Donkey Kong (SSBU)

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Donkey Kong in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Universe	Donkey Kong
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl in SSB4
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Jungle Rush

“	His charged punch is one of the strongest attacks in the game! In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, his Final Smash has been updated from Konga Beat to a flurry of punches!	”
—Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Donkey Kong (ドンキーコング, Donkey Kong) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. He retains his realistic gorilla grunts from Super Smash Bros. 4.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

NOTE: SmashWiki is not speculative. Please refrain from adding detailed data values derived from pre-release gameplay footage, such as the E3 demo. Such data (damage values, launch trajectories, frame data, etc.) are subject to change before the official release.

Aesthetics

• As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Donkey Kong's model features a more subdued color scheme. His fur is less detailed, and his facial proportions have been tweaked.
• Donkey Kong's nose is now based on his design from Mario Party 10 onwards.
• Like most of the returning roster, Donkey Kong has become much more expressive than in the previous games.
• Donkey Kong now always faces the screen regardless of which direction he turns. This makes most of his animations mirrored and alters some of his animations, such as his walk/dash animations.
• Up taunt has a slightly altered animation.
• Donkey Kong now hangs onto the ledge with one hand instead of two.
• Hand shaking victory pose has an altered animation. He now looks at the camera at the freeze frame and shakes his hands as opposed to his whole body afterwards.

Attributes

• Donkey Kong benefits from the universal 3 frame jumpsquat, making ground to air transitions faster.

Ground Moves

• Neutral attack does more damage and is easier to combo.
• Down tilt has an altered animation.
• Dash attack deals more damage.
• Forward smash has an altered animation.

Aerial Attacks

• All aerials have less landing lag.
• Donkey Kong spins in the opposite direction when performing his neutral aerial.
• Forward aerial has a slightly altered animation, with Donkey Kong spinning at an angle after performing a downwards punch.
• Back aerial deals more knockback and hits at a lower angle, improving its offensive potential. However, this also makes it less effective at performing combos.

Throws/other attacks

• Pummel animation has slightly changed. Donkey Kong now chops the opponent's body rather than their head.
• Up throw's animation has changed. Donkey Kong throws his opponent into the ground, and then into the air with both hands. This animation is considerably faster, making it more difficult for the foe to DI accordingly.
  • Up throw deals more damage and knockback.
• Back throw does more damage and knockback.
• Forward throw (cargo throw):
  • Cargo throw now involves Donkey Kong hauling the opponent over his shoulder, similar to his appearance in the arcade game Donkey Kong.
  • Cargo back throw's animation has changed. Donkey Kong holds the opponent with both hands by the legs and hurls them behind himself.
    • Cargo back throw has increased knockback.
  • Cargo up throw deals more damage and knockback, which makes it better for KO'ing.
    • Cargo up throw's increased knockback noticeably worsens its combo potential, however combos at early to middle percents will work.
  • Cargo down throw's motion changed: Donkey Kong now performs a bearhug instead of throwing the opponent downward.

Special Moves

• Giant Punch:
  • Donkey Kong now charges Giant Punch with either arm due to his mirrored stance. Previously, Giant Punch was charged with his right arm in Smash 64 and his left arm in the other games.
  • Donkey Kong now charges up Giant Punch with more circular arm motions. Additionally, his expression slowly gets angrier as he charges (including maintaining the expression throughout other animations after its charge), and he has an altered pose upon using the punch.
  • Giant Punch has more ending lag.
  • Aerial Giant Punch no longer causes Donkey Kong to become helpless.
• Headbutt now has super armor.
• Spinning Kong:
  • Donkey Kong now glints and strikes a pose upon ending a grounded Spinning Kong, doing another spin before coming to a full stop.
  • Grounded Spinning Kong's loop hits connect more consistently, now holding the opponent in place rather than knocking them back and fourth.
  • Aerial Spinning Kong travels a shorter distance horizontally, but also goes slightly higher overall.
  • Aerial Spinning Kong's multiple hits now connect better into a new final hit, giving it more utility.
  • Aerial Spinning Kong has a significantly lower maximum damage output.
  • Unlike Grounded Spinning Kong, the aerial version no longer produces a visual "blue ring" effect upon startup.
• Hand Slap:
  • Aerial and grounded Hand Slap have less ending lag.
  • Aerial Hand Slap now autocancels throughout its whole duration, greatly improving its ability to set up combos and tech-chases.
• Donkey Kong now has a new Final Smash called Jungle Rush that comprises of a single punch that, if successfully landed, leads to a series of rapid punches that traps and launches the opponent. The move, alongside the comical bongo noises it produces, are based off Donkey Kong's attacks in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat.

Role in World of Light

Donkey Kong was among the fighters that were summoned to fight against the army of Master Hands.

Donkey Kong was present on the cliffside when Galeem unleashed its beams of light. He was vaporized offscreen and transformed into a spirit along with the other fighters, excluding Kirby.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

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  Donkey Kong grabbing on Kongo Falls.

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  Charging Giant Punch before a Banzai Bill on Princess Peach's Castle.

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  Taunting with Diddy Kong on Great Bay.

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  Falling next to Kirby on Gaur Plain.

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  Performing his down smash on Boxing Ring.

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  Performing Spinning Kong on Skyworld.

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  Taunting with Diddy on Distant Planet.

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  Headbutting Mario on Gaur Plain.

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  Idling with Ditto on Battlefield.

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  Captured by Kapp'n on Bridge of Eldin.

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  With Mario, Link, Samus, Ice Climbers, Pit, Villager and Inkling on Battlefield.

Character Showcase video

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