerial attack bar his down aerial, making it very reliable for damage racking and giving him combos that most fellow heavyweights do not have. He also has a plethora of very powerful moves, including his forward and down smashes, his up, back and down aerials, and [[Jet Hammer]], all of which are capable of KOing easily if they connect. Because of these advantages, he is also one of the characters to benefit the most from [[rage]], as it allows his powerful moves to put the opponent in a disadvantageous situation most of the time, and can allow him to initiate a comeback, which is further complemented by his endurance.
 
Another positive King Dedede possesses is his range. Unlike his fellow super heavyweights, his hammer grants a majority of his moves disjointed ranges and enables him to out-space opponents with poor range, such as {{SSB4|Mario}} and {{SSB4|Ness}}. Prominent examples of this are his forward tilt, all of his smash attacks, and all of his aerials except neutral aerial, but said move's poor reach is compensated for, courtesy of its decent KO potential when clean. It should be also noted that moves that do not utilize his hammer also have long duration, such as his up and down tilts, and the aforementioned neutral aerial, which can also make him difficult to punish if the opponent stands too close to him and mistimes its punish.


Another problem that King Dedede suffers from is disproportionately weak strength for a super heavyweight; his fastest moves fail to KO until very high percentages, while his slowest moves are among the most punishable in the game. He is also very vulnerable to [[camping]] as a result of his slow moveset and mobility, and he is no longer capable of doing such due to his new side special, [[Gordo Throw]], being [[reflect]]able by any attack that deals 2% or more.
However, King Dedede has numerous weaknesses, to the point where they significantly outweigh his strengths. His most prominent one is his underwhelming frame data, which is among the worst in the game. This makes Dedede prone to punishment, and due to his vulnerability to combos and juggles, he will have to [[read]] his opponents more often than not to safely land a move. However, it should be noted that his moveset is among, if not the overall, weakest of the super heavyweights; very few of his moves are capable of reliably KOing before 80%, with such moves being nearly limited to back aerial, [[Jet Hammer]], and forward smash, all of which are easily telegraphed and highly punishable, despite back aerial being able to [[autocancel]] from a short hop. His fastest moves are incapable of KOing until very high percentages, and his slowest moves are among the most predictable and most punishable in the game, with notable examples being forward smash and up tilt. These factors make said moves being easy to punish before or after they connect. While the fastest of his moves, his down tilt and neutral aerial, come out on frame 6, repeated use of them can render him a predictable opponent.


As a result of his glaring flaws, King Dedede's representation and perception are both poor, though they are somewhat better in the European scene. However, some players, such as {{Sm|Dabuz}}, go as far as saying that King Dedede is the absolute worst character in the game.
Another one of King Dedede's most prominent weaknesses is his polarized mobility. All of his attributes work against him, as they give him very slow horizontal movement, hindering his ability to [[approach]] and combat [[spacing]] and [[camping]]. The latter problem is more serious, as he has no useful counters against [[projectiles]], with Dedede's projectile being ineffective and overall unreliable to combat [[camp]]ing altogether. His slow horizontal mobility leaves him vulnerable to getting juggled horizontally, while his very quick vertical mobility also leaves him vulnerable to combos, and he has a hard time escaping from them once he enters enough knockback, with a move that grants super armor, [[Super Dedede Jump]], coming out way too slowly to render him invulnerable to heavy damage once an opponent gets a combo in. In turn, this makes it very simple for other characters with reliable combo games, such as {{SSB4|Luigi}} and {{SSB4|Bayonetta}}, to easily rack up damage on him.


==Attributes==
Another flaw King Dedede faces is his [[approach]]. All of his attributes significantly hinder his ability to get close to characters safely, considering the aforementioned factors of the overwhelming start-up and ending lag on his attacks, fairly poor mobility regardless if grounded or in the air, and his noticeable nerfs from game updates, which have all decreased his already poor offensive game. Most notably, his grabs' drastically reduced ranges and the removal of [[chain grab]]bing are collectively considered to be his fatal flaw: they not only hinder his chances to rack up damage efficiently, but also almost completely remove his chances of reliably KOing his opponents or keeping his opponents at bay with his grabs.
King Dedede is the epitome of the archetypal heavyweight character. He has a large frame, is the third [[Weight|heaviest]] among the cast, has slow [[walking]] and [[dash]]ing speeds, below average [[traction]], the slowest [[air speed]], one of the slowest [[air acceleration]] values, the second fastest [[falling speed]] and average [[gravity]]. However, unlike his fellow super heavyweights, he possesses a weapon in the form of his signature hammer, which grants his attacks high [[range]].


King Dedede's greatest strength is his impressive survivability. His very fast falling speed gives him the best vertical endurance in the game, while his weight alone makes his horizontal endurance among the best in the game. In addition, he is notoriously difficult to [[edgeguard]] and [[gimp]]. Despite his very high falling speed and extremely low air speed, he possesses four [[midair jump]]s. These help him stall his fall and cover long distances, as well as allowing him to edgeguard safely. His [[recovery]] does not end with his midair jumps. His up special, [[Super Dedede Jump]], grants a very large amount of vertical distance and a good amount of horizontal distance. It also has [[super armor]] and can [[meteor smash]], meaning that attempts to intercept it may end with the opponent getting launched.
His special moveset also faces some issues, as it is riddled with significant drawbacks. Gordo Throw is often considered his best special move, as it can be used for a KO option at high percents, can grant strong stage control if spaced and timed correctly, and can be used as a set-up into many other options if the opponent is sent toward Dedede. It can also aid his edgeguard attempts if the Gordo gets stuck on a wall or edge, allowing him to score a KO. Finally, it can be used to edge trap the opponent, giving them few options to retaliate and get back to safety. However, it has one major flaw, arguably enough to counterbalance all of the Gordo's benefits: it can be [[Reflection|reflected]] by any attack that deals at least 2%, which can limit its otherwise great utility and stage control potential and renders it a risky move, even when used from a safe distance. As a result of this, King Dedede's [[neutral game]] is risky due to being committal.


Another advantage King Dedede has is his potent [[punishment]] game. Almost all of his attacks deal high amounts of damage and can put opponents at a disadvantage. His most useful moves at that include, but are not limited to, down tilt, down smash and his grab game. The former is also very quick for a super heavyweight, and can help him fend off opponents and set up edgeguards. His [[pummel]] is highly damaging, making it good for adding up damage before throwing the opponent. His forward throw can reliably launch opponents off-stage, while his back throw deals very high damage. Lastly, his down throw can combo into up tilt, up smash and any aerial attack bar his down aerial, making it very reliable for damage racking and giving him combos that most fellow heavyweights do not have.
Super Dedede Jump is an amazing recovery move due to its distance and super armor, but its use is almost limited exclusively to recovering. However, the move's landing induces high shield damage, average [[shieldstun]], and emits stars upon meeting the ground, which can make the move surprisingly difficult to punish, despite the move's high endlag. Inhale can be used to pressure the opponent and possibly score a [[sacrificial KO#Grab-based sacrificial KOs|Dededecide]], but it is telegraphed, laggy, and unsafe due to the removal of grab armor. Lastly, [[Jet Hammer]] is best used only when trying to punish an unsafe get-up attempt or when breaking a shield.


However, King Dedede has numerous weaknesses. One of King Dedede's most prominent weaknesses is his polarized mobility. All of his attributes work against him, as they give him very slow horizontal movement, hindering his ability to [[approach]] and combat [[spacing]] and [[camping]]. The latter problem is more serious, as he has no useful counters against [[projectiles]]. His slow horizontal mobility leaves him vulnerable to getting juggled horizontally, while his very quick vertical mobility also leaves him vulnerable to combos at mid to high percents, and he has a hard time escaping from them once he enters enough knockback, making it very easy for other characters with reliable combos to rack up damage on him.
King Dedede benefits a fair bit from his [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Topspin Gordo has consistent power and moves much faster, which allows King Dedede to force the opponent to react with little risk of his Gordo being used against him, due to its high speed. However, it does not last as long, and it removes almost all combos with the Gordo itself, as it cannot be used for traps, and moving the control stick barely changes its trajectory. Bouncing Gordo is considerably weaker, but it lasts much longer, and enables King Dedede to apply stage control and gives him more time to use Gordo combos. The Gordo's trajectory changes greatly when the player tilts the control stick. Rising Dedede covers more vertical distance, maintains the default's super armor, and can even function as an (albeit risky) out of shield option due to its hitbox while ascending. However, it cannot meteor smash, as King Dedede becomes helpless at the apex of its jump, which also makes it less safe, especially if King Dedede tries to land on the stage. Dash Jet Hammer does far less damage, but King Dedede dashes forward when he attacks, enabling it to function as a mindgame tool. It can also function as a viable horizontal recovery option, which can ameliorate his glacial air speed.


His special moveset also faces some issues, as it is arguably half-functional. Gordo Toss can be used for strong stage control if spaced and timed correctly, but it can be [[Reflection|reflected]] by any attack that deals at least 2%, limiting its otherwise great utility and stage control effect and making it unsafe even when used from a distance. Super Dedede Jump is an amazing recovery move due to its distance and super armor, but its use is almost limited exclusively to recovering. Inhale can be used to add on pressure to the opponent and possibly score a [[sacrificial KO#Grab-based sacrificial KOs|Dededecide]], but it is easily telegraphed and unsafe due to the removal of grab armor. Lastly, [[Jet Hammer]] is best used only when trying to punish an unsafe get-up attempt or when breaking a shield.
All of his other custom moves have very situational advantages and are overshadowed by their disadvantages, with Dedede Storm, Taste Test, and Armored Jet Hammer being the most notorious examples. Dedede Storm has much slower start-up and ending lag than [[Inhale]], removes Dededecide, is a multi-hitting move that cannot connect after 100%, and lacks strong hitboxes, preventing it from KOing even well beyond 200%. Taste Test spits opponents out instantly, preventing Dedede from sending the opponent off-stage, which allows them to exploit his vulnerability. Armored Jet Hammer offers super armor on charge, but causes [[recoil damage]] faster, is drastically weaker to the point where a fully charged blow is weaker than an uncharged hit by the default, and has severe ending lag to the point where one can jump from the top of {{SSB4|Battlefield}} and use it and then be unable to move until Dedede lands on the main platform.


King Dedede's biggest flaw, however, is his overall moveset being underwhelming. The majority of his moves are among the slowest, along with {{SSB4|Shulk}} and {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}, making King Dedede prone to punishment, and due to his vulnerability to combos, he will have to [[read]] his opponents more often than not to land a move and prevent getting punished. His fastest moves (down tilt and neutral aerial) come out on frame 6, though repeatedly using them can render Dedede easy to punish. On top of that, his overall moveset is among the weakest of all heavyweights, with very few moves being capable of reliably KOing before 80%, and said moves (except down smash and back aerial) being easy to punish before or after they connect.
Overall, King Dedede's weaknesses heavily outweigh his strengths. Due to his very sluggish frame data, risky neutral game and poor approach, his optimal playstyle is a defensive combination of zoning as well as baiting and punishing.  


King Dedede is one of the few characters that has the least effective [[Character customization|custom moves]] in the game, as he has only three that either match or surpass the utility of his default special moves: Topspin Gordo, Bouncing Gordo and Rising Dedede. Topspin Gordo has consistent power and moves much faster, giving it much more range, but starts up slower and does not last as long. Bouncing Gordo is [[electric]] and allows for stage control and pressure, but is much weaker. Rising Dedede maintains its super armor while having a strong hitbox on the way up, making it impossible to interrupt his recovery, and cancels immediately at the apex of the jump, making it able to grab the edge at anytime but removes its very powerful descending hitbox. All of his other custom moves have very situational advantages and are overshadowed by their disadvantages, with Dedede Storm, Taste Test, and Armored Jet Hammer being the most notorious examples. Dedede Storm has much slower start-up and ending lag than [[Inhale]], removes Dededecide, is a multiple hitting move that cannot connect after 100%, and lacks strong hitboxes, preventing it from KOing even well over 200%. Taste Test spits opponents out instantly, preventing Dedede from sending the opponent off-stage, which allows them to exploit Dedede's infamous [[neutral game]]. Armored Jet Hammer offers super armor on charge, but causes [[recoil damage]] faster, is drastically weaker to the point where a fully charged blow is weaker than an uncharged hit by the default, and has severe ending lag to the point where one can jump from the top of {{SSB4|Battlefield}} and use it and then be unable to move until Dedede lands on the main platform.
==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
King Dedede has been heavily [[nerf]]ed in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''. Several of his moves have been heavily altered or changed entirely, which has resulted in both positive and negative changes to his playstyle, though despite his buffs, his nerfs are much more prevalent due to his worse frame data and the loss of many of the traits that made him a formidable character in ''Brawl''.


Overall, King Dedede's weaknesses outweigh his strengths, resulting in very low tournament representation and being poorly regarded in the western scene, with only {{Sm|Big D}} achieving arguably notable results. However, he is viewed more favorably in the European scene, courtesy of {{Sm|El_Bardo}} achieving strong tournament results to his credit.
The most notable positives that these changes bring are his new [[down tilt]], new side special [[Gordo Throw]], and his down special, [[Jet Hammer]]. Dedede's new down tilt has faster start-up and travels a long distance, making it one of his best defensive moves (out of shield, after a smash attack, etc) at the cost of its spacing potential. Unlike [[Waddle Dee Toss]], Gordo Throw deals a consistent amount of damage, fairly high knockback, and can even be used to "pinball" opponents by using their tumbling momentum to Dedede's advantage by trapping them between a Gordo and Dedede due to the ability to angle a Gordo's trajectory, which improves his neutral game. Lastly, Jet Hammer has been noticeably buffed in terms of range and the recoil damage, and due to the addition of [[rage]] combined with his high endurance and weight, it is a much better move both onstage and for edge-guarding. As a result, these moves are more versatile than their previous iterations in ''Brawl''. Some of the gameplay changes brought about by ''SSB4'' have also helped Dedede. He is now less susceptible to projectile camping due to the universal nerf to projectile camping (although he still arguably has the hardest time against camping), and he can utilize the rage mechanic very effectively due to his considerable weight, which supplements his high power.


==Changes from ''Brawl''==
However, the aforementioned new move alterations and changes to gameplay mechanics have also brought drawbacks that drastically outweigh the aforementioned positives, despite having a less polarized moveset than ''Brawl''. The most significant of these came with his new [[down throw]]. Dedede's grabs are slower and have less range making it harder for him to land a grab and when he does, the reward he receives has been greatly decreased. One positive change down throw received is that it now launches opponents vertically which gives it greater followup potential however, down throw no longer has [[set knockback]] making its followups percentage dependent and the removal of [[chain grab]]bing has heavily harmed down throw as it can no longer be used to (infinitely depending on the character) chaingrab opponents. While it is still a decent throw overall, it is nowhere near what his ''Brawl'' down throw was which was so powerful that it alone completely nullified certain characters.
King Dedede has received a mix of [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4'', but he is considered to be significantly nerfed overall. Several of his moves have been heavily altered or changed entirely, which has resulted in both positive and negative changes to his playstyle, though despite his buffs, his nerfs are much more prevalent due to his worse frame data and the loss of many of the traits that made him a formidable character in ''Brawl''.


The most notable positives that these changes bring are his new [[down tilt]], new [[forward aerial]], new side special [[Gordo Toss]], and his down special, [[Jet Hammer]]. Dedede's new down tilt has faster start-up and travels a long distance, making it one of his best defensive moves (out of shield, after a smash attack, etc). His new forward aerial has less start-up, and more favorable hitbox placement than in ''Brawl''. Unlike [[Waddle Dee Toss]], Gordo Toss deals a consistent amount of damage, fairly high knockback, and can even be used to "pinball" opponents by using their tumbling momentum to Dedede's advantage by trapping them between a Gordo and Dedede due to the ability to angle a Gordo's trajectory, which improves his neutral game. Lastly, Jet Hammer has been noticeably buffed in terms of range and the recoil damage, and due to the addition of [[rage]] combined with his high survivability and weight, it is a much better move both onstage and for ledge-guarding. As a result, these three new moves and Jet Hammer are noticeably more versatile than their previous iterations in ''Brawl''. Some of the gameplay changes brought about by ''SSB4'' have also helped Dedede. He is now less susceptible to projectile camping due to the universal nerf to campable projectiles, and he can utilize the rage mechanic very effectively due to his considerable weight, which supplements his high power.
Another one of Dedede's best moves which was changed for the worse was his [[back aerial]]. The move went from a fast, powerful, disjointed [[sex kick]] to a more powerful but much laggier and more difficult to land backward hammer swing. While the move is still decent, it is no longer one of the best back aerials in the game and one of Dedede's best moves. [[Up tilt]] was also noticeably nerfed as it is laggier, lingers for less time and has much less KO power. His new moves, despite bringing nice buffs, have also brought some drawbacks as well, such as his down tilt losing its KO power and having worse spacing capabilities, his new forward aerial no longer auto-canceling in a short hop (despite its faster start-up lag and more favorable hitbox placement) and being weaker and Gordo Throw being able to be reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2%, which also hurts the previous anti-camping abilities the Waddle Dee Toss had in ''Brawl''. Dedede's already terrible air speed was decreased even further which is especially poor as most other returning veterans had their air speed increased. Altogether, all of these changes have nerfed Dedede's approach potential. Lastly, the changes to [[hitstun canceling]] also significantly harm Dedede, as they weaken his endurance despite his increased weight and make him an easy victim of combos.


However, the aforementioned new move alterations and changes to gameplay mechanics have also brought drawbacks that drastically outweigh the aforementioned positives despite having a less polarized moveset than ''Brawl''. The most notable examples are his [[up tilt]], new [[back aerial]], and especially his new [[down throw]] all losing their versatility due to the former losing its KO power, the second losing its fast startup and lingering hitbox (both up tilt and back aerial also lost their consistent strength), and the latter being affected by ''SSB4''{{'}}s removal of [[chain grabbing]]. Dedede's renowned grab game was also nerfed even further due to his grab range being reduced. Dedede's new moves, despite bringing nice buffs, have also brought some drawbacks as well, such as his down tilt losing its KO power, his forward aerial no longer autocanceling in a short hop and Gordo Toss being able to be reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2% of damage, which also hurts the previous anti-camping abilities the Waddle Dee Toss had in ''Brawl''. Despite zoning having been nerfed, Dedede still arguably has the hardest time dealing with it. His excellent recovery has also got both buffs and nerfs, as Super Dedede Jump can now grab ledges, but his already poor air speed was lowered even further. The latter nerf also worsens his already poor mobility overall, despite his improved ground mobility and fast-falling speed. Lastly, the changes to hitstun canceling also significantly harm Dedede as it lowers his vertical endurance and makes him an easy victim of combos, which is further compounded by the introduction of more versatile combo throws than he has. As a result, King Dedede is significantly less effective than he was in ''Brawl'', alongside {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}}, {{SSB4|Olimar}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, {{SSB4|Marth}} and fellow representative {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}. However, it is important to notice that the latter three have received noticeable, direct buffs over time by game updates, while Dedede has been directly nerfed in them. Due to this, and unlike these characters, he is overall seen as non-viable in competitive play.
As a result of these changes, King Dedede is significantly worse than he was in ''Brawl'' as his overall frame data was nerfed and a lot of his moves were completely changed with his two best moves (back aerial and down throw) being changed for the worse and he is one of the few characters who suffered more from the changes to ''Smash 4''{{'}}s mechanics than he benefited from them. He is arguably the most severely nerfed character in his transition from ''Brawl'', and despite having never been considered a strong character, Dedede was directly nerfed in patches receiving nerfs to his forward aerial, down throw, Gordos and his air speed. While this was somewhat balanced out with other top tiers receiving nerfs, other lower tiered characters had been buffed and DLC characters such as {{SSB4|Cloud}} and (more importantly) {{SSB4|Bayonetta}} were added to the game, further worsening his matchup spread. Due to this, Dedede went from a polarizing high tier who heavily struggled against some of the top tiers but completely annihilated many mid and low tiers to a non-viable bottom tier character who loses to almost every character ranked above him and only slightly beats some of the characters ranked below him.


