King Dedede (SSB4)

King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. 4
Universe	Kirby
Other playable appearance	in Brawl
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Dedede Burst
Tier	H (46)

King Dedede (デデデ, Dedede) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. He was announced on January 10th, 2014 to commemorate the release of Kirby: Triple Deluxe in Japan. He is once again voiced by long-time Kirby producer and the creator and director of the Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai, whose voice clips have been digitally altered from Brawl.

King Dedede is currently ranked 46th out of 56 on the tier list, placing him in the H tier alongside Lucina and makes him the third lowest ranked super heavyweight. This makes him the highest ranked bottom-tier character, which is a significant drop from his previous position in Brawl, where he was ranked 12th out of 38. King Dedede's strengths are his large disjointed range courtesy of his hammer. Despite their range, he also possesses some very powerful punishing moves such as his forward and down smash and back and down aerials, with the latter two giving him good edgeguarding abilities. Dedede also possesses arguably the highest survivability overall in the game, being the hardest character to KO vertically due to having the third highest weight and the second fastest falling speed, as well as his horizontal survivability being great for a fast-falling character with slow air speed, due to his high weight and the fact he also boasts an impressive recovery for a heavyweight, thanks to his multiple midair jumps and super armor and large distance on Super Dedede Jump.

However, his tier drop is largely due to the weakening or total removal of moves that were important to his neutral game, such as the removal of chain grabbing, his infamous back aerial, and his significantly worsened grab game, going from one of the best to just below average. Additionally, he retains his poor mobility and sluggish frame data from Brawl, with one of the slowest dashing speeds and his air speed, which is already the slowest in the game, being made much worse, as well as having among the slowest moves with none of his moves being active before frame 9, barring down tilt, neutral aerial, and his standing grab. As a result of these factors, as well as his large size, considerable weight and fast falling speed, King Dedede is one of the most vulnerable characters to rushdowns and combos, with only his moderate gravity saving him from being as vulnerable as other heavyweights or fast-fallers would be to them. In addition, despite his slow moveset, he is surprisingly weak for a super heavyweight, with his fastest moves failing to KO until very high percentages, while his slowest moves are among the most punishable moves in the game. Dedede is also very vulnerable to camping as a result of his slow movest and mobility, and he is no longer capable of doing such due to his new Gordo Throw being reflectable by any attack that deals 2% or more.

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. To further compound this, his position as the highest ranking bottom-tier character in SSB4 could also be subjected to change. This is due to the tier list reflecting the metagame up to update 1.1.3, while his fellow bottom-tier characters Lucina, Charizard and Samus have been buffed beyond that update and to the point of having their current rankings becoming debatable, whereas King Dedede himself has been nerfed beyond that update.

Attributes

King Dedede is the epitome of the archetypal heavyweight character. He has a large frame, is the third heaviest among the cast, has slow walking and dashing speeds, below-average traction, the slowest air speed, one of the lowest air acceleration values, the second highest 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 biggest strength is his impressive survivability. His very high falling speed gives him the the greatest vertical endurance, and his weight alone gives him one of the best horizontal endurances. 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 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, meaning that attempts to intercept it may end with the opponent getting launched.

Another advantage King Dedede has is his harsh punishing 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.

However, King Dedede has numerous weaknesses. One of King Dedede's most prominent weaknesses is his polarized mobility. All of his stats 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 nothing 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. His special moveset also faces some issues: it is arguably half-functional. Gordo Toss can be used for strong stage control if spaced and timed correctly, but it can be reflected by any attack that deals at least 2%, limiting its otherwise great utility and stage control effect, and making it unsafe 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 to recovering. Inhale can be used to add on pressure to the opponent and possibly get a Dededecide, but it is easy to telegraph, and due to the removal of grab armor, it is unsafe to use. Lastly, Jet Hammer only works when trying to punish an unsafe get up attempt, or when breaking a shield.

His biggest flaw, however, is his overall underwhelming moveset. The majority of his moves are among the slowest, along with Shulk and Ganondorf, making King Dedede prone to punishment, and due to his vulnerability to combos, he'll have to read his opponents more often than not to land a move and prevent getting punished. His fastest moves come out on frame 6, being his down tilt and neutral aerial, though if the player finds itself using these moves too much, it can be as easy to punish Dedede. 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.