===Aesthetics===
===Aesthetics===
*{{change|King Dedede has a more cartoonish and brightly colored appearance due to the new aesthetic used in ''SSB4'', making his design appear similar to his design in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Right Back at Ya!}}''. His attire also sports a graphical effect that accentuates the fuzz on his robes and crown, while his pupils are also smaller than they are in ''Brawl''. Lastly, he has gained even more exaggerated facial expressions.}}
*{{change|Due to the aesthetic used in ''SSB4'', King Dedede has a sleeker design, his overall color scheme is more vibrant, and his attire's fur trim is of a significantly higher visual quality than in ''Brawl''. His pupils are also smaller. Altogether, these changes make King Dedede appear more in line with his official artwork for ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Super Star Ultra}}'' and ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby Mass Attack}}''.}}
*{{change|The sound King Dedede emits during his up taunt is now in sync with the animation, regardless of the direction he is facing.}}
*{{change|King Dedede is more expressive.<ref name="Direct">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xUWnQu2Grs Super Smash Bros. Direct 4.8.2014]</ref>}}
*{{change|Up taunt's voice clip is now in sync with its animation, regardless of the direction he is facing.}}


===Attributes===
===Attributes===
*{{change|Like other large characters, such as {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}} and {{SSB4|Bowser}}, King Dedede's [https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADMUKlhFSRn7g general size in proportion to the other playable characters is also greater than in previous installments.] This improves his [[reach]], but makes his hurtbox larger, making him easier to hit.}}
*{{change|Like other large characters, such as {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}} and {{SSB4|Bowser}}, King Dedede's general size in proportion to the other playable characters is also greater than in previous installments. This improves his [[range]], but makes his hurtbox larger.}}
*{{nerf|The changes to hitstun canceling significantly hinder King Dedede, as they make him very susceptible to combos. It also means he can no longer momentum cancel, hindering his vertical endurance despite being heavier than in ''Brawl''. However, he still has the best vertical endurance among the cast due to his heavier weight.}}
*{{change|King Dedede is [[Weight|heavier]] (112 → 119). This improves his endurance, but makes him more susceptible to combos.}}
*{{change|King Dedede is heavier (112 → 119), improving his endurance but making him more susceptible to combos.}}
*{{buff|King Dedede [[walk]]s faster (0.95 → 0.98).}}
*{{buff|King Dedede [[Walking|walks]] faster (0.95 → 0.98).}}
*{{buff|King Dedede [[dash]]es faster (1.22 → 1.36).}}
*{{buff|King Dedede [[dash]]es faster (1.22 → 1.36).}}
*{{nerf|King Dedede's [[air speed]] is slower (0.658 → 0.63), hindering his aerial mobility and making him even more susceptible to horizontal juggling.}}
*{{nerf|King Dedede's [[air speed]] which was already the slowest in the game by a considerable margin is even slower (0.658 → 0.63). This is especially poor as most other veterans had their air speed increased.}}
*{{buff|King Dedede's [[fast fall]]ing speed is faster (2.73 → 3.12), making him less susceptible to vertical juggling.}}
*{{buff|As with almost all returning veterans, King Dedede's [[fast fall]]ing speed is faster (2.73 → 3.12), improving his air game and making him less susceptible to juggling.}}
*{{change|King Dedede's [[gravity]] is higher (0.0837 → 0.08788), hindering his endurance and making him more susceptible to combos, but allowing him to reach his falling speed faster.}}
*{{change|King Dedede's [[gravity]] is higher (0.0837 → 0.087885). This improves his aerial mobility, but hinders his endurance and makes him more susceptible to combos.}}
*{{nerf|[[Roll]] has increased ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).}}
*{{nerf|[[Spot dodge]] has increased start-up lag with a shorter duration (frames 2-20 → 4-19) and it has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).}}
*{{buff|[[Air dodge]] has decreased ending lag (FAF 40 → 35) although relative to the cast, it has gone from one of the fastest air dodges to one of the slowest as its intangibility was unchanged.}}
*{{buff|[[Jump]] is higher.}}
*{{buff|[[Jump]] is higher.}}
*{{buff|King Dedede's soft landing is faster (5 frames → 2).}}
*{{buff|Soft landing is faster (5 frames → 2).}}
*{{buff|King Dedede's [[item throw]] is stronger (1 → 1.063).}}
*{{buff|[[Item throw]] is stronger (1 → 1.063).}}
*{{nerf|[[Roll]] has increased ending lag (IASA 32 → 33).}}
*{{change|The removal of [[chain grab]]bing both helps and hinders King Dedede. It significantly improves his endurance, but removes his own chain grabs.}}
*{{nerf|[[Sidestep]] has increased start-up and ending lag (IASA 27 → 28). It also has a shorter duration (frame 2-20 → 4-19).}}
*{{nerf|The changes to [[hitstun canceling]] significantly hinder King Dedede. They make him very susceptible to combos and remove his ability to momentum cancel,hindering his endurance in spite of his heavier weight. However, he still has the best vertical endurance among the cast. The only moves that benefit from the changes to hitstun canceling are down throw and to a lesser extent up tilt and up throw.}}
*{{buff|[[Air dodge]] has decreased ending lag (IASA 39 → 34).}}


===Ground attacks===
===Ground attacks===
*{{nerf|[[Neutral attack]] deals less damage (6% → 4% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 2), 2% → 1% (loop hits)) and has smaller hitboxes (6u/3.5u → 2.5u (hits 1-2), 4u/5u/7u → 2u/3u/7u (loop)). The second hit can also no longer [[trip]] opponents.}}
*[[Neutral attack]]:
*{{buff|Neutral attack's hits connect together better due to the first hit having slightly decreased start-up (frame 12 → 10) and the second hit being able to be [[Interruptibility|interrupted]] significantly faster (frame 50 → 28). The neutral infinite now has a finisher, an upward hammer swing, that deals 3% and high knockback (80 (base)/150 (scaling)). This improves its utility potential and safety.}}
**{{buff|Neutral attack's first hit has decreased start-up lag (frame 12 → 10). Its neutral infinite has also received a finisher, an upward hammer swing.}}
*{{change|Neutral attack has altered knockback (20/25/35 (set)/100 (scaling) → 50/48 (base)/25 (set)/10/100 (scaling) (hit 1), 20 (base)/50 (scaling) → 50/30 (base)/10/45 (scaling) (hit 2), 30 (base)/20 (scaling) → 60/20/2 (set)/100 (scaling) (loop hits)) and altered angles ([[Sakurai angle|361°]]/80° → 75°/105°/361° (hit 1), 85° → 115°/105°/100° (hit 2), 30° → 70° (loop hits)).}}
**{{buff|The weakening of [[Smash directional influence|SDI]] makes neutral infinite significantly more difficult to escape from.}}
*{{buff|[[Forward tilt]] deals more damage (6%/4% → 11%) due to consisting of five hits instead of one, it has a larger hitbox (4.5u → 8u) and it lasts 1 frame longer (frame 12-22 → 12-23). The last hit also has increased knockback (20 (base)/80/100 (scaling) → 30/190), granting it KO potential at very high percentages.}}
**{{nerf|Neutral attack deals less damage (6% → 4% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 2), 2% → 1% (loop)) and has smaller hitboxes (6u/3.5u → 2.5u (hits 1-2), 4u/5u/7u → 2u/3u/7u (loop)). The second hit can also no longer [[Tripping|trip]] opponents.}}
*{{nerf|Forward tilt has increased ending lag (20 frames 26). King Dedede also now holds his hammer from the middle of it rather than the end, decreasing its reach.}}
**{{change|Neutral attack has altered knockback (20/25/35 (set)/100 (scaling) → 50/48 (base)/25 (set)/10/100 (scaling) (hit 1), 20 (base)/50 (scaling) → 50/30 (base)/10/45 (scaling) (hit 2), 30 (base)/20 (scaling) → 60/20/2 (set)/100 (scaling) (loop)) and altered angles ([[Sakurai angle|361°]]/80° → 75°/105°/361° (hit 1), 85° → 115°/105°/100° (hit 2), 30° → 70° (loop hits)). This makes the first hit connect into the second hit more reliably but makes it harder to [[jab lock]] with.}}
*{{change|Forward tilt has an altered angle (65° → 50°).}}
*[[Forward tilt]]:
*{{buff|[[Up tilt]] has increased horizontal reach (6u → 8u), especially in front of King Dedede, making it slightly easier to land.}}
**{{nerf|King Dedede now holds his hammer from the middle of the handle, instead of the end of it, decreasing its range and making it less disjointed.}}
*{{nerf|Up tilt has received a sourspot on its later portion that deals 2% less damage (12% → 10%) and has increased start-up (frame 7 → 9) and ending lag (25 frames 29). It also has significantly decreased knockback (30 (base)/120 (scaling) → 50/80), hindering its KO potential.}}  
**{{buff|Forward tilt deals more damage (6%/4% → 11%) due to consisting of five hits instead of one. Additionally, it has a much larger hitbox (4.5u → 8u) and a slightly longer duration (frames 12-22 → 12-23). Lastly, its last hit has increased knockback (20 (base)/80/100 (scaling) → 30/190), granting it KO potential at high percentages.}}
*{{buff|King Dedede has a new [[down tilt]], a forward rolling tackle. Compared to the previous down tilt, it deals more knockback (20/10 (base)/100 (scaling) → 60/75), has a larger hitbox (6u/4u → 7u/5u) and less start-up (frame 7 → 6), making it more useful and versatile.}}
**{{nerf|Forward tilt has increased ending lag (FAF 43 49).}}
*{{nerf|Down tilt launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 38°), making it less effective at KOing at very high percentages compared to the previous down tilt, despite its increased knockback. It also lasts 2 frames shorter (10 frames → 8), has more ending lag (25 frames 27) and can miss if used too close to the opponent.}}
**{{change|Forward tilt's final hit has an altered angle (65° → 50°).}}
*{{change|[[Dash attack]] deals consistent damage (16%/14% → 16%), but has received a sourspot that deals 1% less damage compared to the hitbox on King Dedede's body (14% → 13%). It also has increased [[hitlag]] (1x → 1.2x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}
*[[Up tilt]]:
*{{buff|Dash attack has increased knockback (35 (base)/95 (scaling) → 40/100) and a larger hitbox (5u → 7u/6u).}}
**{{buff|Up tilt has noticeably increased horizontal range (6u → 8u) and considerably more combo potential due to its altered knockback combined with the changes to hitstun canceling/DI. Its intangibility also has a longer duration (frames 7-8 → 9-15).}}
*{{nerf|Dash attack can now miss if used too close to the opponent.}}
**{{nerf|Up tilt has received a sourspot that deals 2% less damage (12% → 10%) and the hitbox on Dedede's lower body has been removed. It also has increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 7-17 → 9-15) and has more ending lag (FAF 40 44) and it only grants intangibility to Dedede's head and left arm as opposed to his whole body. It also has significantly decreased knockback (30 (base)/120 (scaling) → 50/80) greatly hindering its KO potential.}}
*{{buff|Sourspotted [[forward smash]] deals more damage (13% → 15% (early), 5% → 6% (late)) and the early hit has increased knockback scaling (90 → 93), though they are still drastically weaker than the sweetspot. Sweetspotted forward smash also has a larger hitbox (5.7u → 6u).}}
*[[Down tilt]]:
*{{nerf|Sweetspotted forward smash has altered knockback (55 (base)/90 (scaling) → 30/93), hindering its KO potential. However, it is still the strongest forward smash in the game. Early sourspotted forward smash also has a smaller hitbox (4.7u 4.69999u).}}
**{{change|King Dedede has a new down tilt, a cartwheeling tackle. Compared to the previous down tilt, it deals different knockback (20/10 (base)/100 (scaling) → 60/75).}}
*{{change|Late sourspotted forward smash has an altered angle (80° → 60°).}}
**{{buff|Down tilt has larger hitboxes (6u/4u → 7u/5u) and slightly less startup lag (frame 7 → 6).}}
*{{buff|[[Up smash]] has decreased start-up and a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-24).}}
**{{change|New down tilt moves Dedede forwards, significantly increasing its range and allowing Dedede to pseudo-[[crawl]] but hindering its spacing potential and making it much easier to punish.}}
*{{nerf|[[Down smash]] deals 2% less damage (15% → 13%) and lasts 1 frame shorter (10 frames → 9), making it weaker despite its increased base knockback (50 (base)/82 (scaling) → 60/80).}}
**{{nerf|Down tilt launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 45°), making it less effective at KOing at very high percentages compared to the previous down tilt. It also has a shorter duration (frames 7-18 6-13), has more ending lag (FAF 36 38), and can whiff if used too close to the opponent.}}
*{{buff|Down smash has altered angles (105°/80°/50° → 30°/361°), making it capable of [[semi-spike|semi-spiking]] opponents. This improves its utility, especially for edgeguarding.}}
*[[Dash attack]]:
**{{buff|Clean dash attack now deals consistent damage as the body hitbox was removed (16%/14% → 16%) and it has increased knockback (35 (base)/95 (scaling) → 40/100) improving its KO potential. It also has larger hitboxes (5u → 7u/6u).}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to [[shield]]s and the increase to [[shieldstun]] significantly improve dash attack's shield pressuring potential.}}
**{{nerf|Dash attack has received a late hitbox that deals slightly less damage (14% → 13%) compared to the previous body hitbox although its knockback scaling was compensated (95 → 100). Dash attack can now also whiff if used too close to the opponent as the body hitbox was removed, hindering its safety.}}
**{{nerf|Dash attack has increased [[Freeze frames|hitlag]] (1× → 1.2×). This makes it easier to DI while not improving its safety on shield due to the changes to hitlag.}}
*[[Forward smash]]:
**{{buff|Sourspotted forward smash deals slightly more damage (13% → 15% (early), 5% → 6% (late)) and the early hit has increased knockback scaling (90 → 93), though they are still drastically weaker than the sweetspot. Sweetspotted forward smash also has a slightly larger hitbox (5.7u → 6u).}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve clean forward smash's shield pressuring potential, to the point where it can break most shields if used properly.}}
**{{nerf|Sweetspotted forward smash has more startup lag (frame 44 → 45) and reduced knockback (55 (base)/90 (scaling) → 30/93), hindering its KO potential. However, it is still the strongest forward smash in the game. The late hit also has a shorter duration (frames 47-55 48-49).}}
**{{change|Late forward smash has an altered angle (80° → 60°).}}
*[[Up smash]]:
**{{buff|Up smash has decreased startup lag with a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-24).}}
*[[Down smash]]:
**{{buff|Down smash has altered angles (105°/80°/50° → 30°/361°), making it capable of [[semi-spike|semi-spiking]] opponents. This grants it edgeguarding potential.}}
**{{nerf|Down smash deals 2% less damage (15% → 13%), making it weaker despite its increased base knockback (50 → 60). It also has a slightly shorter duration (10 frames → 9).}}


===Aerial attacks===
===Aerial attacks===
*{{buff|[[Neutral aerial]] has increased knockback (30 (base)/85 (scaling) → 40/95 (clean), 30 (base) → 40 (late)) and a larger hitbox (9u → 10u (clean), 5u → 6u (late)).}}
*[[Neutral aerial]]:
*{{nerf|King Dedede has a new [[forward aerial]], a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous forward aerial, it deals 3% less damage (15% → 12%), has more ending lag (22 frames 27) and a longer autocancel frame (frame 34 → 40). This results in it being unable to autocancel from a short hop.}}
**{{buff|Neutral aerial has increased knockback (30 (base)/85 (scaling) → 40/95 (clean), 30 (base) → 40 (late)) and slightly larger hitboxes (9u → 10u (clean), 5u → 6u (late)).}}
*{{buff|Forward aerial has faster start-up (frame 16 → 13) and a much more favorable hitbox placement with increased reach (7.5u/4u → 8u/5u). This makes it much easier to land and better for combos compared to the previous forward aerial.}}
*[[Forward aerial]]:
*{{buff|King Dedede has a new [[back aerial]], an upward hammer swing. It deals 3% more damage (13% → 16%) and has increased range (8.5u/7u → 10u), making it better for KOing compared to the previous back aerial.}}
**{{nerf|King Dedede has a new forward aerial, a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous forward aerial, it deals 3% less damage (15% → 12%) hindering its KO potential, has more ending lag (FAF 37 42) and [[auto-cancel]]s later (frame 34 → 40). This results in it being unable to auto-cancel in a short hop.}}
*{{nerf|Back aerial has significantly more start-up and ending lag (8 frames → 20), a much shorter duration (frame 6-25 → 17-19), and cannot trip opponents. This makes it much less versatile compared to the previous back aerial.}}
**{{buff|Forward aerial has less startup lag (frame 16 → 13) and increased range (7.5u/4u → 8u/5u) making it easier to land.}}
*{{change|Back aerial has different knockback (20 (base)/100 (scaling) → 30/88) compared to the previous back aerial.}}
*[[Back aerial]]:
*{{change|Back aerial has increased hitlag (1x → 1.2x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}
**{{change|King Dedede has a new back aerial, an upward hammer swing.}}
*{{nerf|[[Up aerial]]'s loop hits deal 1% less damage (2% → 1%), decreasing the move's overall damage potential by 7% (19% → 12%).}}
**{{buff|It deals 3% more damage (13% (clean), 9% (late) → 16%) and has increased vertical range (8.5u/7u → 10u), making it better for KOing compared to the previous back aerial despite its lower knockback (20 (base)/100 (scaling) → 30/88).}}
*{{buff|Up aerial's last hit has increased knockback scaling (130 → 150), improving its KO potential. The multiple hits also have altered angles (60°/120°/95° → [[Autolink angle|366°]]/90°). When coupled with the universal nerf to [[SDI]], this improves its trapping ability.}}
**{{nerf|Back aerial has significantly more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 6-8 (clean), 9-25 (late) → 17-19), ending lag (FAF 33 → 38), and auto-cancels later (frame 26 → 33). It also cannot trip opponents due to its increased strength and it has lost its 30% extra trip chance. This makes it much less versatile compared to the previous back aerial. Additionally, it has much less horizontal range and far less disjointed hitboxes, hindering its spacing potential.}}
*{{nerf|King Dedede has a new [[down aerial]], a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous down aerial, it deals 2% less damage (17% → 15%) due to consisting of one hit instead of seven, has significantly increased start-up without the long duration (frame 9-27 → 22-23) and has a sourspot at the hammer's handle that deals 9% less damage (17% → 8%). This makes it lack the pressuring and anti-juggling abilities that the previous down aerial had.}}
**{{nerf|Back aerial has increased hitlag (→ 1.), making it easier to DI.}}
*{{buff|Down aerial has larger hitboxes (4u/5u/6.5u → 5.5u/6u/8.5u). It also [[meteor smash]]es aerial opponents if the hammer's whole head lands (70°/80° → 270°) and launches grounded opponents at the Sakurai angle. This makes it a very powerful edgeguarding option and a powerful, though situational, on-stage KOing option compared to the previous down aerial.}}
*[[Up aerial]]:
*{{change|Sweetspotted down aerial has increased hitlag (1x → 1.5x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}
**{{nerf|Up aerial's loop hits deal 1% less damage (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output by 7% (19% → 12%).}}
**{{buff|Up aerial's last hit has significantly increased knockback scaling (130 → 150), improving its KO potential. Its loop hits also have altered angles (60°/120°/95° → [[Autolink angle|366°]]/90°), which makes them connect together better.}}
**{{buff|The weakening of SDI makes up aerial significantly more difficult to escape from.}}
*[[Down aerial]]:
**{{nerf|King Dedede has a new down aerial, a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous down aerial, it deals 2% less damage (17% → 15%) due to consisting of one hit instead of seven, has significantly increased startup lag, a shorter duration (frame 9-27 → 22-23), and has a sourspot at the hammer's handle that deals 9% less damage (17% → 8%). Altogether, these changes make it much worse at pressuring and anti-juggling compared to the previous down aerial.}}
**{{buff|Down aerial [[meteor smash]]es aerial opponents if the hammer's whole head lands (70°/80° → 270°) and launches opponents at the [[Sakurai angle]] otherwise. As it only has one powerful hit, this makes it a very powerful edgeguarding option and a strong, albeit situational, on-stage KOing option compared to the previous down aerial. It also has larger hitboxes (4u/5u/6.5u → 5.5u/6u/8.5u).}}
**{{nerf|Sweetspotted down aerial has increased hitlag (→ 1.), making it easier to DI.}}


===Throws/other attacks===
===Throws/other attacks===
*{{change|The removal of [[chain grab]]bing both helps and hinders King Dedede. While it results in him no longer being very susceptible to them, it also removes one of the most pivotal aspects of his playstyle.}}
*{{nerf|All grabs have decreased ranges. Standing and pivot grabs are larger (4u → 4.5u) but their Z positions have been moved (18/13/8 → 5 (standing), -22/-15/-8 → -6 (pivot) giving them less range. Dash grab is smaller (4u → 3.6u) and its Y and Z position have been moved (9/(15/10/5) → 7/4). Lastly, all three grabs only have one grab box instead of three.}}
*{{nerf|All grabs' ranges have decreased.}}
*{{nerf|Standing and pivot grabs have increased start-up lag (frame 6 → 7 (standing), frame 7 → 10 (pivot)) and all grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 30 (standing), 40 (dash), 36 (pivot) → 36/45/40).}}
*{{nerf|Standing grab and pivot grab have increased start-up (frame 6 → 7 (standing), frame 7 → 10 (pivot)).}}
*{{buff|Dash grab has slightly decreased ending lag, making it less punishable when missed.}}
*{{change|Dash grab's animation has changed. King Dedede no longer stumbles over when he misses it.}}
*{{change|Dash grab's animation has changed. King Dedede no longer stumbles over when he misses it.}}
*{{nerf|Forward, back, and down throws deal less damage (12% → 10% (forward), 16% → 13% (back), 8% → 6% (down)).}}
*[[Forward throw]]:
*{{nerf|Back throw has an altered angle ([[Sakurai angle|361°]] → 60°). When coupled with its decreased damage output, this hinders its KO potential, despite its increased knockback scaling (65 → 79).}}
**{{nerf|Forward throw deals less damage (12% → 10%).}}
*{{buff|The changes to hitstun canceling improve [[up throw]]'s follow-up potential into up aerial at low percentages.}}
*[[Back throw]]:
*{{buff|King Dedede has a new down throw, a one-handed body slam. Compared to the previous down throw, it launches opponents at a vertical angle (20° → 80°), making it better for combos.}}
**{{buff|Back throw has increased knockback scaling (65 → 79).}}
*{{nerf|Down throw no longer has set knockback (80 (set)/100 (scaling) → 70 (base)/82 (scaling)).}}
**{{nerf|Back throw deals less damage (6% (hit), 10% (throw), 16% (total) 4%/9%/13%).}}
*{{change|[[Floor attack]] deals 1% more damage (6% → 7%), though its knockback scaling was compensated (50 → 48). It also has an altered angle ([[Sakurai angle|361°]] → 48°).}}
**{{change|Back throw has an altered angle (45° → 60°).}}
*{{nerf|King Dedede's [[intangible]] and very far-reaching 100%+ edge attack was removed, leaving him with a significantly inferior edge attack at high percentages.}}
*[[Up throw]]:
*{{buff|Edge attack no longer has set knockback (110 (set)/100 (scaling) → 20 (base)/90 (scaling)).}}
**{{buff|The changes to [[hitstun]] canceling improve up throw's combo potential into up aerial at low percentages.}}
*[[Down throw]]:
**{{buff|King Dedede has a new down throw, a one-handed body slam. Compared to the previous down throw, it launches opponents at a vertical angle (20° → 80°) and Dedede releases the opponent later (frame 23 → 26), making it better for combos from low to medium percentages and overall functioning better with ''Smash 4''{{'}}s mechanics.}}
**{{nerf|Down throw does not have set knockback like the previous down throw (80 (set)/100 (scaling) → 70 (base)/82). While this allows the throw to lead into up aerial at certain percents, this removes the throw's ability to have consistent followups at all percents and every character is put into [[tumble]] at 0% allowing heavier characters to DI the throw.}}
**{{nerf|The removal of chain grabbing combined with the throw's altered knockback significantly hinders down throw as it removes Dedede's infinite chaingrab on most characters.}}
**{{nerf|Down throw deals less damage (4% (hit and throw), 8% (total) → 6%).}}
*[[Floor attack]]:
**{{buff|Floor attack deals 1% more damage (6% → 7%), though its knockback scaling was compensated (50 → 48).}}
**{{change|Floor attack has an altered angle ([[Sakurai angle|361°]] → 48°).}}
*[[Edge attack]]:
**{{nerf|King Dedede has lost his [[intangible]] and long-ranged 100%+ edge attack, leaving him with a significantly inferior edge attack at high percentages.}}
**{{buff|Edge attack no longer has set knockback (110 (set)/100 (scaling) → 20 (base)/90 (scaling)).}}


===Special moves===
===Special moves===
*{{nerf|The removal of grab armor hinders {{b|Inhale|King Dedede}}'s utility as a defensive landing option, as trades will now result in Dedede getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.}}
*{{b|Inhale|King Dedede}}:
*{{buff|King Dedede has a new side special, [[Gordo Toss]]. Dedede takes out a [[Gordo]] and hits it with his hammer, bouncing it along the ground. Compared to [[Waddle Dee Toss]], Gordo Toss is much more consistent both as a projectile and in power. Gordo Toss' ability to bounce the Gordos in different trajectories also gives the move greater trapping capabilities. The hammer swing used to perform the move also produces a hitbox on the hammer that deals 12%, which can also hit opponents into the subsequently tossed Gordo for immense damage. Additionally, Gordo Toss can hit twice depending on the opponent's position.}}
**{{nerf|The removal of grab armor hinders Inhale's utility as a defensive landing option, as trades will now result in Dedede getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.}}
*{{nerf|Gordo Toss deals 8% less damage (22% → 14%) compared to Waddle Dee Toss' Gordos. Unlike Waddle Dee Toss, Gordo Toss lacks anti-camping potential due to its Gordos being susceptible to reflection by any hitbox that deals at least 2%.}}
*[[Gordo Throw]]:
*{{buff|King Dedede can now grab edges during [[Super Dedede Jump]]'s ascent as long as he is facing the stage, improving its safety. Super Dedede Jump's landing hit can now [[bury]] grounded opponents. Although Super Dedede Jump's landing hit no longer deals extra [[shield damage]] (3 → 0), it is heavily compensated with the removal of damage reduction on [[shield]]s. This improves its shield breaking potential.}}
**{{buff|King Dedede has a new side special, Gordo Throw. Compared to [[Waddle Dee Toss]], Gordo Throw is much more consistent both as a projectile and in regard to power.<ref name="Direct"/> Additionally, Gordo Throw's ability to bounce the Gordos in different trajectories also make it better at trapping. The hammer swing used to perform the move also produces a hitbox on the hammer that deals 12%, which can also hit opponents into the subsequently tossed Gordo. Lastly, Gordo Throw can hit twice, depending on the opponent's position.}}
*{{change|As a result of Dedede's faster fast falling speed, Super Dedede Jump descends faster. It is also now canceled by pressing up instead of down.}}
**{{nerf|Gordo Throw deals less damage (22% → 14% (clean)/12.5% (mid early)/11% (mid late)/9.5% (late)), less knockback (65 (base)/70 (scaling) → 70/66) and launches opponents at a less favorable angle (70° → 60°) significantly hindering their KO potential compared to Waddle Dee Toss' Gordos. Unlike Waddle Dee Toss, Gordo Throw lacks anti-camping potential, due to its Gordos being reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2%.<ref name="Direct"/>}}
*{{buff|The new edge mechanics improve [[Jet Hammer]]'s edgeguarding potential. The 19% damage increase to shields and the significant increase to [[shieldstun]] also both significantly improve fully charged Jet Hammer's shield breaking potential. Fully charged Jet Hammer's recoil damage also stops earlier (150% → 100%) and when coupled with the introduction of [[rage]], its recoil damage is now a double-edged sword rather than a sole hindrance. The move also has a larger hitbox (7u → 7.5u).}}
**{{nerf|Gordo Throw cannot be [[B-reversing|B-reversed]].}}
*{{buff|Uncharged Jet Hammer has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and decreased start-up (frame 29 → 27).}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun make Gordo Throw significantly better at breaking shields compared to Waddle Dee Toss.}}
*{{change|Fully charged Jet Hammer now has a consistent angle ([[Sakurai angle|361°]]/80° → 361°).}}
*[[Super Dedede Jump]]:
*{{change|Fully charged grounded Jet Hammer deals 8% more damage (30%/20% → 38%/28%), though its knockback was compensated (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 5/66).}}
**{{buff|King Dedede can now grab edges during Super Dedede Jump's ascent as long as he is facing the stage, improving its safety. Super Dedede Jump's descent can also now [[bury]] grounded opponents.}}
*{{nerf|Sweetspotted fully charged aerial Jet Hammer deals 1% less damage (28% → 27%) and has decreased knockback (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 10/70). Uncharged Jet Hammer lasts 1 frame shorter (3 frames 2).}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve Super Dedede Jump's shield pressuring potential, although its landing hit's [[shield damage]] was compensated (3 → 0).}}
*{{change|Jet Hammer's animation has changed. It now produces much more intense lighting that visually brightens the surrounding area, an aesthetic [[wind]] effect and its fully charged swing is more exaggerated. King Dedede also visibly sweats with a grimacing facial expression when using the move.}}
**{{change|Due to King Dedede's faster fast falling speed, Super Dedede Jump descends faster. It is also now canceled by tilting the [[Control stick|control stick/circle pad]] up, instead of down.}}
*{{change|King Dedede has a new [[Final Smash]], [[Dedede Burst]]. Compared to [[Waddle Dee Army]], it is a trapping Final Smash with average initial range and KO potential of a standard Final Smash, making it significantly more reliable at KOing. Unlike Waddle Dee Army, Dedede Burst deals a fixed amount of damage (46%), making it less damaging overall. It is also the only trapping Final Smash that can be escaped from.}}
**{{nerf|As it buries opponents, Super Dedede Jump has less KO potential against grounded opponents and the landing hit's knockback scaling wasn't fully compensated (70 → 100/80).}}
*[[Jet Hammer]]:
**{{buff|Jet Hammer has a larger hitbox (7u → 7.5u). Uncharged Jet Hammer has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and decreased start-up lag (frame 29 → 27).}}
**{{buff|Fully charged grounded Jet Hammer deals 8% more damage (30%/20% → 38%/28%), although its knockback was compensated (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 5/66).}}
**{{nerf|Sweetspotted fully charged aerial Jet Hammer deals 1% less damage (28% → 27%) and has decreased knockback (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 10/70), hindering its KO potential.}}
**{{buff|The changes to edge mechanics improve [[Jet Hammer]]'s edgeguarding potential.}}
**{{buff|Fully charged Jet Hammer's [[recoil damage]] caps earlier (150% 100%). When coupled with the introduction of [[rage]], its recoil damage is now a double-edged sword, instead of solely being a hindrance.}}
**{{change|Jet Hammer's animation has changed. King Dedede grimaces while using it, and will visibly sweat while holding it when it is fully charged. He also swings it lower when using it on the ground, and swings it in a more exaggerated motion when it is fully charged.<ref name="Direct"/>}}
**{{change|Jet Hammer's visual effects have changed. It now produces more intense lighting that brightens the surrounding area, and emits a [[wind]] effect.}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve fully charged Jet Hammer's shield pressuring potential.}}
**{{buff|Fully charged Jet Hammer now has a consistent angle (361°/80° → 361°), improving its edgeguarding potential.}}
*[[Dedede Burst]]:
**{{change|King Dedede has a new [[Final Smash]], Dedede Burst. Compared to [[Waddle Dee Army]], it is a trapping Final Smash with average initial range and KO potential of a standard Final Smash, making it significantly more reliable at KOing. Unlike Waddle Dee Army, Dedede Burst deals a fixed amount of damage, making it less damaging overall.}}
**{{nerf|Unlike other trapping Final Smashes, it is possible to escape Dedede Burst.}}


==Update history==
==Update history==
Despite his poorly regarded status, King Dedede has been nerfed in game updates. Update [[1.0.4]] weakened Dedede's forward aerial, which makes him easier to be punished at low percentages even on hit. It also strengthened his down throw, which makes follow-ups harder to perform and did not grant it KO potential in return. [[Gordo Toss]] was made riskier, due to Gordos becoming slightly smaller and requiring only 2% to be reflected back, while [[Dedede Burst]] was tweaked to the point that it can now be avoided by [[air dodging]].
Despite his poorly regarded status, King Dedede has been nerfed in game updates. Update [[1.0.4]] weakened Dedede's forward aerial, which made the move even more punishable than already was. This update also strengthened his down throw, which makes follow-ups harder to perform, but adjusted its angle in order to make it less susceptible to DI. The most infamous of his nerfs, however, are to [[Gordo Throw]]. The Gordos have now become slightly smaller, and require even less damage to be reflected, which is now 2%. With this change, even rapid jabs and neutral attacks are capable of reflecting Gordos. [[Dedede Burst]] was tweaked to the point that it can now be avoided by [[Air dodge|air dodging]].


On the other hand, Dedede indirectly benefits from the changes to shield mechanics brought by update [[1.1.1]], as his moves are safer on shield due to their high damage outputs, high [[hitlag]] and/or multiple hitting properties, though this does not compensate properly for the previous nerfs.
On the other hand, King Dedede indirectly benefits from the changes to shield mechanics brought by update [[1.1.1]], as his moves are safer on shield due to their high damage outputs, high [[hitlag]], and/or multi-hitting properties. Additionally, with the use of certain Gordo Throw setups or his fully charged forward smash, King Dedede can break shields or wear them down quickly. However, this does not properly compensate for his previously received nerfs.


Lastly, King Dedede was, yet again, nerfed in update [[1.1.4]] by reducing his air speed, to the point he is now slower than [[Monado Arts|Shield]]-boosted {{SSB4|Shulk}}. As a result, he is slightly worse than he was during the game's initial release.
Lastly, King Dedede was nerfed once again in update [[1.1.4]], with his air speed having been reduced to the point that it is now slower than [[Monado Arts|Shield]]-boosted {{SSB4|Shulk}}. As a result, King Dedede is noticeably worse than at the game's release, due to the large majority of the cast receiving major beneficial changes, while King Dedede has not received any similar changes.