King Dedede is one of the characters that benefits the least from custom moves, as he has only three with utility that matches or surpasses the utility of his default specials versions: 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 Battlefield and use it and then be unable to move until Dedede lands on the main platform.

Overall, King Dedede's weaknesses outweigh his strengths, resulting in very low tournament representation and being poorly regarded in the western scene, with only Big D getting arguably notable results. However, he is viewed more favorably in the European scene, courtesy of El_Bardo getting strong tournament results to his credit.

Changes from Brawl

King Dedede has received a mix of buffs and nerfs 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.

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 autocancelling in a short hop and Gordo Toss being able to be reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2% of damage. 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 Jigglypuff, Falco, Marth, and fellow representative Meta Knight. However, it is important to notice that while the latter two characters and Jigglypuff were among the few characters to get truly nerfed from Brawl, 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 now seen as non-viable in competitive play.

Aesthetics

• King Dedede has a more cartoonish and brightly colored appearance due to the new aesthetic used in SSB4, making him look reminiscent of his appearance in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, which visually makes his pupils smaller than they were in Brawl. Additionally, Dedede's model also sports a graphical effect that accentuates the fuzz on his robes and crown, while he has gained even more exaggerated facial expressions. His eyes are also smaller than they are in Brawl; this is especially noticeable when comparing the animations for his idle poses and taunts between both games.
• The sound King Dedede makes during his up taunt is now in sync with the animation, regardless of the direction he is facing.

Attributes

• 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 gives him greater reach, but increased the size of his hurtbox, making him easier to hit.
• King Dedede is heavier (112 → 119), improving his endurance but making him more susceptible to combos.
• King Dedede walks faster (0.95 → 0.98).
• King Dedede dashes faster (1.22 → 1.36).
• King Dedede's air speed is slower (0.658 → 0.63), hindering his aerial mobility and making him even more susceptible to horizontal juggling.
• King Dedede's fast falling speed is faster (2.73 → 3.12), making him less susceptible to vertical juggling.
• 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.
• King Dedede jumps higher.
• King Dedede's soft landing is faster (5 frames → 2).
• King Dedede's item throw is stronger (1 → 1.063).
• King Dedede's rolls have more ending lag (IASA 32 → 33).
• King Dedede's spot dodge has more start-up with a shorter duration (frame 2-20 → 4-19) and has more ending lag (IASA 27 → 28).
• King Dedede's air dodge has less ending lag (IASA 39 → 34).
• The changes to hitstun canceling significantly hinders King Dedede, as it makes him very susceptible to combos. It also means he can no longer momentum cancel, decreasing his vertical endurance despite being heavier than in Brawl. However, he still has the best vertical endurance among the cast due to his higher weight.