'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} [[1.0.4]]'''
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} [[1.0.4]]'''
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'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.0.8]]'''
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.0.8]]'''
*{{change|[[Super Dedede Jump]]'s voice clip changed.}}
*{{change|King Dedede's name now takes up one line in both the [[character selection screen]] and the [[results screen]].}}
*{{change|King Dedede's name now takes up one line in both the [[character selection screen]] and the [[results screen]].}}
*{{change|[[Super Dedede Jump]]'s voice clip updated.}}


'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.3]]'''
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.3]]'''
Line 153: Line 204:


==Moveset==
==Moveset==
''For a gallery of King Dedede's hitboxes, see [[/Hitboxes|here]].''
{{MovesetTable
{{MovesetTable
|game=SSB4
|game=SSB4
Line 161: Line 213:
|neutral2dmg=4%
|neutral2dmg=4%
|neutralinfdmg=1% (loop), 3% (last)
|neutralinfdmg=1% (loop), 3% (last)
|neutraldesc=A pair of hammer swings followed by a twirling hammer attack that traps the opponent followed by with an upward swing. Due to coming out on frame 10, it is the second slowest neutral attack in the game, being surpassed only by {{SSB4|Zelda}}'s by 1 frame. However, King Dedede's has a hugely disjointed range and can be used in a [[zero-to-death]] combo. Unlike most neutral infinites, its finisher launches opponents at a nearly vertical trajectory and has KO potential, though around 150%. When [[jab cancel]]ed, it can be followed up reliably with down tilt and down throw, which can lead into decently damaging combos even up to very high percentages.
|neutraldesc=A pair of hammer swings, followed by thrusting his hammer forward while twirling its head, followed by an upward swing. Due to coming out on frame 10, it is the second slowest neutral attack in the game, being surpassed only by {{SSB4|Zelda}}'s by 1 frame. However, King Dedede's has a largely disjointed range, with jab 2 reaching quite far and being relatively safe (although jab 1 doesn't true combo into jab 2 up close, making it unsafe on hit). It can also be jab canceled and reliably followed up with a grab, down tilt. forward tilt, and even another jab, which can all be escaped by jumping. However, Dedede can also jump and follow up with an aerial. Unlike most neutral infinites, its finisher launches opponents at a nearly vertical trajectory and has KO potential, as it KOs around 150%.
|ftiltname=&nbsp;
|ftiltname=&nbsp;
|ftiltdmg=2% (hits 1-4), 3% (hit 5)
|ftiltdmg=2% (hits 1-4), 3% (hit 5)
|ftiltdesc=A spinning hammer poke. Very good range, though its fourth hitbox can only connect if the move lands at the tip of the hammer. However, its rather long ending lag makes this move unsafe if it does not connect at its highest range.
|ftiltdesc=Thrusts his hammer forward while twirling its head. Very good range, though its fourth hitbox can only connect if the move lands at the tip of the hammer. However, its rather long ending lag makes this move unsafe if it does not connect at its farthest range. Is very useful for Dedede's ledge traps as it's speed, range, and long lasting hitbox allows it to trap rolls and neutral get ups, but this is less rewarding than using his smash attacks. Also good for catching landings when reversed out of a run, and can stuff out punish attempts for landed back air.
|utiltname=&nbsp;
|utiltname=&nbsp;
|utiltdmg=12% (body), 10% (head)
|utiltdmg=12% (body), 10% (head)
|utiltdesc=An upward headbutt. King Dedede's head and upper body are intangible while its hitbox is active.
|utiltdesc=An upward headbutt. King Dedede's head and upper body are [[Intangibility|intangible]] while its hitbox is active. Good for reflecting Gordos back at the enemy, as the intangibility makes a trade less likely.
|dtiltname=&nbsp;
|dtiltname=&nbsp;
|dtiltdmg=10% (clean), 6% (late)
|dtiltdmg=10% (clean), 6% (late)
|dtiltdesc=A rolling tackle. Its very fast start-up makes it capable of being used after most defensive options and attacks, as a good out of shield option, or for disrupting opponents.
|dtiltdesc=A cartwheeling tackle. Dedede's fastest move, coming out on frame 6. It is capable of being used after most defensive options and attacks, as a good out of shield option, or for disrupting opponents. Can also lead into itself and other attacks if the opponent doesn't tech.
|dashname=&nbsp;
|dashname=&nbsp;
|dashdmg=16% (clean), 13% (late)
|dashdmg=16% (clean), 13% (late)
|dashdesc=His signature belly flopping tackle. A slow and powerful KOing option, it is strongest dash attack in the game and is even stronger than some of the cast's smash attacks, KOing at around 80% near the edge due to its exceptionally high knockback. Originates from ''Kirby's Dream Land''.
|dashdesc=His signature [[wikirby:Head Slide|belly flopping tackle]]. A slow and powerful KOing option, it is the strongest dash attack in the game and is even stronger than some of the cast's smash attacks, KOing at around 80% near the edge due to its exceptionally high knockback. Can hit every character on the ledge after their [[Edge|ledge invincibility]] has ended. Originates from ''Kirby's Dream Land''.
|fsmashname=&nbsp;
|fsmashname=&nbsp;
|fsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}} (early), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|24}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|6}} (late)
|fsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}} (early), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|24}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|6}} (late)
|fsmashdesc=Rears his hammer back and slams it down. The strongest and second most damaging forward smash in the game, with equal KO power to match, and only being surpassed by {{SSB4|Lucario}}'s forward smash with max [[aura]]. It has the slowset start-up of any smash attack, however, but also rather low ending lag for its power, making it more difficult to punish head-on than expected. It also has [[transcendent priority]]. Originates from ''Kirby's Dream Land''.
|fsmashdesc=Rears his hammer back and slams it down. The strongest and second most damaging forward smash in the game, with equal KO power to match, and only being surpassed by {{SSB4|Lucario}}'s forward smash with max [[Aura]]. It has the slowest start-up of any smash attack, however, but also good shield damage and rather low ending lag for its power, making it more difficult to punish head-on than expected. The late hitbox is a small ground shockwave. It also has [[Priority#Transcendent priority|transcendent priority]]. Originates from ''Kirby's Dream Land''.
|usmashname=&nbsp;
|usmashname=&nbsp;
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (hammer), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|9}} (body)
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (hammer), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|9}} (body)
|usmashdesc=An upward hammer swing. Relatively slow compared to his up tilt, but less situational than in ''Brawl''. Great vertical knockback if hit by the hammer's head, KOing at around 115%. However, it can miss against short characters during the move's start-up as the attack does not possess a hitbox directly in front of him. It also has transcendent priority.
|usmashdesc=An upward hammer swing. Relatively slow compared to his up tilt, but less situational than in ''Brawl''. Great vertical knockback if hit by the hammer's head, KOing at around 115% (same as Mario's). However, it can miss against short characters during the move's start-up, as the attack does not possess a hitbox directly in front of him. It also has transcendent priority.
|dsmashname=&nbsp;
|dsmashname=&nbsp;
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|13}}
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|13}}
|dsmashdesc=A spinning hammer swing. King Dedede's weakest smash attack, but the hammer's head is a [[semi-spike]], making it one of his quickest and most reliable ground finishers, KOing under 100% near the edge. It also has transcendent priority. Appears very similar to the Giant Dedede Swing from ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''.
|dsmashdesc=A spinning hammer swing around himself. It has more reach behind Dedede. King Dedede's fastest kill move, although it is his weakest smash attack it makes up for it in it's uses at the ledge, Sends at a low angle and can KO around 100%. Best used for catching rolls as well as ledge attacks. It also has transcendent priority. Appears very similar to the Giant Dedede Swing from ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land''.
|nairname=&nbsp;
|nairname=&nbsp;
|nairdmg=12% (clean), 7% (late)
|nairdmg=12% (clean), 7% (late)
|nairdesc=A belly flop. Functions like a [[sex kick]], though unlike the majority of them, it has transcendent priority. When coupled with a fast fall, its late hit has follow-up potential.
|nairdesc=King Dedede [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Splash|splashes]] with his belly. Dedede's fastest aerial, coming out on frame 7. Functions like a [[sex kick]], but unlike the majority of them, it has transcendent priority. When coupled with a fast fall, its late hit has follow-up potential, most notably a grab at 0%, up tilt at low percents, neutral, forward or back air at mid percents, and up air at higher percents. The latter works until high percents, making it one of Dedede's only guaranteed kill combos.
|fairname=&nbsp;
|fairname=&nbsp;
|fairdmg=12%
|fairdmg=12%
|fairdesc=A downward swing. At low percentages, it can combo into itself to drag opponents downward and off-stage. This can be fatal for characters with unimpressive recoveries, such as {{SSB4|Roy}}, {{SSB4|Little Mac}} or {{SSB4|Cloud}}.
|fairdesc=Somersaults to perform a downward hammer swing. Is unsafe on hit at lower percents. This move does not auto cancel in a short-hop and has more landing/ending lag than his back aerial, but starts much earlier. Is capable of performing a pseudo [[wall of pain]] while edgeguarding. It can also [[lock]].
|bairname=&nbsp;
|bairname=&nbsp;
|bairdmg=16%
|bairdmg=16%
|bairdesc=An upward swing. Deals impressive damage and knockback, which enables it to KO reliably below 130%. It also autocancels from a short hop.
|bairdesc=An upward hammer swing behind himself. One of Dedede's best moves for spacing and KOing, doing so reliably below 130%. Can be auto canceled in a short-hop, and, if [[Buffer|buffered]], can be double jumped out of before Dedede lands, which can be used for tricky mix-ups. Is also relatively safe on shield when spaced at max range.
|uairname=&nbsp;
|uairname=&nbsp;
|uairdmg=1% (hits 1-7), 5% (hit 8)
|uairdmg=1% (hits 1-7), 5% (hit 8)
|uairdesc=An upward hammer twirl. Has low lag and is quite strong for a multiple hitting move, being able to KO below 130%. It can drag opponents down, similarly to {{SSB4|Greninja}}'s up aerial. It is also useful for fending off edgeguarders while recovering.
|uairdesc=Thrusts his hammer upward while twirling its head. Has tremendous reach above Dedede beating out most down airs, most notably [[Cloud (SSB4)|Cloud's]]. It is quite strong for a multiple hitting move, being able to KO below 130%. It can drag opponents down, similarly to {{SSB4|Greninja}}'s up aerial, however it is unreliable for mix-ups since the opponent can act before Dedede can. It is also useful for fending off edgeguard attempts while recovering.
|dairname=&nbsp;
|dairname=&nbsp;
|dairdmg=15% (hammer head), 8% (handle)
|dairdmg=15% (hammer head), 8% (handle)
|dairdesc=A downward swing. The sweetspot is a very powerful [[meteor smash]] only on aerial opponents. On grounded opponents, it deals high horizontal knockback, KOing at around 100% near the edge.
|dairdesc=A downward hammer swing. The sweetspot is a very powerful [[meteor smash]] only on aerial opponents. On grounded opponents, it deals high horizontal knockback, KOing at around 100% near the edge.
|grabname=&nbsp;
|grabname=&nbsp;
|grabdesc=Reaches out with his free hand.
|grabdesc=Reaches out. Unlike in ''Brawl'', where it was notoriously long ranged, King Dedede's overall grab range is roughly average.
|pummelname=&nbsp;
|pummelname=&nbsp;
|pummeldmg=3%
|pummeldmg=3%
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|fthrowname=&nbsp;
|fthrowname=&nbsp;
|fthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 6% (throw)
|fthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 6% (throw)
|fthrowdesc=Whacks the opponent forward with his hammer.  
|fthrowdesc=Strikes the opponent forward with his hammer. Can be used to set up an edgeguard or launch the opponent into a [[Gordo Throw|previously thrown Gordo]].
|bthrowname=&nbsp;
|bthrowname=&nbsp;
|bthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 9% (throw)
|bthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 9% (throw)
|bthrowdesc=Whacks the opponent backward with his hammer, though at a higher angle. King Dedede's strongest throw, but due to the fact it launches at a very high angle, it does not KO until very high percentages, depending on the opponent's weight and DI. It is better at damage racking due to these factors.
|bthrowdesc=Strikes the opponent backward with his hammer. King Dedede's strongest throw, but due to the fact it launches at a very high angle, it does not KO until very high percentages, depending on the opponent's weight and DI. It is better at damage racking due to these factors. Like forward throw, it can be used to launch the opponent into a previously thrown Gordo.
|uthrowname=&nbsp;
|uthrowname=&nbsp;
|uthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 5% (throw)
|uthrowdmg=4% (hit 1), 5% (throw)
|uthrowdesc=A jump set, a technique used in volleyball. Can lead into up aerial at low to medium percentages.
|uthrowdesc=A jump set, a technique used in volleyball. Can lead into up aerial at low to medium percentages, but down throw is generally more rewarding and consistent. Like forward throw, can be used to launch the opponent into a previously thrown Gordo.
|dthrowname=&nbsp;
|dthrowname=&nbsp;
|dthrowdmg=6%
|dthrowdmg=6%
|dthrowdesc=A one-handed body slam. King Dedede's best combo starter, it can initiate true combos into his up tilt, up smash and neutral, forward, up or back aerials until medium percentages. The up aerial combo can also be used until high percentages as a KO set-up while the back aerial combo can rack up damage.
|dthrowdesc=A one-handed [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling throws#Body slam|body slam]]. King Dedede's best combo starter, it can initiate true combos into a neutral or forward air at very low percents and back air at low to mid percents. At medium percentages, down throw to up air is a KO combo if the opponent DI's incorrectly.
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfdmg=7%
|floorfdmg=7%
|floorfdesc=
|floorfdesc=Gets up and kicks in front of himself and then behind himself.
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbdmg=7%
|floorbdmg=7%
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|floortname=&nbsp;
|floortname=&nbsp;
|floortdmg=5%
|floortdmg=5%
|floortdesc=
|floortdesc=Swings his hammer in of himself and then behind himself while twirling the hammer's head.
|edgename=&nbsp;
|edgename=&nbsp;
|edgedmg=8%
|edgedmg=8%
|edgedesc=Performs a kick after climbing up.
|edgedesc=Performs a kick while climbing up.
|nsdefname=Inhale
|nsdefname=Inhale
|nspage=Inhale (King Dedede)
|nspage=Inhale (King Dedede)
|nsdefdmg=5% (release), 10% (spit)
|nsdefdmg=5% (release), 10% (spit)
|nsdefdesc=Inhales the opponent. While they have been Inhaled, King Dedede can then walk around and spit them out to inflict damage. This move can also can also be used to [[Item-swallowing|swallow]] projectiles and items. Unlike {{SSB4|Kirby}}'s [[Inhale (Kirby)|Inhale]], Dedede will not be damaged or be healed upon Inhaling explosive or non-explosive items.
|nsdefdesc={{s|wikirby|Inhale}}s the opponent into Dedede's stomach. While they have been Inhaled, King Dedede can then walk around and spit them out as stars to inflict damage. Can also can also be used to [[Item-swallowing|swallow]] projectiles and items, but unlike {{SSB4|Kirby}}'s [[Inhale (Kirby)|Inhale]], Dedede will not be healed upon Inhaling non-explosive items, but will still take damage for eating explosive ones. This can be a good landing mix-up to catch [[Sidestep|sidesteps]] and shields. Inhaled opponents instead take minor release damage if Dedede is struck by an attack, or no damage if they break free. Like Kirby, the star’s damage depends on the inhaled opponent’s weight.
|nsc1name=Dedede Storm
|nsc1name=Dedede Storm
|nsc1dmg=2% (loop), 3% (outer hit)
|nsc1dmg=2% (loop), 3% (outer hit)
|nsc1desc=Instead of Inhaling opponents, King Dedede will vacuum the opponent toward him, which hits multiple times, before exhaling them upward with the last hit. Will stop connecting reliably around the 100% range on most characters and usually cannot KO until the 200% range due to its lack of strong hitboxes throughout its duration.  
|nsc1desc=Instead of Inhaling opponents, King Dedede will vacuum the opponent toward him, which hits multiple times, before exhaling them upward with the last hit. Will stop connecting reliably around the 100% range on most characters and usually cannot KO until the 200% range due to its lack of strong hitboxes throughout its duration.
|nsc2name=Taste Test
|nsc2name=Taste Test
|nsc2dmg=5% (release), 12% (spit)
|nsc2dmg=5% (release), 12% (spit)
|nsc2desc=Inhales faster and the spit deals slightly more damage. However, opponents are spit out immediately instead of being kept inside King Dedede's mouth.
|nsc2desc=Inhales faster and the spit deals slightly more damage, allowing it to be used slightly more effectively as a command grab. However, opponents are spit out immediately instead of being kept inside King Dedede's mouth.
|ssdefname=Gordo Throw
|ssdefname=Gordo Throw
|ssdefdmg=10% (hammer), 14%/12.5%/11%/9.5% (Gordo)
|ssdefdmg=10% (hammer), 14%/12.5%/11%/9.5% (Gordo)
|ssdefdesc=Hits a bouncing Gordo with his hammer. Its trajectory can be angled upward, forward, or downward. The Gordos disappear after four bounces. Additionally, they can be reflected by any attack dealing at least 2%. Of further note is that Dedede can hit opponents with the hammer swing used to serve the Gordo, potentially leading into a hit by both the hammer and Gordo for a considerable amount of damage.
|ssdefdesc=Hits a bouncing {{s|wikirby|Gordo}} with his hammer. Gordo damage decreases the longer it’s out. Its trajectory can be angled upward, forward, or downward, which can be used for [[mindgames]]. By extension, his forward and back throws can be used to launch the opponent toward a previously thrown Gordo. The Gordos disappear after almost 3 seconds, or faster if they strike something. An upward-angled Gordo has the most vertical and least horizontal bounces, and can be used to deny most options at the ledge or even all when combined with an attack. Forward angled Gordos cover the most horizontal and least vertical distance, while downward angled Gordos are moderate of each. Gordos can also stick to any surface that allows [[wall jump]]ing, though this is completely random, and will not immediately vanish upon striking something in this state. It is possible for them to still latch onto walls after striking something before they disappear. They can also be reflected by any attack dealing at least 2%. Of further note is that Dedede can hit opponents with the hammer swing used to serve the Gordo, potentially leading into a hit by both the hammer and Gordo for a considerable amount of damage.
|ssc1name=Topspin Gordo
|ssc1name=Topspin Gordo
|ssc1dmg=10% (hammer), 11% (Gordo)
|ssc1dmg=10% (hammer), 11% (Gordo)
|ssc1desc=Throws Gordos that do not go far initially, but fly forward upon bouncing. Disappears after a second bounce.
|ssc1desc=Throws a Gordo that can’t be angled and does not go far initially, but flies forward upon bouncing. Disappears shortly after striking something or immediately upon the second bounce. Similar to [[Egg Roll|Light Egg Roll]], the Gordo bounces much higher if dropped from high above the ground.
|ssc2name=Bouncing Gordo
|ssc2name=Bouncing Gordo
|ssc2dmg=10% (hammer), 6% (Gordo)
|ssc2dmg=10% (hammer), 6% (Gordo)
|ssc2desc=The Gordos are electrified and bounce back and forth. Angling the move changes the Gordo's trajectory significantly.
|ssc2desc=The Gordo is weaker albeit electrified and bounces back and forth a few times, still disappearing if it strikes something. Angling the move changes the Gordo's trajectory significantly. Unlike the default, Bouncing Gordos are guaranteed to stick to walls.
|usdefname=Super Dedede Jump
|usdefname=Super Dedede Jump
|usdefdmg=15% (drop), 11% (landing), 5% (stars)
|usdefdmg=15% (drop), 11% (landing), 5% (stars)
|usdefdesc=His signature jump, which ends with him descending devastating double foot stomp that buries grounded opponents on impact. Aerial opponents hit by the stomp are meteor smashed. Like [[Yoshi Bomb]], it emits stars on both sides after King Dedede's stomp, which can make it difficult to punish, especially against characters that lack a projectile. This move cannot grab ledges on descent, unless it is canceled. If cancelled too late efore landing, Dedede will suffer massive landing lag that lasts more than a second.
|usdefdesc=His signature jump. It concludes with a [[wikipedia:Professional wrestling aerial techniques#Diving double foot stomp|diving double foot stomp]] that buries grounded opponents and meteor smashes aerial ones. It has [[armor]] all throughout the move, except during a canceled descent. Like [[Yoshi Bomb]], it emits stars on both sides after the diving double foot stomp hits the ground, striking anyone not in range of the landing, which can make it difficult to punish, especially against characters that lack a projectile. While it cannot grab edges during its descent, it can do so upon being canceled. However, if it is canceled too late before landing, Dedede will endure landing lag that lasts for more than a second.
|usc1name=Rising Dedede
|usc1name=Rising Dedede
|usc1dmg=15% (clean), 12% (late)
|usc1dmg=15% (clean), 12% (late)
|usc1desc=Instead of stomping, King Dedede deals damage during the jump and then descends into helplessness. If Dedede descends less distance than he ascended, he will suffer the severe landing lag he would normally receive if the default move was canceled too late.
|usc1desc=Instead of stomping, King Dedede deals damage during the jump and then descends into helplessness. If Dedede descends less distance than he ascended, he will suffer the severe landing lag he would normally receive if the default move was canceled too late.
|usc2name=Quick Dedede Jump
|usc2name=Quick Dedede Jump
|usc2dmg=10% (drop), 5% (stars)
|usc2dmg=10% (drop), 6% (landing), 5% (stars)
|usc2desc=Jumps faster, but the stomp is also weaker and lower than the default.
|usc2desc=Jumps faster, but the diving double foot stomp is weaker and lower than the default.
|dsdefname=Jet Hammer
|dsdefname=Jet Hammer
|dsdefdmg=11% (uncharged grounded), 10% (uncharged aerial), 38%/28% (fully charged grounded), 27%/16% (fully charged aerial)
|dsdefdmg=11% (uncharged grounded), 10% (uncharged aerial), 38%/28% (fully charged grounded), 27%/16% (fully charged aerial)
|dsdefdesc=Activates the afterburner in his hammer to perform a stronger swing. It deals recoil damage if King Dedede holds it when fully charged. A fully charged Jet Hammer can easily KO opponents below 50% near the edge. At 100%, King Dedede will not receive recoil.
|dsdefdesc=Activates the afterburner in his hammer to charge up a very powerful swing, which is released when the special button is released. Dedede can walk around slowly and jump once while charging. Dedede can hold the hammer out indefinitely, but it slowly deals recoil damage if he holds it when fully charged. A fully charged Jet Hammer can easily KO opponents below 50% near the edge. At 100%, King Dedede will not receive recoil.
|dsc1name=Armored Jet Hammer
|dsc1name=Armored Jet Hammer
|dsc1dmg=9% (uncharged), 24%/20% (fully charged grounded), 22%/15% (fully charged aerial)
|dsc1dmg=9% (uncharged grounded), 8% (uncharged aerial), 24%/20% (fully charged grounded), 22%/15% (fully charged aerial)
|dsc1desc=Grants an immunity to flinching while charging on the ground. However, the swing is significantly weaker, not KOing until 150%, while also dealing recoil damage faster.
|dsc1desc=Grants armor while charging. However, King Dedede does not get any super armor if he's falling, and the swing is significantly weaker, not KOing until 150%, while also having longer start-up lag, and dealing recoil damage faster.
|dsc2name=Dash Jet Hammer
|dsc2name=Dash Jet Hammer
|dsc2dmg=7%/6% (uncharged), 18%/16% (fully charged)
|dsc2dmg=7%/6% (uncharged), 18%/16% (fully charged)
|dsc2desc=Charging pushes King Dedede backward, while unleashing it propels him forward at the expense of damage.
|dsc2desc=Charging pushes King Dedede backward, while unleashing it propels him forward at the expense of damage. However, while it is the least damaging Jet Hammer variant, it deals better knockback than Armored Jet Hammer.
|fsname=Dedede Burst
|fsname=Dedede Burst
|fsdmg=10% (hits 1-3), 1% (hit 4), 15% (hit 5)
|fsdmg=10% (hits 1-3), 1% (hit 4), 15% (hit 5)
|fsdesc=He violently inhales the opponent into place, strikes them three times with his hammer aflame, then fires a bomb out of it, launching the opponent diagonally. It can KO at 47%, however, this Final Smash can be escaped from, making it unreliable to use on most opponents.
|fsdesc=Inhales the opponent into place, strikes them three times with his hammer aflame, then fires a bomb out of it, launching the opponent diagonally in a spray of fireworks. It can KO at 47%, however, this Final Smash can be escaped with an [[air dodge]] halfway through, making it unreliable to use on low-damage opponents.
}}
}}
===Stats===
{{Attributes
|cast = 58
|weight = 119
|rweight = 3
|dash = 1.4
|rdash = 42-46
|run = 1.36
|rrun = 51
|walk = 0.98
|rwalk = 41
|trac = 0.0484
|rtrac = 42-43
|airfric = 0.006
|rairfric = 50-51
|air = 0.63
|rair = 58
|baseaccel = 0.01
|rbaseaccel = 10-54
|addaccel = 0.04
|raddaccel = 46-53
|gravity = 0.087885
|rgravity = 31
|fall = 1.95
|rfall = 2
|ff = 3.12
|rff = 2
|jumpsquat = 6
|rjumpsquat = 42-51
|jumpheight = 32.849998
|rjumpheight = 34
|shorthop = 16.019524
|rshorthop = 34
|djump = 21.76799763, 21.76799763, 16.17335093, 13.07635173
|rdjump = 56
|ellag = 6
|rellag = 57-58
}}
===[[Announcer]] call===
{{audio|Needs announcer calls from other languages.}}
<gallery>
King Dedede English Announcer SSB4-SSBU.wav|English
King Dedede Japanese Announcer SSB4-SSBU.wav|Japanese/Chinese
</gallery>''


===[[On-screen appearance]]===
===[[On-screen appearance]]===
{{appearance
{{appearance
|desc=He is carried in on a palanquin by four [[Waddle Dee]]s, then jumps off, scattering them.
|desc=Gets carried onto the stage via a [[wikipedia:Litter (vehicle)|palanquin]] held by four [[Waddle Dee]]s, then jumps off, scattering them.
|char=KingDedede
|char=KingDedede
|game=SSB4}}
|game=SSB4}}
Line 278: Line 376:
{{Taunt/SSB4
{{Taunt/SSB4
|char=KingDedede
|char=KingDedede
|desc-up=Hoists his hammer above his head and pumps it up and down while vocalizing.
|desc-up=Hoists his hammer above his head and pumps it up and down while vocalizing. Unlike in ''Brawl'', the voice line now plays correctly even if Dedede faces backwards.
|desc-side=Spins his hammer while looking at the camera and laughing.
|desc-side=Spins his hammer and looks at it while laughing.
|desc-down=Dances in a circle while drumming on his belly and vocalizing.}}
|desc-down=Dances in a circle while drumming on his belly and vocalizing with each step.}}


===[[Idle pose]]s===
===[[Idle pose]]s===
Line 290: Line 388:


===[[Crowd cheer]]===
===[[Crowd cheer]]===
{{Crowd
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"
|char=King Dedede
|-
|game=SSB4
!{{{name|}}}
|desc-us=De-De-De! De-De-De! Dedededededede!
!Cheer (English)
|desc-jp=De-De-De! De-De-De! Dedededededede!
!Cheer (Japanese)
|pitch-us=Group chant
!Cheer (Spanish)
|pitch-jp=Group chant}}
|-
! scope="row"|Cheer
|[[File:King Dedede Cheer English SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:King Dedede Cheer Japanese SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||{{NTSC}} [[File:King Dedede Cheer Spanish NTSC SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:King Dedede Cheer Spanish PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]
|-
! scope="row"|Description
|Dedede! Dedede! Dedededededede! || Dedede! Dedede! Dedededededede! || Rey Dedede! {{NTSC}}<br>Reeeey De - deeee - de! {{PAL}}
|-
!{{{name|}}}
!Cheer (French)
!Cheer (German)
!Cheer (Italian)
|-
! scope="row"|Cheer
|{{NTSC}} [[File:King Dedede Cheer French NTSC SSB4.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:King Dedede Cheer French PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:King Dedede Cheer German SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:King Dedede Cheer Italian SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]
|-
! scope="row"|Description
|Roi DaDiDou ! || Köooooo - nig Dedede! || Ki - ing Dedede!
|}


===[[Victory pose]]s===
===[[Victory pose]]s===
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|victory-theme=KirbyUniverseTheme.ogg
|victory-theme=KirbyUniverseTheme.ogg
|victory-desc=A flourished remix of the short, recurring theme that debuted in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Dream Land}}'' and which plays when [[Kirby]] completes a stage or defeats a boss.
|victory-desc=A flourished remix of the short, recurring theme that debuted in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Dream Land}}'' and which plays when [[Kirby]] completes a stage or defeats a boss.
|desc-1=Slaps his belly twice with the sound of a bongo drumbeat as he leans on his hammer with one arm and a Waddle Dee stands nearby. Afterward, he continues to rub his belly with his free hand as he laughs gloatingly.
|desc-1=Slaps his belly three times with the sound of a bongo drumbeat as he leans on his hammer with one arm and a Waddle Dee stands nearby. Afterward, he continues to rub his belly with his free hand as he laughs gloatingly.
|desc-2=Slams his hammer down on both sides of him, then looks towards the screen.
|desc-2=Slams his hammer down on both sides of him, then smiles while looking towards the screen.
|desc-3=Spins his hammer into the air and finishes with a pose while sporting {{GameIcon|ssb4-u}}a strained and angry facial expression or {{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}}the same expression that sees his eyelids slightly adjust at the end of the animation, resulting in his expression simply looking tense and no longer angry.
|desc-3=Spins his hammer into the air while sporting a strained expression and then strikes a pose while sporting {{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}}an angry expression that quickly adjusts to a tense expression, or {{GameIcon|ssb4-u}}an angry expression.
|char=KingDedede}}
|char=KingDedede}}


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|set10=2312
|set10=2312
}}
}}
===Notable players===
===Most historically significant players===
====Active====
<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines -->
<!--If you are planning to add a player you consider to be notable, please provide tournament results in some shape or form in the edit summary (be it a link to a results thread or bracket of them placing high in a tournament of other notable players or a video of them beating a notable player). Winning tournaments without notable players present is generally not enough to warrant a spot. Using that criteria, however, please refrain from removing Girthquake, Hello, J.T.C., Soul Train and Vex Kasrani, as they're among his few notable players in the current metagame.-->
*{{Sm|Andy (Mexico)|Mexico}}
*{{Sm|Big D|Canada}}
*{{Sm|El_Bardo|Spain}}
*{{Sm|Fire|France}}
*{{Sm|Girthquake|USA}}
*{{Sm|Hello|USA}}
*{{Sm|Jdawg|US}}
*{{Sm|J.T.C.|USA}}
*{{Sm|KEEL|USA}}
*{{sm|KingJames|USA}}
*{{Sm|Soul Train|USA}}
 
====Inactive====
*{{Sm|Vex Kasrani|USA}}
 
==Trophies==
:'''King Dedede'''
::{{flag|ntsc}} ''He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his four jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.''
 
::{{flag|pal}} ''Being a self-proclaimed king, Dedede clearly doesn't care too much about the whole "politics" thing. He's just a bit greedy. In this game, his weight and hefty hammer make him slow, but he can still jump four times in mid-air anyway, making it easy for him to get back to the stage. Fully charge his Jet Hammer for ultimate destruction.''
 
{{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)|console2=3DS|game2=Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)}}


:'''King Dedede (Alt.)'''
''See also: [[:Category:King Dedede players (SSB4)]]''
::{{flag|ntsc}} ''For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits one, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!''


::{{flag|pal}} ''For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede hits a Gordo with his hammer, sending it bouncing along the stage. It'll bounce off walls, or sometimes get stuck in them. Then, after a while, it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo with an attack, it'll fly back towards you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!''
*{{Sm|Andy|Mexico|p=Mexico}} - The best King Dedede player in Mexico. Placed 5th at {{Trn|True Combo}} and 17th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 5}} with a win over {{Sm|Regi Shikimi}}. Formerly ranked 19th on the [[Mexican Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Big D|Canada}} - One of the best King Dedede players during the first few years of ''Smash 4'', but has since relegated the character to a rare secondary pick. Placed 3rd at both {{Trn|Northwest Majors: Drop Zone}} and {{Trn|Cascade 2}}, 7th at {{Trn|Northwest Majors VIII}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Paragon Los Angeles 2015}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Larry Lurr}}, {{Sm|Mew2King}} and {{Sm|Tyrant}}. Ranked 1st on the [[British Columbia Smash 4 Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|Bryce|USA}} - The best King Dedede player in the United States. Placed 13th at both {{Trn|Olympus}} and {{Trn|Smashadelphia 2017}} as well as 25th at both {{Trn|KTAR XX}} and {{Trn|Royal Flush}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Shoyo James}}, {{Sm|Vivid}}, and {{Sm|The Great Gonzales}}. Formerly ranked 11th on the [[New Jersey Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|El_Bardo|Spain}} - Co-mains King Dedede with {{SSB4|Sonic}} and is considered the best King Dedede player in Europe. Placed 9th at {{Trn|ICARUS III}} and 13th at both {{Trn|Tech Republic 2}} and {{Trn|B.E.A.S.T 7}}. Ranked 12th on the [[Spanish Power Rankings]].
*{{Sm|ZAKI|Japan}} - The best King Dedede player of all-time and the only King Dedede player who made any major impact on the global scene. He is best known for his 2018 tour in the United States, especially his performance at {{Trn|2GG: Hyrule Saga}}, where he upset {{Sm|MkLeo}} to place 17th; he also placed 17th at {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 4}} and 33rd at {{Trn|MomoCon 2018}}, some of the best major results for King Dedede.


{{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)|console2=3DS|game2=Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)}}
===Tier placement and history===
Upon the game's release, players quickly noticed King Dedede's nerfs in the transition from ''[[Brawl]]'', most notably the loss of [[chain grab]]bing, though some players argued that his buffs, as well as new and improved moves such as forward aerial, Gordo Throw, and down tilt, would compensate the nerfs in the long run. However, as the metagame progressed, King Dedede's weaknesses became more apparent, and players realized the changes to game mechanics not only significantly hurt the character, but that he had indeed lost more than what he gained from the transition. Despite good results from players such as {{Sm|Big D}} and {{Sm|El_Bardo}}, with the former notably placing 17th at {{Trn|Paragon Los Angeles 2015}}, expectations of him worsened as time passed. As a result, King Dedede was ranked 46th on the first [[tier list]], confirming his status as a bottom-tier character.


:'''Dedede Burst'''
Despite the great advancements brought to his metagame as well as decent results, King Dedede's air speed was nerfed in update [[1.1.4]]. Although the nerf seemed minor, it made King Dedede the slowest character in the air, worsening both his neutral game and recovery. As a result, opinions on him declined even further, with many players considering him one of the worst characters in the game. This negative reputation led to a drop to 52nd on the second and third tier lists. Although due to the bottom-tier being abolished in the third tier list, he has since been reassessed as a low-tier character. He would see a slight rise to 51st on the fourth and final tier list.
::{{flag|ntsc}} ''For Dedede's Final Smash, he takes a deep breath, pulling his foes toward him. Once he's gotten them right where he wants them, he'll unleash blows from his giant burning hammer. Topping things off is an explosive from the end of the hammer, sending enemies flying. Could this be worse for his foes? Yes! He's invincible the whole time too!''


::{{flag|pal}} ''For Dedede's Final Smash, he inhales fiercely to pull foes towards him. Once he's got them right where he wants them, he thrashes them with a giant burning hammer. Then, to top it off, he fires an explosive from his hammer, sending them blasting off. Could it get any worse? Well... yes - Dedede's invincible the entire time.''
It wasn't until the final year of ''Smash 4''{{'}}s active competitive lifespan when opinions on King Dedede finally saw a shift. {{Sm|ZAKI}}, a King Dedede player from Japan, made his debut outside of his country, placing 17th at both {{Trn|Smash 'N' Splash 4}} and {{Trn|2GG: Hyrule Saga}}, notably defeating {{Sm|MkLeo}} in the latter. Although it may be the result of matchup inexperience, as ZAKI performed worse back in Japan, his results convinced several players such as {{Sm|Raito}} that King Dedede was not the worst character in the game, due to King Dedede's improved representation compared to other low- and mid-tier characters. Nevertheless, King Dedede is seen as a shell of his former ''Brawl'' self and is considered non-viable in the competitive metagame.


<center>
==In Solo Modes==
<gallery>
===[[All-Star Mode]]===
KingDededeTrophy3DS.png|Classic (3DS)
In All-Star Mode, King Dedede is fought in Stage 4 in both versions alongside {{SSB4|Kirby}}, {{SSB4|Fox}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}, {{SSB4|Wario}}, and {{SSB4|Sonic}}.
KingDededeAllStarTrophy3DS.png|Alt. (3DS)
KingDededeTrophyWiiU.png|Classic (Wii U)
KingDededeAltTrophyWiiU.png|Alt. (Wii U)
DededeBurstTrophyWiiU.png|[[Dedede Burst]]
</gallery>
</center>


==In [[Event Match]]es==
==={{GameIcon|SSB4-U}}[[Event Match]]es===
===Solo Events===
====Solo Events====
*'''[[All-Star Battle: Brawl]]''': King Dedede is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents debuted in ''Brawl''.
*'''[[All-Star Battle: Brawl]]''': King Dedede is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents debuted in ''Brawl''.
*'''[[Kirby's Crazy Appetite]]''': As {{SSB4|Kirby}}, the player must heal by eating [[food]] on the stage while three King Dededes try to hinder his progress.
*'''[[Kirby's Crazy Appetite]]''': As {{SSB4|Kirby}}, the player must heal by eating [[food]] on the stage while three King Dededes try to hinder his progress.
*'''{{SSB4|The Final Battle}}''': The player must defeat King Dedede, {{SSB4|Bowser}} and {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}.
*'''{{SSB4|The Final Battle}}''': The player must defeat King Dedede, {{SSB4|Bowser}} and {{SSB4|Ganondorf}}.
*'''[[The King Strikes Back]]''': King Dedede must defeat Kirby in a [[Stamina Mode|Stamina Battle]].
*'''[[The King Strikes Back]]''': King Dedede must defeat Kirby in a [[Stamina Mode|Stamina Battle]].
 
====Co-op Events====
===Co-op Events===
*'''[[Final Battle Team-Up]]''': King Dedede appears as an opponent to be defeated.
*'''[[Final Battle Team-Up]]''': King Dedede appears as an opponent to be defeated.
*'''[[Food Fight]]''': A damaged King Dedede and Kirby must defeat {{SSB4|Wario}}, {{SSB4|Yoshi}}, and {{SSB4|Pac-Man}}.
*'''[[Food Fight]]''': A damaged King Dedede and Kirby must defeat {{SSB4|Wario}}, {{SSB4|Yoshi}}, and {{SSB4|Pac-Man}}.
*'''[[The Ultimate Battle]]''': Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.
*'''[[The Ultimate Battle]]''': Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.
*'''[[Wrecking Bros.]]''': {{SSB4|Mario}} and {{SSB4|Luigi}} must destroy the entirety of [[Wrecking Crew]] while King Dedede and Wario try to interfere.
*'''[[Wrecking Bros.]]''': {{SSB4|Mario}} and {{SSB4|Luigi}} must destroy the entirety of [[Wrecking Crew]] while King Dedede and Wario try to interfere.
===[[Congratulations screen]]s===
<center>
====3DS====
<gallery>
SSB4-3DS Congratulations Classic King Dedede.png|Classic Mode
SSB4-3DS Congratulations All-Star King Dedede.png|All-Star Mode
</gallery>
====Wii U====
<gallery>
SSB4-Wii U Congratulations Classic King Dedede.png|Classic Mode
SSB4-Wii U Congratulations All-Star King Dedede.png|All-Star Mode
</gallery>
</center>
==[[Trophies]]==
King Dedede's default trophy is obtained by clearing Classic Mode as King Dedede. His alternate trophy is obtained by clearing All-Star Mode as King Dedede in the 3DS version or purchasing it in the Trophy Shop for 1000G in the Wii U version (the latter can only appear after clearing Classic or All-Star as King Dedede). The Dedede Burst trophy is obtained only in the Wii U version by clearing All-Star Mode as King Dedede.
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=King Dedede
|image-3ds=KingDededeTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=KingDededeTrophyWiiU.png
|mode=Classic
|desc-3ds-ntsc=He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his four jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.
|desc-wiiu-ntsc=He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his five jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.
|desc-pal=Being a self-proclaimed king, Dedede clearly doesn't care too much about the whole "politics" thing. He's just a bit greedy. In this game, his weight and hefty hammer make him slow, but he can still jump four times in mid-air anyway, making it easy for him to get back to the stage. Fully charge his Jet Hammer for ultimate destruction.
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=3DS|game2=Kirby: Triple Deluxe|release2=05/2014}}
}}
{{clrl}}
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=King Dedede (Alt.)
|image-3ds=KingDededeAltTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=KingDededeAltTrophyWiiU.png
|mode=Alt
|desc-3ds-ntsc=For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits one, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
|desc-wiiu-ntsc=For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
|desc-pal=For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede hits a Gordo with his hammer, sending it bouncing along the stage. It'll bounce off walls, or sometimes get stuck in them. Then, after a while, it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo with an attack, it'll fly back towards you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
|gamelist={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=3DS|game2=Kirby: Triple Deluxe|release2=05/2014}}
}}
{{clrl}}
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Dedede Burst
|image=DededeBurstTrophyWiiU.png
|desc-ntsc=For Dedede's Final Smash, he takes a deep breath, pulling his foes toward him. Once he's gotten them right where he wants them, he'll unleash blows from his giant burning hammer. Topping things off is an explosive from the end of the hammer, sending enemies flying. Could this be worse for his foes? Yes! He's invincible the whole time too!
|desc-pal=For Dedede's Final Smash, he inhales fiercely to pull foes towards him. Once he's got them right where he wants them, he thrashes them with a giant burning hammer. Then, to top it off, he fires an explosive from his hammer, sending them blasting off. Could it get any worse? Well... yes – Dedede's invincible the entire time.
|game=ssb4-wiiu
}}
{{clrl}}


==[[Alternate costume (SSB4)#King Dedede|Alternate costumes]]==
==[[Alternate costume (SSB4)#King Dedede|Alternate costumes]]==
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|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Purple}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Purple}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Cyan}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Cyan}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Brown}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Grey}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Black}}
|{{Head|King Dedede|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Black}}
Line 403: Line 540:
Dedede Direct.png|King Dedede in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.
Dedede Direct.png|King Dedede in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.
King Dedede amiibo.png|King Dedede's [[amiibo]].
King Dedede amiibo.png|King Dedede's [[amiibo]].
King Dedede Smash.4 Reveal.jpg|The Pic of the Day shown during King Dedede's reveal.
King Dedede Smash.4 Reveal.jpg|The Pic of the Day revealing King Dedede's return.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-1.jpg|Using his neutral aerial with {{SSB4|Kirby}}.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-1.jpg|Using his neutral aerial with {{SSB4|Kirby}}.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-2.jpg|Charging [[Jet Hammer]] on [[Mario Galaxy]].
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-2.jpg|Charging [[Jet Hammer]] on [[Mario Galaxy]].
Line 411: Line 548:
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-5.jpg|Using [[Super Dedede Jump]].
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-5.jpg|Using [[Super Dedede Jump]].
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-6.jpg|Charging Jet Hammer while approaching {{SSB4|Fox}} using [[Fire Fox]].
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-6.jpg|Charging Jet Hammer while approaching {{SSB4|Fox}} using [[Fire Fox]].
File:King Dedede Dash Attack.png|Using his dash attack on {{SSB4|Little Mac}}.
King Dedede Dash Attack.png|Using his dash attack on {{SSB4|Little Mac}}.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-7.jpg|King Dedede while [[stun]]ned.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-7.jpg|King Dedede while [[stun]]ned.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-8.jpg|King Dedede crouching in front of {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}...
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-8.jpg|King Dedede crouching in front of {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}...
Line 417: Line 554:
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-10.jpg|King Dedede performing his down taunt with {{SSB4|Peach}} and {{SSB4|Zelda}}.
SSB4 - King Dedede Screen-10.jpg|King Dedede performing his down taunt with {{SSB4|Peach}} and {{SSB4|Zelda}}.
Smash.4 - The Elf Princess and The Cute Penguin King 01.jpg|"''Curiouser and curiouser ...''" This is a quote from Chapter Two of Lewis Carroll's ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''.
Smash.4 - The Elf Princess and The Cute Penguin King 01.jpg|"''Curiouser and curiouser ...''" This is a quote from Chapter Two of Lewis Carroll's ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''.
Smash.4 - The Elf Princess and The Cute Penguin King 02.jpg|"''Ah--soft and squishy.''" [https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAADMUKlhLmjSyg]
Smash.4 - The Elf Princess and The Cute Penguin King 02.jpg|"''Ah--soft and squishy.''"
DededeFS SSB4.jpg|Using his new [[Final Smash]], [[Dedede Burst]].
DededeFS SSB4.jpg|Using [[Dedede Burst]], his new [[Final Smash]].
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*King Dedede and {{SSB4|Mega Man}} are the only characters that have projectiles that can stick to walls.
*King Dedede has the longest [[star KO]] voice clip in the game. Its duration is so long that it can still be heard briefly even after the star KO. He and {{SSB4|Cloud}} are the only two characters with this quirk.
*If King Dedede is [[footstool]]ed while performing his side taunt on the ''3DS'' version, the taunt will be cancelled, but Dedede's mouth will stay open for the same duration as the taunt usually lasts.
*Despite one of the tips for ''Dream Land (64)'' in ''Smash 3DS'' stating that Dedede cannot appear in the background when Dedede is fighting, it's still possible in the game's [[Training Mode]] for both of them to appear at the same time.
 
==References==
{{reflist}}


{{SSB4Characters}}
{{SSB4Characters}}
{{Kirby universe}}
{{Kirby universe}}
 
[[Category:King Dedede (SSB4)| ]]
[[Category:King Dedede (SSB4)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)]]
[[es:Rey Dedede (SSB4)]]

Latest revision as of 00:22, December 19, 2024

This article is about King Dedede's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4. For the character in other contexts, see King Dedede.
King Dedede
in Super Smash Bros. 4
King Dedede SSB4.png
KirbySymbol.svg
Universe Kirby
Other playable appearances in Brawl
in Ultimate

Availability Starter
Final Smash Dedede Burst
Tier G (51)
King Dedede (SSB4)

King Dedede (デデデ, Dedede) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. His return to the series was announced in a Director's Room Miiverse post on January 10th, 2014, which also commemorated Kirby: Triple Deluxe being released in Japan on the same day. Masahiro Sakurai reprises his role as King Dedede's voice actor, albeit via a filter being applied to his Brawl voice clips.

King Dedede is ranked 51st out of 54 on the tier list, placing him at the top of the G tier. This is a significant drop from his high-tier placement in Brawl, where he was ranked 12th out of 38 and is roughly tied with his later iteration from Ultimate as his worst placement in the Smash series. Dedede's primary strength is most of his attacks having large, disjointed range, courtesy of his hammer. In addition, he also possesses some very powerful attacks, such as his forward smash, down smash, back aerial and down aerial, with the latter two also functioning as good edgeguarding moves. Dedede also boasts arguably the greatest overall endurance in the game, being the most difficult character to KO vertically, due to having the third highest weight and the second fastest falling speed, and also very difficult to KO horizontally despite being a fast-falling character with slow air speed, which is also due to his high weight and the fact that he boasts an impressive recovery, due to his multiple midair jumps and Super Dedede Jump.

However, King Dedede is among the slowest characters in the game, possessing one of the slowest walking, dashing, and air speeds in the game. Likewise, his moveset is among the slowest in the game, with only his down tilt, neutral aerial and standing grab being active before frame 9. These traits not only hinder Dedede offensively, but defensively as well; alongside his large size, considerable weight and fast falling speed, Dedede's mobility and frame data issues result in him being among the characters that are most vulnerable to rushdowns, combos, and camping, with only his moderate gravity enabling him to not be as vulnerable as other heavyweights or fast-fallers would be to them. Dedede is also no longer capable of camping himself due to his new side special, Gordo Throw, being reflected by any attack that deals at least 2%. Finally, Dedede suffers from disproportionately weak strength for a super heavyweight: his fastest moves fail to KO until very high percentages, whereas his slowest moves are among the most punishable in the game.

As a result of his glaring flaws and the weakening or total removal of moves and/or mechanics that were important to his neutral game in Brawl, such as his chain grab and his old back aerial, King Dedede is widely considered to be nonviable throughout SSB4's competitive metagame, with most players considering him one of the worst characters in SSB4. As such, he commands a small playerbase with extremely sparse results, although some King Dedede players such as ZAKI have been able to put up some noteworthy performances at superregionals and majors.

Attributes[edit]

King Dedede is the third heaviest character and, like Ganondorf, is the epitome of the archetypal heavyweight: he has a large frame, slow walking and dashing speeds (despite them being increased), below average traction, the slowest air speed, one of the slowest air acceleration values, the second fastest falling speed and average gravity.

Unsurprisingly, King Dedede's greatest strength is his impressive endurance, which is often considered to be the overall best in the game. His very fast falling speed gives him the best vertical endurance, while his weight and great recovery makes his horizontal endurance one of the best. In addition, he is notoriously difficult to edgeguard and gimp. Despite his very high falling speed and extremely slow air speed, he possesses four midair jumps. These help him stall his fall and cover long distances, as well as allowing him to edgeguard safely. His recovery does not end with his midair jumps. His up special, Super Dedede Jump, grants a very large amount of vertical distance and a good amount of horizontal distance. It also has super armor and can meteor smash, making it extremely dangerous to intercept, especially if the opponent uses an aerial attack.

His potent punishment game also supplements his great endurance. Most of his attacks deal high amounts of damage and can leave opponents vulnerable to more of his attacks. His most useful moves at that include, but are not limited to, down tilt, down smash and his grab game. The former is also very quick for a super heavyweight, and can help him fend off opponents and set up edgeguards. His pummel is highly damaging, making it good for adding up damage before throwing the opponent. His forward throw can reliably launch opponents off-stage, while his back throw deals very high damage. Lastly, his down throw can combo into up tilt, up smash and any aerial attack bar his down aerial, making it very reliable for damage racking and giving him combos that most fellow heavyweights do not have. He also has a plethora of very powerful moves, including his forward and down smashes, his up, back and down aerials, and Jet Hammer, all of which are capable of KOing easily if they connect. Because of these advantages, he is also one of the characters to benefit the most from rage, as it allows his powerful moves to put the opponent in a disadvantageous situation most of the time, and can allow him to initiate a comeback, which is further complemented by his endurance.

Another positive King Dedede possesses is his range. Unlike his fellow super heavyweights, his hammer grants a majority of his moves disjointed ranges and enables him to out-space opponents with poor range, such as Mario and Ness. Prominent examples of this are his forward tilt, all of his smash attacks, and all of his aerials except neutral aerial, but said move's poor reach is compensated for, courtesy of its decent KO potential when clean. It should be also noted that moves that do not utilize his hammer also have long duration, such as his up and down tilts, and the aforementioned neutral aerial, which can also make him difficult to punish if the opponent stands too close to him and mistimes its punish.

However, King Dedede has numerous weaknesses, to the point where they significantly outweigh his strengths. His most prominent one is his underwhelming frame data, which is among the worst in the game. This makes Dedede prone to punishment, and due to his vulnerability to combos and juggles, he will have to read his opponents more often than not to safely land a move. However, it should be noted that his moveset is among, if not the overall, weakest of the super heavyweights; very few of his moves are capable of reliably KOing before 80%, with such moves being nearly limited to back aerial, Jet Hammer, and forward smash, all of which are easily telegraphed and highly punishable, despite back aerial being able to autocancel from a short hop. His fastest moves are incapable of KOing until very high percentages, and his slowest moves are among the most predictable and most punishable in the game, with notable examples being forward smash and up tilt. These factors make said moves being easy to punish before or after they connect. While the fastest of his moves, his down tilt and neutral aerial, come out on frame 6, repeated use of them can render him a predictable opponent.

Another one of King Dedede's most prominent weaknesses is his polarized mobility. All of his attributes work against him, as they give him very slow horizontal movement, hindering his ability to approach and combat spacing and camping. The latter problem is more serious, as he has no useful counters against projectiles, with Dedede's projectile being ineffective and overall unreliable to combat camping altogether. His slow horizontal mobility leaves him vulnerable to getting juggled horizontally, while his very quick vertical mobility also leaves him vulnerable to combos, and he has a hard time escaping from them once he enters enough knockback, with a move that grants super armor, Super Dedede Jump, coming out way too slowly to render him invulnerable to heavy damage once an opponent gets a combo in. In turn, this makes it very simple for other characters with reliable combo games, such as Luigi and Bayonetta, to easily rack up damage on him.

Another flaw King Dedede faces is his approach. All of his attributes significantly hinder his ability to get close to characters safely, considering the aforementioned factors of the overwhelming start-up and ending lag on his attacks, fairly poor mobility regardless if grounded or in the air, and his noticeable nerfs from game updates, which have all decreased his already poor offensive game. Most notably, his grabs' drastically reduced ranges and the removal of chain grabbing are collectively considered to be his fatal flaw: they not only hinder his chances to rack up damage efficiently, but also almost completely remove his chances of reliably KOing his opponents or keeping his opponents at bay with his grabs.

His special moveset also faces some issues, as it is riddled with significant drawbacks. Gordo Throw is often considered his best special move, as it can be used for a KO option at high percents, can grant strong stage control if spaced and timed correctly, and can be used as a set-up into many other options if the opponent is sent toward Dedede. It can also aid his edgeguard attempts if the Gordo gets stuck on a wall or edge, allowing him to score a KO. Finally, it can be used to edge trap the opponent, giving them few options to retaliate and get back to safety. However, it has one major flaw, arguably enough to counterbalance all of the Gordo's benefits: it can be reflected by any attack that deals at least 2%, which can limit its otherwise great utility and stage control potential and renders it a risky move, even when used from a safe distance. As a result of this, King Dedede's neutral game is risky due to being committal.

Super Dedede Jump is an amazing recovery move due to its distance and super armor, but its use is almost limited exclusively to recovering. However, the move's landing induces high shield damage, average shieldstun, and emits stars upon meeting the ground, which can make the move surprisingly difficult to punish, despite the move's high endlag. Inhale can be used to pressure the opponent and possibly score a Dededecide, but it is telegraphed, laggy, and unsafe due to the removal of grab armor. Lastly, Jet Hammer is best used only when trying to punish an unsafe get-up attempt or when breaking a shield.

King Dedede benefits a fair bit from his custom moves. Topspin Gordo has consistent power and moves much faster, which allows King Dedede to force the opponent to react with little risk of his Gordo being used against him, due to its high speed. However, it does not last as long, and it removes almost all combos with the Gordo itself, as it cannot be used for traps, and moving the control stick barely changes its trajectory. Bouncing Gordo is considerably weaker, but it lasts much longer, and enables King Dedede to apply stage control and gives him more time to use Gordo combos. The Gordo's trajectory changes greatly when the player tilts the control stick. Rising Dedede covers more vertical distance, maintains the default's super armor, and can even function as an (albeit risky) out of shield option due to its hitbox while ascending. However, it cannot meteor smash, as King Dedede becomes helpless at the apex of its jump, which also makes it less safe, especially if King Dedede tries to land on the stage. Dash Jet Hammer does far less damage, but King Dedede dashes forward when he attacks, enabling it to function as a mindgame tool. It can also function as a viable horizontal recovery option, which can ameliorate his glacial air speed.

All of his other custom moves have very situational advantages and are overshadowed by their disadvantages, with Dedede Storm, Taste Test, and Armored Jet Hammer being the most notorious examples. Dedede Storm has much slower start-up and ending lag than Inhale, removes Dededecide, is a multi-hitting move that cannot connect after 100%, and lacks strong hitboxes, preventing it from KOing even well beyond 200%. Taste Test spits opponents out instantly, preventing Dedede from sending the opponent off-stage, which allows them to exploit his vulnerability. Armored Jet Hammer offers super armor on charge, but causes recoil damage faster, is drastically weaker to the point where a fully charged blow is weaker than an uncharged hit by the default, and has severe ending lag to the point where one can jump from the top of Battlefield and use it and then be unable to move until Dedede lands on the main platform.

Overall, King Dedede's weaknesses heavily outweigh his strengths. Due to his very sluggish frame data, risky neutral game and poor approach, his optimal playstyle is a defensive combination of zoning as well as baiting and punishing.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

King Dedede has been heavily nerfed in the transition from Brawl to SSB4. Several of his moves have been heavily altered or changed entirely, which has resulted in both positive and negative changes to his playstyle, though despite his buffs, his nerfs are much more prevalent due to his worse frame data and the loss of many of the traits that made him a formidable character in Brawl.

The most notable positives that these changes bring are his new down tilt, new side special Gordo Throw, and his down special, Jet Hammer. Dedede's new down tilt has faster start-up and travels a long distance, making it one of his best defensive moves (out of shield, after a smash attack, etc) at the cost of its spacing potential. Unlike Waddle Dee Toss, Gordo Throw deals a consistent amount of damage, fairly high knockback, and can even be used to "pinball" opponents by using their tumbling momentum to Dedede's advantage by trapping them between a Gordo and Dedede due to the ability to angle a Gordo's trajectory, which improves his neutral game. Lastly, Jet Hammer has been noticeably buffed in terms of range and the recoil damage, and due to the addition of rage combined with his high endurance and weight, it is a much better move both onstage and for edge-guarding. As a result, these moves are more versatile than their previous iterations in Brawl. Some of the gameplay changes brought about by SSB4 have also helped Dedede. He is now less susceptible to projectile camping due to the universal nerf to projectile camping (although he still arguably has the hardest time against camping), and he can utilize the rage mechanic very effectively due to his considerable weight, which supplements his high power.

However, the aforementioned new move alterations and changes to gameplay mechanics have also brought drawbacks that drastically outweigh the aforementioned positives, despite having a less polarized moveset than Brawl. The most significant of these came with his new down throw. Dedede's grabs are slower and have less range making it harder for him to land a grab and when he does, the reward he receives has been greatly decreased. One positive change down throw received is that it now launches opponents vertically which gives it greater followup potential however, down throw no longer has set knockback making its followups percentage dependent and the removal of chain grabbing has heavily harmed down throw as it can no longer be used to (infinitely depending on the character) chaingrab opponents. While it is still a decent throw overall, it is nowhere near what his Brawl down throw was which was so powerful that it alone completely nullified certain characters.

Another one of Dedede's best moves which was changed for the worse was his back aerial. The move went from a fast, powerful, disjointed sex kick to a more powerful but much laggier and more difficult to land backward hammer swing. While the move is still decent, it is no longer one of the best back aerials in the game and one of Dedede's best moves. Up tilt was also noticeably nerfed as it is laggier, lingers for less time and has much less KO power. His new moves, despite bringing nice buffs, have also brought some drawbacks as well, such as his down tilt losing its KO power and having worse spacing capabilities, his new forward aerial no longer auto-canceling in a short hop (despite its faster start-up lag and more favorable hitbox placement) and being weaker and Gordo Throw being able to be reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2%, which also hurts the previous anti-camping abilities the Waddle Dee Toss had in Brawl. Dedede's already terrible air speed was decreased even further which is especially poor as most other returning veterans had their air speed increased. Altogether, all of these changes have nerfed Dedede's approach potential. Lastly, the changes to hitstun canceling also significantly harm Dedede, as they weaken his endurance despite his increased weight and make him an easy victim of combos.

As a result of these changes, King Dedede is significantly worse than he was in Brawl as his overall frame data was nerfed and a lot of his moves were completely changed with his two best moves (back aerial and down throw) being changed for the worse and he is one of the few characters who suffered more from the changes to Smash 4's mechanics than he benefited from them. He is arguably the most severely nerfed character in his transition from Brawl, and despite having never been considered a strong character, Dedede was directly nerfed in patches receiving nerfs to his forward aerial, down throw, Gordos and his air speed. While this was somewhat balanced out with other top tiers receiving nerfs, other lower tiered characters had been buffed and DLC characters such as Cloud and (more importantly) Bayonetta were added to the game, further worsening his matchup spread. Due to this, Dedede went from a polarizing high tier who heavily struggled against some of the top tiers but completely annihilated many mid and low tiers to a non-viable bottom tier character who loses to almost every character ranked above him and only slightly beats some of the characters ranked below him.

Aesthetics[edit]

  • Change Due to the aesthetic used in SSB4, King Dedede has a sleeker design, his overall color scheme is more vibrant, and his attire's fur trim is of a significantly higher visual quality than in Brawl. His pupils are also smaller. Altogether, these changes make King Dedede appear more in line with his official artwork for Kirby Super Star Ultra and Kirby Mass Attack.
  • Change King Dedede is more expressive.[1]
  • Change Up taunt's voice clip is now in sync with its animation, regardless of the direction he is facing.

Attributes[edit]

  • Change Like other large characters, such as Donkey Kong and Bowser, King Dedede's general size in proportion to the other playable characters is also greater than in previous installments. This improves his range, but makes his hurtbox larger.
  • Change King Dedede is heavier (112 → 119). This improves his endurance, but makes him more susceptible to combos.
  • Buff King Dedede walks faster (0.95 → 0.98).
  • Buff King Dedede dashes faster (1.22 → 1.36).
  • Nerf King Dedede's air speed which was already the slowest in the game by a considerable margin is even slower (0.658 → 0.63). This is especially poor as most other veterans had their air speed increased.
  • Buff As with almost all returning veterans, King Dedede's fast falling speed is faster (2.73 → 3.12), improving his air game and making him less susceptible to juggling.
  • Change King Dedede's gravity is higher (0.0837 → 0.087885). This improves his aerial mobility, but hinders his endurance and makes him more susceptible to combos.
  • Nerf Roll has increased ending lag (FAF 32 → 33).
  • Nerf Spot dodge has increased start-up lag with a shorter duration (frames 2-20 → 4-19) and it has more ending lag (FAF 28 → 29).
  • Buff Air dodge has decreased ending lag (FAF 40 → 35) although relative to the cast, it has gone from one of the fastest air dodges to one of the slowest as its intangibility was unchanged.
  • Buff Jump is higher.
  • Buff Soft landing is faster (5 frames → 2).
  • Buff Item throw is stronger (1 → 1.063).
  • Change The removal of chain grabbing both helps and hinders King Dedede. It significantly improves his endurance, but removes his own chain grabs.
  • Nerf The changes to hitstun canceling significantly hinder King Dedede. They make him very susceptible to combos and remove his ability to momentum cancel,hindering his endurance in spite of his heavier weight. However, he still has the best vertical endurance among the cast. The only moves that benefit from the changes to hitstun canceling are down throw and to a lesser extent up tilt and up throw.

Ground attacks[edit]

  • Neutral attack:
    • Buff Neutral attack's first hit has decreased start-up lag (frame 12 → 10). Its neutral infinite has also received a finisher, an upward hammer swing.
    • Buff The weakening of SDI makes neutral infinite significantly more difficult to escape from.
    • Nerf Neutral attack deals less damage (6% → 4% (hit 1), 5% → 4% (hit 2), 2% → 1% (loop)) and has smaller hitboxes (6u/3.5u → 2.5u (hits 1-2), 4u/5u/7u → 2u/3u/7u (loop)). The second hit can also no longer trip opponents.
    • Change Neutral attack has altered knockback (20/25/35 (set)/100 (scaling) → 50/48 (base)/25 (set)/10/100 (scaling) (hit 1), 20 (base)/50 (scaling) → 50/30 (base)/10/45 (scaling) (hit 2), 30 (base)/20 (scaling) → 60/20/2 (set)/100 (scaling) (loop)) and altered angles (361°/80° → 75°/105°/361° (hit 1), 85° → 115°/105°/100° (hit 2), 30° → 70° (loop hits)). This makes the first hit connect into the second hit more reliably but makes it harder to jab lock with.
  • Forward tilt:
    • Nerf King Dedede now holds his hammer from the middle of the handle, instead of the end of it, decreasing its range and making it less disjointed.
    • Buff Forward tilt deals more damage (6%/4% → 11%) due to consisting of five hits instead of one. Additionally, it has a much larger hitbox (4.5u → 8u) and a slightly longer duration (frames 12-22 → 12-23). Lastly, its last hit has increased knockback (20 (base)/80/100 (scaling) → 30/190), granting it KO potential at high percentages.
    • Nerf Forward tilt has increased ending lag (FAF 43 → 49).
    • Change Forward tilt's final hit has an altered angle (65° → 50°).
  • Up tilt:
    • Buff Up tilt has noticeably increased horizontal range (6u → 8u) and considerably more combo potential due to its altered knockback combined with the changes to hitstun canceling/DI. Its intangibility also has a longer duration (frames 7-8 → 9-15).
    • Nerf Up tilt has received a sourspot that deals 2% less damage (12% → 10%) and the hitbox on Dedede's lower body has been removed. It also has increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 7-17 → 9-15) and has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 44) and it only grants intangibility to Dedede's head and left arm as opposed to his whole body. It also has significantly decreased knockback (30 (base)/120 (scaling) → 50/80) greatly hindering its KO potential.
  • Down tilt:
    • Change King Dedede has a new down tilt, a cartwheeling tackle. Compared to the previous down tilt, it deals different knockback (20/10 (base)/100 (scaling) → 60/75).
    • Buff Down tilt has larger hitboxes (6u/4u → 7u/5u) and slightly less startup lag (frame 7 → 6).
    • Change New down tilt moves Dedede forwards, significantly increasing its range and allowing Dedede to pseudo-crawl but hindering its spacing potential and making it much easier to punish.
    • Nerf Down tilt launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 45°), making it less effective at KOing at very high percentages compared to the previous down tilt. It also has a shorter duration (frames 7-18 → 6-13), has more ending lag (FAF 36 → 38), and can whiff if used too close to the opponent.
  • Dash attack:
    • Buff Clean dash attack now deals consistent damage as the body hitbox was removed (16%/14% → 16%) and it has increased knockback (35 (base)/95 (scaling) → 40/100) improving its KO potential. It also has larger hitboxes (5u → 7u/6u).
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve dash attack's shield pressuring potential.
    • Nerf Dash attack has received a late hitbox that deals slightly less damage (14% → 13%) compared to the previous body hitbox although its knockback scaling was compensated (95 → 100). Dash attack can now also whiff if used too close to the opponent as the body hitbox was removed, hindering its safety.
    • Nerf Dash attack has increased hitlag (1× → 1.2×). This makes it easier to DI while not improving its safety on shield due to the changes to hitlag.
  • Forward smash:
    • Buff Sourspotted forward smash deals slightly more damage (13% → 15% (early), 5% → 6% (late)) and the early hit has increased knockback scaling (90 → 93), though they are still drastically weaker than the sweetspot. Sweetspotted forward smash also has a slightly larger hitbox (5.7u → 6u).
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve clean forward smash's shield pressuring potential, to the point where it can break most shields if used properly.
    • Nerf Sweetspotted forward smash has more startup lag (frame 44 → 45) and reduced knockback (55 (base)/90 (scaling) → 30/93), hindering its KO potential. However, it is still the strongest forward smash in the game. The late hit also has a shorter duration (frames 47-55 → 48-49).
    • Change Late forward smash has an altered angle (80° → 60°).
  • Up smash:
    • Buff Up smash has decreased startup lag with a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-24).
  • Down smash:
    • Buff Down smash has altered angles (105°/80°/50° → 30°/361°), making it capable of semi-spiking opponents. This grants it edgeguarding potential.
    • Nerf Down smash deals 2% less damage (15% → 13%), making it weaker despite its increased base knockback (50 → 60). It also has a slightly shorter duration (10 frames → 9).

Aerial attacks[edit]

  • Neutral aerial:
    • Buff Neutral aerial has increased knockback (30 (base)/85 (scaling) → 40/95 (clean), 30 (base) → 40 (late)) and slightly larger hitboxes (9u → 10u (clean), 5u → 6u (late)).
  • Forward aerial:
    • Nerf King Dedede has a new forward aerial, a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous forward aerial, it deals 3% less damage (15% → 12%) hindering its KO potential, has more ending lag (FAF 37 → 42) and auto-cancels later (frame 34 → 40). This results in it being unable to auto-cancel in a short hop.
    • Buff Forward aerial has less startup lag (frame 16 → 13) and increased range (7.5u/4u → 8u/5u) making it easier to land.
  • Back aerial:
    • Change King Dedede has a new back aerial, an upward hammer swing.
    • Buff It deals 3% more damage (13% (clean), 9% (late) → 16%) and has increased vertical range (8.5u/7u → 10u), making it better for KOing compared to the previous back aerial despite its lower knockback (20 (base)/100 (scaling) → 30/88).
    • Nerf Back aerial has significantly more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 6-8 (clean), 9-25 (late) → 17-19), ending lag (FAF 33 → 38), and auto-cancels later (frame 26 → 33). It also cannot trip opponents due to its increased strength and it has lost its 30% extra trip chance. This makes it much less versatile compared to the previous back aerial. Additionally, it has much less horizontal range and far less disjointed hitboxes, hindering its spacing potential.
    • Nerf Back aerial has increased hitlag (1× → 1.2×), making it easier to DI.
  • Up aerial:
    • Nerf Up aerial's loop hits deal 1% less damage (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output by 7% (19% → 12%).
    • Buff Up aerial's last hit has significantly increased knockback scaling (130 → 150), improving its KO potential. Its loop hits also have altered angles (60°/120°/95° → 366°/90°), which makes them connect together better.
    • Buff The weakening of SDI makes up aerial significantly more difficult to escape from.
  • Down aerial:
    • Nerf King Dedede has a new down aerial, a downward hammer swing. Compared to the previous down aerial, it deals 2% less damage (17% → 15%) due to consisting of one hit instead of seven, has significantly increased startup lag, a shorter duration (frame 9-27 → 22-23), and has a sourspot at the hammer's handle that deals 9% less damage (17% → 8%). Altogether, these changes make it much worse at pressuring and anti-juggling compared to the previous down aerial.
    • Buff Down aerial meteor smashes aerial opponents if the hammer's whole head lands (70°/80° → 270°) and launches opponents at the Sakurai angle otherwise. As it only has one powerful hit, this makes it a very powerful edgeguarding option and a strong, albeit situational, on-stage KOing option compared to the previous down aerial. It also has larger hitboxes (4u/5u/6.5u → 5.5u/6u/8.5u).
    • Nerf Sweetspotted down aerial has increased hitlag (1× → 1.5×), making it easier to DI.

Throws/other attacks[edit]

  • Nerf All grabs have decreased ranges. Standing and pivot grabs are larger (4u → 4.5u) but their Z positions have been moved (18/13/8 → 5 (standing), -22/-15/-8 → -6 (pivot) giving them less range. Dash grab is smaller (4u → 3.6u) and its Y and Z position have been moved (9/(15/10/5) → 7/4). Lastly, all three grabs only have one grab box instead of three.
  • Nerf Standing and pivot grabs have increased start-up lag (frame 6 → 7 (standing), frame 7 → 10 (pivot)) and all grabs have increased ending lag (FAF 30 (standing), 40 (dash), 36 (pivot) → 36/45/40).
  • Change Dash grab's animation has changed. King Dedede no longer stumbles over when he misses it.
  • Forward throw:
    • Nerf Forward throw deals less damage (12% → 10%).
  • Back throw:
    • Buff Back throw has increased knockback scaling (65 → 79).
    • Nerf Back throw deals less damage (6% (hit), 10% (throw), 16% (total) → 4%/9%/13%).
    • Change Back throw has an altered angle (45° → 60°).
  • Up throw:
    • Buff The changes to hitstun canceling improve up throw's combo potential into up aerial at low percentages.
  • Down throw:
    • Buff King Dedede has a new down throw, a one-handed body slam. Compared to the previous down throw, it launches opponents at a vertical angle (20° → 80°) and Dedede releases the opponent later (frame 23 → 26), making it better for combos from low to medium percentages and overall functioning better with Smash 4's mechanics.
    • Nerf Down throw does not have set knockback like the previous down throw (80 (set)/100 (scaling) → 70 (base)/82). While this allows the throw to lead into up aerial at certain percents, this removes the throw's ability to have consistent followups at all percents and every character is put into tumble at 0% allowing heavier characters to DI the throw.
    • Nerf The removal of chain grabbing combined with the throw's altered knockback significantly hinders down throw as it removes Dedede's infinite chaingrab on most characters.
    • Nerf Down throw deals less damage (4% (hit and throw), 8% (total) → 6%).
  • Floor attack:
    • Buff Floor attack deals 1% more damage (6% → 7%), though its knockback scaling was compensated (50 → 48).
    • Change Floor attack has an altered angle (361° → 48°).
  • Edge attack:
    • Nerf King Dedede has lost his intangible and long-ranged 100%+ edge attack, leaving him with a significantly inferior edge attack at high percentages.
    • Buff Edge attack no longer has set knockback (110 (set)/100 (scaling) → 20 (base)/90 (scaling)).

Special moves[edit]

  • Inhale:
    • Nerf The removal of grab armor hinders Inhale's utility as a defensive landing option, as trades will now result in Dedede getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.
  • Gordo Throw:
    • Buff King Dedede has a new side special, Gordo Throw. Compared to Waddle Dee Toss, Gordo Throw is much more consistent both as a projectile and in regard to power.[1] Additionally, Gordo Throw's ability to bounce the Gordos in different trajectories also make it better at trapping. The hammer swing used to perform the move also produces a hitbox on the hammer that deals 12%, which can also hit opponents into the subsequently tossed Gordo. Lastly, Gordo Throw can hit twice, depending on the opponent's position.
    • Nerf Gordo Throw deals less damage (22% → 14% (clean)/12.5% (mid early)/11% (mid late)/9.5% (late)), less knockback (65 (base)/70 (scaling) → 70/66) and launches opponents at a less favorable angle (70° → 60°) significantly hindering their KO potential compared to Waddle Dee Toss' Gordos. Unlike Waddle Dee Toss, Gordo Throw lacks anti-camping potential, due to its Gordos being reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2%.[1]
    • Nerf Gordo Throw cannot be B-reversed.
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun make Gordo Throw significantly better at breaking shields compared to Waddle Dee Toss.
  • Super Dedede Jump:
    • Buff King Dedede can now grab edges during Super Dedede Jump's ascent as long as he is facing the stage, improving its safety. Super Dedede Jump's descent can also now bury grounded opponents.
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve Super Dedede Jump's shield pressuring potential, although its landing hit's shield damage was compensated (3 → 0).
    • Change Due to King Dedede's faster fast falling speed, Super Dedede Jump descends faster. It is also now canceled by tilting the control stick/circle pad up, instead of down.
    • Nerf As it buries opponents, Super Dedede Jump has less KO potential against grounded opponents and the landing hit's knockback scaling wasn't fully compensated (70 → 100/80).
  • Jet Hammer:
    • Buff Jet Hammer has a larger hitbox (7u → 7.5u). Uncharged Jet Hammer has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and decreased start-up lag (frame 29 → 27).
    • Buff Fully charged grounded Jet Hammer deals 8% more damage (30%/20% → 38%/28%), although its knockback was compensated (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 5/66).
    • Nerf Sweetspotted fully charged aerial Jet Hammer deals 1% less damage (28% → 27%) and has decreased knockback (30 (base)/80 (scaling) → 10/70), hindering its KO potential.
    • Buff The changes to edge mechanics improve Jet Hammer's edgeguarding potential.
    • Buff Fully charged Jet Hammer's recoil damage caps earlier (150% → 100%). When coupled with the introduction of rage, its recoil damage is now a double-edged sword, instead of solely being a hindrance.
    • Change Jet Hammer's animation has changed. King Dedede grimaces while using it, and will visibly sweat while holding it when it is fully charged. He also swings it lower when using it on the ground, and swings it in a more exaggerated motion when it is fully charged.[1]
    • Change Jet Hammer's visual effects have changed. It now produces more intense lighting that brightens the surrounding area, and emits a wind effect.
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve fully charged Jet Hammer's shield pressuring potential.
    • Buff Fully charged Jet Hammer now has a consistent angle (361°/80° → 361°), improving its edgeguarding potential.
  • Dedede Burst:
    • Change King Dedede has a new Final Smash, Dedede Burst. Compared to Waddle Dee Army, it is a trapping Final Smash with average initial range and KO potential of a standard Final Smash, making it significantly more reliable at KOing. Unlike Waddle Dee Army, Dedede Burst deals a fixed amount of damage, making it less damaging overall.
    • Nerf Unlike other trapping Final Smashes, it is possible to escape Dedede Burst.

Update history[edit]

Despite his poorly regarded status, King Dedede has been nerfed in game updates. Update 1.0.4 weakened Dedede's forward aerial, which made the move even more punishable than already was. This update also strengthened his down throw, which makes follow-ups harder to perform, but adjusted its angle in order to make it less susceptible to DI. The most infamous of his nerfs, however, are to Gordo Throw. The Gordos have now become slightly smaller, and require even less damage to be reflected, which is now 2%. With this change, even rapid jabs and neutral attacks are capable of reflecting Gordos. Dedede Burst was tweaked to the point that it can now be avoided by air dodging.

On the other hand, King Dedede indirectly benefits from the changes to shield mechanics brought by update 1.1.1, as his moves are safer on shield due to their high damage outputs, high hitlag, and/or multi-hitting properties. Additionally, with the use of certain Gordo Throw setups or his fully charged forward smash, King Dedede can break shields or wear them down quickly. However, this does not properly compensate for his previously received nerfs.

Lastly, King Dedede was nerfed once again in update 1.1.4, with his air speed having been reduced to the point that it is now slower than Shield-boosted Shulk. As a result, King Dedede is noticeably worse than at the game's release, due to the large majority of the cast receiving major beneficial changes, while King Dedede has not received any similar changes.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.4

  • Nerf Forward aerial deals 1% less damage: 13% → 12%.
  • Buff Down throw's angle altered: 70° → 80°, making it less susceptible to DI.
  • Nerf Down throw's knockback scaling increased: 60 → 82. This hampers its combo ability at higher percents.
  • Nerf All variations of Gordo Throw require 1% less damage to be reflected: 3% → 2%.
  • Nerf All variations of Gordo Throw have had their hitbox sizes decreased by 0.4 units.
  • Change Dedede Burst's hammer hits transition into each other faster.
    • Nerf Due to the above change and the lower knockback on each hit, characters can now air dodge out of and escape Dedede Burst.


Super Smash Bros. 4 1.0.8

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.3


Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.4


Moveset[edit]

For a gallery of King Dedede's hitboxes, see here.

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack   4% A pair of hammer swings, followed by thrusting his hammer forward while twirling its head, followed by an upward swing. Due to coming out on frame 10, it is the second slowest neutral attack in the game, being surpassed only by Zelda's by 1 frame. However, King Dedede's has a largely disjointed range, with jab 2 reaching quite far and being relatively safe (although jab 1 doesn't true combo into jab 2 up close, making it unsafe on hit). It can also be jab canceled and reliably followed up with a grab, down tilt. forward tilt, and even another jab, which can all be escaped by jumping. However, Dedede can also jump and follow up with an aerial. Unlike most neutral infinites, its finisher launches opponents at a nearly vertical trajectory and has KO potential, as it KOs around 150%.
4%
1% (loop), 3% (last)
Forward tilt   2% (hits 1-4), 3% (hit 5) Thrusts his hammer forward while twirling its head. Very good range, though its fourth hitbox can only connect if the move lands at the tip of the hammer. However, its rather long ending lag makes this move unsafe if it does not connect at its farthest range. Is very useful for Dedede's ledge traps as it's speed, range, and long lasting hitbox allows it to trap rolls and neutral get ups, but this is less rewarding than using his smash attacks. Also good for catching landings when reversed out of a run, and can stuff out punish attempts for landed back air.
Up tilt   12% (body), 10% (head) An upward headbutt. King Dedede's head and upper body are intangible while its hitbox is active. Good for reflecting Gordos back at the enemy, as the intangibility makes a trade less likely.
Down tilt   10% (clean), 6% (late) A cartwheeling tackle. Dedede's fastest move, coming out on frame 6. It is capable of being used after most defensive options and attacks, as a good out of shield option, or for disrupting opponents. Can also lead into itself and other attacks if the opponent doesn't tech.
Dash attack   16% (clean), 13% (late) His signature belly flopping tackle. A slow and powerful KOing option, it is the strongest dash attack in the game and is even stronger than some of the cast's smash attacks, KOing at around 80% near the edge due to its exceptionally high knockback. Can hit every character on the ledge after their ledge invincibility has ended. Originates from Kirby's Dream Land.
Forward smash   15% (early), 24% (clean), 6% (late) Rears his hammer back and slams it down. The strongest and second most damaging forward smash in the game, with equal KO power to match, and only being surpassed by Lucario's forward smash with max Aura. It has the slowest start-up of any smash attack, however, but also good shield damage and rather low ending lag for its power, making it more difficult to punish head-on than expected. The late hitbox is a small ground shockwave. It also has transcendent priority. Originates from Kirby's Dream Land.
Up smash   14% (hammer), 9% (body) An upward hammer swing. Relatively slow compared to his up tilt, but less situational than in Brawl. Great vertical knockback if hit by the hammer's head, KOing at around 115% (same as Mario's). However, it can miss against short characters during the move's start-up, as the attack does not possess a hitbox directly in front of him. It also has transcendent priority.
Down smash   13% A spinning hammer swing around himself. It has more reach behind Dedede. King Dedede's fastest kill move, although it is his weakest smash attack it makes up for it in it's uses at the ledge, Sends at a low angle and can KO around 100%. Best used for catching rolls as well as ledge attacks. It also has transcendent priority. Appears very similar to the Giant Dedede Swing from Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
Neutral aerial   12% (clean), 7% (late) King Dedede splashes with his belly. Dedede's fastest aerial, coming out on frame 7. Functions like a sex kick, but unlike the majority of them, it has transcendent priority. When coupled with a fast fall, its late hit has follow-up potential, most notably a grab at 0%, up tilt at low percents, neutral, forward or back air at mid percents, and up air at higher percents. The latter works until high percents, making it one of Dedede's only guaranteed kill combos.
Forward aerial   12% Somersaults to perform a downward hammer swing. Is unsafe on hit at lower percents. This move does not auto cancel in a short-hop and has more landing/ending lag than his back aerial, but starts much earlier. Is capable of performing a pseudo wall of pain while edgeguarding. It can also lock.
Back aerial   16% An upward hammer swing behind himself. One of Dedede's best moves for spacing and KOing, doing so reliably below 130%. Can be auto canceled in a short-hop, and, if buffered, can be double jumped out of before Dedede lands, which can be used for tricky mix-ups. Is also relatively safe on shield when spaced at max range.
Up aerial   1% (hits 1-7), 5% (hit 8) Thrusts his hammer upward while twirling its head. Has tremendous reach above Dedede beating out most down airs, most notably Cloud's. It is quite strong for a multiple hitting move, being able to KO below 130%. It can drag opponents down, similarly to Greninja's up aerial, however it is unreliable for mix-ups since the opponent can act before Dedede can. It is also useful for fending off edgeguard attempts while recovering.
Down aerial   15% (hammer head), 8% (handle) A downward hammer swing. The sweetspot is a very powerful meteor smash only on aerial opponents. On grounded opponents, it deals high horizontal knockback, KOing at around 100% near the edge.
Grab   Reaches out. Unlike in Brawl, where it was notoriously long ranged, King Dedede's overall grab range is roughly average.
Pummel   3% A headbutt. Moderately slow, but one of the most damaging pummels in the game.
Forward throw   4% (hit 1), 6% (throw) Strikes the opponent forward with his hammer. Can be used to set up an edgeguard or launch the opponent into a previously thrown Gordo.
Back throw   4% (hit 1), 9% (throw) Strikes the opponent backward with his hammer. King Dedede's strongest throw, but due to the fact it launches at a very high angle, it does not KO until very high percentages, depending on the opponent's weight and DI. It is better at damage racking due to these factors. Like forward throw, it can be used to launch the opponent into a previously thrown Gordo.
Up throw   4% (hit 1), 5% (throw) A jump set, a technique used in volleyball. Can lead into up aerial at low to medium percentages, but down throw is generally more rewarding and consistent. Like forward throw, can be used to launch the opponent into a previously thrown Gordo.
Down throw   6% A one-handed body slam. King Dedede's best combo starter, it can initiate true combos into a neutral or forward air at very low percents and back air at low to mid percents. At medium percentages, down throw to up air is a KO combo if the opponent DI's incorrectly.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Gets up and kicks in front of himself and then behind himself.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7%
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  5% Swings his hammer in of himself and then behind himself while twirling the hammer's head.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  8% Performs a kick while climbing up.
Neutral special Default Inhale 5% (release), 10% (spit) Inhales the opponent into Dedede's stomach. While they have been Inhaled, King Dedede can then walk around and spit them out as stars to inflict damage. Can also can also be used to swallow projectiles and items, but unlike Kirby's Inhale, Dedede will not be healed upon Inhaling non-explosive items, but will still take damage for eating explosive ones. This can be a good landing mix-up to catch sidesteps and shields. Inhaled opponents instead take minor release damage if Dedede is struck by an attack, or no damage if they break free. Like Kirby, the star’s damage depends on the inhaled opponent’s weight.
Custom 1 Dedede Storm 2% (loop), 3% (outer hit) Instead of Inhaling opponents, King Dedede will vacuum the opponent toward him, which hits multiple times, before exhaling them upward with the last hit. Will stop connecting reliably around the 100% range on most characters and usually cannot KO until the 200% range due to its lack of strong hitboxes throughout its duration.
Custom 2 Taste Test 5% (release), 12% (spit) Inhales faster and the spit deals slightly more damage, allowing it to be used slightly more effectively as a command grab. However, opponents are spit out immediately instead of being kept inside King Dedede's mouth.
Side special Default Gordo Throw 10% (hammer), 14%/12.5%/11%/9.5% (Gordo) Hits a bouncing Gordo with his hammer. Gordo damage decreases the longer it’s out. Its trajectory can be angled upward, forward, or downward, which can be used for mindgames. By extension, his forward and back throws can be used to launch the opponent toward a previously thrown Gordo. The Gordos disappear after almost 3 seconds, or faster if they strike something. An upward-angled Gordo has the most vertical and least horizontal bounces, and can be used to deny most options at the ledge or even all when combined with an attack. Forward angled Gordos cover the most horizontal and least vertical distance, while downward angled Gordos are moderate of each. Gordos can also stick to any surface that allows wall jumping, though this is completely random, and will not immediately vanish upon striking something in this state. It is possible for them to still latch onto walls after striking something before they disappear. They can also be reflected by any attack dealing at least 2%. Of further note is that Dedede can hit opponents with the hammer swing used to serve the Gordo, potentially leading into a hit by both the hammer and Gordo for a considerable amount of damage.
Custom 1 Topspin Gordo 10% (hammer), 11% (Gordo) Throws a Gordo that can’t be angled and does not go far initially, but flies forward upon bouncing. Disappears shortly after striking something or immediately upon the second bounce. Similar to Light Egg Roll, the Gordo bounces much higher if dropped from high above the ground.
Custom 2 Bouncing Gordo 10% (hammer), 6% (Gordo) The Gordo is weaker albeit electrified and bounces back and forth a few times, still disappearing if it strikes something. Angling the move changes the Gordo's trajectory significantly. Unlike the default, Bouncing Gordos are guaranteed to stick to walls.
Up special Default Super Dedede Jump 15% (drop), 11% (landing), 5% (stars) His signature jump. It concludes with a diving double foot stomp that buries grounded opponents and meteor smashes aerial ones. It has armor all throughout the move, except during a canceled descent. Like Yoshi Bomb, it emits stars on both sides after the diving double foot stomp hits the ground, striking anyone not in range of the landing, which can make it difficult to punish, especially against characters that lack a projectile. While it cannot grab edges during its descent, it can do so upon being canceled. However, if it is canceled too late before landing, Dedede will endure landing lag that lasts for more than a second.
Custom 1 Rising Dedede 15% (clean), 12% (late) Instead of stomping, King Dedede deals damage during the jump and then descends into helplessness. If Dedede descends less distance than he ascended, he will suffer the severe landing lag he would normally receive if the default move was canceled too late.
Custom 2 Quick Dedede Jump 10% (drop), 6% (landing), 5% (stars) Jumps faster, but the diving double foot stomp is weaker and lower than the default.
Down special Default Jet Hammer 11% (uncharged grounded), 10% (uncharged aerial), 38%/28% (fully charged grounded), 27%/16% (fully charged aerial) Activates the afterburner in his hammer to charge up a very powerful swing, which is released when the special button is released. Dedede can walk around slowly and jump once while charging. Dedede can hold the hammer out indefinitely, but it slowly deals recoil damage if he holds it when fully charged. A fully charged Jet Hammer can easily KO opponents below 50% near the edge. At 100%, King Dedede will not receive recoil.
Custom 1 Armored Jet Hammer 9% (uncharged grounded), 8% (uncharged aerial), 24%/20% (fully charged grounded), 22%/15% (fully charged aerial) Grants armor while charging. However, King Dedede does not get any super armor if he's falling, and the swing is significantly weaker, not KOing until 150%, while also having longer start-up lag, and dealing recoil damage faster.
Custom 2 Dash Jet Hammer 7%/6% (uncharged), 18%/16% (fully charged) Charging pushes King Dedede backward, while unleashing it propels him forward at the expense of damage. However, while it is the least damaging Jet Hammer variant, it deals better knockback than Armored Jet Hammer.
Final Smash Dedede Burst 10% (hits 1-3), 1% (hit 4), 15% (hit 5) Inhales the opponent into place, strikes them three times with his hammer aflame, then fires a bomb out of it, launching the opponent diagonally in a spray of fireworks. It can KO at 47%, however, this Final Smash can be escaped with an air dodge halfway through, making it unreliable to use on low-damage opponents.

Stats[edit]

Stats Weight Dash speed Walk speed Traction Air friction Air speed Air acceleration Gravity Falling speed Jumpsquat Jump height Double jump height Empty landing Lag
Value 119 1.4 – Initial dash
1.36 – Run
0.98 0.0484 0.006 0.63 0.01 – Base
0.04 – Additional
0.087885 1.95 – Base
3.12Fast-fall
6 32.849998 - Base
16.019524 - Short hop
21.76799763, 21.76799763, 16.17335093, 13.07635173 6

Announcer call[edit]

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The editor who added this tag suggests: Needs announcer calls from other languages.
If you have a good audio file for this article, upload it here.

On-screen appearance[edit]

  • Gets carried onto the stage via a palanquin held by four Waddle Dees, then jumps off, scattering them.
KingDededeOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif

Taunts[edit]

  • Up taunt: Hoists his hammer above his head and pumps it up and down while vocalizing. Unlike in Brawl, the voice line now plays correctly even if Dedede faces backwards.
  • Side taunt: Spins his hammer and looks at it while laughing.
  • Down taunt: Dances in a circle while drumming on his belly and vocalizing with each step.
Up taunt Side taunt Down taunt
KingDededeUpTauntSSB4.gif KingDededeSideTauntSSB4.gif KingDededeDownTauntSSB4.gif

Idle poses[edit]

  • Taps his hammer on his shoulder.
  • Smacks his belly.
KingDededeIdlePose1SSB4.jpg KingDededeIdlePose2SSB4.jpg

Crowd cheer[edit]

Cheer (English) Cheer (Japanese) Cheer (Spanish)
Cheer
NTSC

PAL
Description Dedede! Dedede! Dedededededede! Dedede! Dedede! Dedededededede! Rey Dedede! NTSC
Reeeey De - deeee - de! PAL
Cheer (French) Cheer (German) Cheer (Italian)
Cheer NTSC

PAL
Description Roi DaDiDou ! Köooooo - nig Dedede! Ki - ing Dedede!

Victory poses[edit]

A flourished remix of the short, recurring theme that debuted in Kirby's Dream Land and which plays when Kirby completes a stage or defeats a boss.
  • Slaps his belly three times with the sound of a bongo drumbeat as he leans on his hammer with one arm and a Waddle Dee stands nearby. Afterward, he continues to rub his belly with his free hand as he laughs gloatingly.
  • Slams his hammer down on both sides of him, then smiles while looking towards the screen.
  • Spins his hammer into the air while sporting a strained expression and then strikes a pose while sporting Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DSan angry expression that quickly adjusts to a tense expression, or Super Smash Bros. for Wii Uan angry expression.
KingDededePose1WiiU.gif KingDededePose2WiiU.gif KingDededePose3WiiU.gif

In competitive play[edit]

Official Custom Moveset Project[edit]

Character Custom sets available
King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede 3112 3122 3312 3322 1122
1312 1322 2112 2122 2312

Most historically significant players[edit]

See also: Category:King Dedede players (SSB4)

Tier placement and history[edit]

Upon the game's release, players quickly noticed King Dedede's nerfs in the transition from Brawl, most notably the loss of chain grabbing, though some players argued that his buffs, as well as new and improved moves such as forward aerial, Gordo Throw, and down tilt, would compensate the nerfs in the long run. However, as the metagame progressed, King Dedede's weaknesses became more apparent, and players realized the changes to game mechanics not only significantly hurt the character, but that he had indeed lost more than what he gained from the transition. Despite good results from players such as Big D and El_Bardo, with the former notably placing 17th at Paragon Los Angeles 2015, expectations of him worsened as time passed. As a result, King Dedede was ranked 46th on the first tier list, confirming his status as a bottom-tier character.

Despite the great advancements brought to his metagame as well as decent results, King Dedede's air speed was nerfed in update 1.1.4. Although the nerf seemed minor, it made King Dedede the slowest character in the air, worsening both his neutral game and recovery. As a result, opinions on him declined even further, with many players considering him one of the worst characters in the game. This negative reputation led to a drop to 52nd on the second and third tier lists. Although due to the bottom-tier being abolished in the third tier list, he has since been reassessed as a low-tier character. He would see a slight rise to 51st on the fourth and final tier list.

It wasn't until the final year of Smash 4's active competitive lifespan when opinions on King Dedede finally saw a shift. ZAKI, a King Dedede player from Japan, made his debut outside of his country, placing 17th at both Smash 'N' Splash 4 and 2GG: Hyrule Saga, notably defeating MkLeo in the latter. Although it may be the result of matchup inexperience, as ZAKI performed worse back in Japan, his results convinced several players such as Raito that King Dedede was not the worst character in the game, due to King Dedede's improved representation compared to other low- and mid-tier characters. Nevertheless, King Dedede is seen as a shell of his former Brawl self and is considered non-viable in the competitive metagame.

In Solo Modes[edit]

All-Star Mode[edit]

In All-Star Mode, King Dedede is fought in Stage 4 in both versions alongside Kirby, Fox, Falco, Meta Knight, Wario, and Sonic.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii UEvent Matches[edit]

Solo Events[edit]

Co-op Events[edit]

Congratulations screens[edit]

3DS[edit]

Wii U[edit]

Trophies[edit]

King Dedede's default trophy is obtained by clearing Classic Mode as King Dedede. His alternate trophy is obtained by clearing All-Star Mode as King Dedede in the 3DS version or purchasing it in the Trophy Shop for 1000G in the Wii U version (the latter can only appear after clearing Classic or All-Star as King Dedede). The Dedede Burst trophy is obtained only in the Wii U version by clearing All-Star Mode as King Dedede.

3DS Classic Mode trophy
Wii U Classic Mode trophy
King Dedede
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his four jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his five jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.
PAL Being a self-proclaimed king, Dedede clearly doesn't care too much about the whole "politics" thing. He's just a bit greedy. In this game, his weight and hefty hammer make him slow, but he can still jump four times in mid-air anyway, making it easy for him to get back to the stage. Fully charge his Jet Hammer for ultimate destruction.
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
3DS: Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)
3DS All-Star Mode trophy
Wii U alternate trophy
King Dedede (Alt.)
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits one, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls—or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
PAL For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede hits a Gordo with his hammer, sending it bouncing along the stage. It'll bounce off walls, or sometimes get stuck in them. Then, after a while, it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo with an attack, it'll fly back towards you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
3DS: Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)
Dedede Burst trophy
Dedede Burst
NTSC For Dedede's Final Smash, he takes a deep breath, pulling his foes toward him. Once he's gotten them right where he wants them, he'll unleash blows from his giant burning hammer. Topping things off is an explosive from the end of the hammer, sending enemies flying. Could this be worse for his foes? Yes! He's invincible the whole time too!
PAL For Dedede's Final Smash, he inhales fiercely to pull foes towards him. Once he's got them right where he wants them, he thrashes them with a giant burning hammer. Then, to top it off, he fires an explosive from his hammer, sending them blasting off. Could it get any worse? Well... yes – Dedede's invincible the entire time.

Alternate costumes[edit]

King Dedede Palette (SSB4).png
King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4) King Dedede (SSB4)

Gallery[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • King Dedede has the longest star KO voice clip in the game. Its duration is so long that it can still be heard briefly even after the star KO. He and Cloud are the only two characters with this quirk.
  • If King Dedede is footstooled while performing his side taunt on the 3DS version, the taunt will be cancelled, but Dedede's mouth will stay open for the same duration as the taunt usually lasts.
  • Despite one of the tips for Dream Land (64) in Smash 3DS stating that Dedede cannot appear in the background when Dedede is fighting, it's still possible in the game's Training Mode for both of them to appear at the same time.

References[edit]