Ground attacks

• 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 hits)).
• 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 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 (growth)), making it safer and improving its utility potential.
• Neutral attack has altered knockback (20/25/35 (set)/100 (growth) → 50/48 (base)/25 (set)/10/100 (growth) (hit 1), 20 (base)/50 (growth) → 50/30 (base)/10/45 (growth) (hit 2), 30 (base)/20 (growth) → 60/20/2 (set)/100 (growth) (loop hits)) and altered angles (361°/80° → 75°/105°/361° (hit 1), 85° → 115°/105°/100° (hit 2), 30° → 70° (loop hits)).
• Neutral attack's second hit can no longer trip opponents.
• Forward tilt deals more damage (6%/4% → 11%) due to consisting of five hits instead of one. The last hit has increased knockback (20 (base)/80/100 (growth) → 30/190), now being able to KO at very high percentages, while it lasts 1 frame longer (frame 12-22 → 12-23).
• Forward tilt has a larger hitbox (4.5u → 8u), although King Dedede now holds his hammer from the middle of it rather than the end, decreasing its reach overall. It also has increased ending lag (20 frames → 26).
• Forward tilt has an altered angle (65° → 50°).
• Up tilt has increased horizontal reach (6u → 8u), especially in front of King Dedede, making it slightly easier to land.
• Up tilt has increased start-up (frame 7 → 9), more ending lag (25 frames → 29), and deals significantly less knockback (30 (base)/120 (growth) → 50/80), no longer KOing until near 150%. It has also received a sourspot on its later portion that deals 2% less damage (12% → 10%).
• King Dedede has a new down tilt, a forward rolling tackle. It deals more knockback (20/10 (base)/100 (growth) → 60/75), has a larger hitbox (6u/4u → 7u/5u) and decreased start-up (frame 7 → 6), making it more useful and versatile than the previous down tilt.
• Down tilt launches opponents at a higher angle (361° → 38°), making it less effective at KOing option at very high percentages despite its increased knockback and compared to the previous down tilt. It also lasts 2 frames shorter (10 frames → 8) and has increased ending lag (25 frames → 27). Lastly, it can also miss if used too close to the opponent.
• 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%).
• Dash attack has increased knockback (35 (base)/95 (growth) → 40/100) and a larger hitbox (5u → 7u/6u).
• Dash attack has decreased base knockback and it can also miss if used too close to the opponent.
• Dash attack has increased hitlag (1x → 1.2x). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
• Sourspotted forward smash deals more damage (13% → 15% (early), 5% → 6% (late)) and the early hit has increased knockback growth (90 → 93), though they are still drastically weaker than the sweetspot.
• Sweetspotted forward smash has a larger hitbox (5.7u → 6u).
• Sweetspotted forward smash has altered knockback (55 (base)/90 (growth) → 30/93), hindering its KO potential. However, it it is still the strongest forward smash in the game. Early sourspotted forward smash also has a smaller hitbox (4.7u → 4.69999u).
• Late sourspotted forward smash has an altered angle (80° → 60°).
• Up smash has decreased start-up and a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-24).
• 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 (growth) → 60/80).
• Down smash has altered angles (105°/80°/50° → 30°/361°), making it capable of semi-spiking opponents. This improves its utility, especially for edgeguarding.

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial has increased knockback (30 (base)/85 (growth) → 40/95 (clean), 30 (base) → 40 (late)) and a larger hitbox (9u → 10u (clean), 5u → 6u (late)).
• King Dedede has a new forward aerial, a downward hammer swing. It deals 3% less damage (15% → 12%), has increased ending lag (22 frames → 27) and no longer autocancels from a short hop.
• 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.
• 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 KOs compared to the previous back aerial.
• Back aerial has significantly increased start-up (frame 6 → 17), a significantly shorter duration (frame 6-25 → frame 17-19), increased ending lag (8 frames → 20) and cannot trip opponents. This makes it much less versatile than the previous back aerial.
• Back aerial has altered knockback (20 (base)/100 (growth) → 30/88).
• Up aerial's loop hits deal 1% less damage (2% → 1%), decreasing the move's overall damage potential by 7% (19% → 12%).
• Up aerial's last hit has significantly more knockback growth (130 → 150), making it much more effective at KOing opponents above and KOing below 130% regardless of King Dedede's proximity to the upper blast line. The multiple hits also have altered angles (60°/120°/95° → 366°/90°), which when coupled with the universal nerf to SDI, improves its trapping ability.
• King Dedede has a new down aerial, a downward hammer swing. 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 received 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.
• Down aerial has larger hitboxes (4u/5u/6.5u → 5.5u/6u/8.5u). It also meteor smashes 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 edge-guarding option and a powerful, though situational, on-stage KOing option.
• Back aerial and sweetspotted down aerial have increased hitlag (1x → 1.2x (back), 1x → 1.5x (down)). This makes them safer on shield, but easier to DI.

Throws/other attacks

• The removal of chain grabbing 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.
• All grabs' ranges have been decreased.
• Standing grab and pivot grab have increased start-up (frame 6 → 7 (standing), frame 7 → 10 (pivot)).
• Dash grab has slightly decreased ending lag, making it less punishable when whiffed.
• Dash grab's animation has changed. King Dedede no longer stumbles over when he misses it.
• Forward and back throws deal less damage (12% → 10% (forward), 16% → 13% (back)).
• Down throw deals 2% less damage (8% → 6%).
• Back throw now launches opponents at a much higher angle (361° → 60°). When coupled with its decreased damage output, this hinders its KO potential despite its increased knockback growth (65 → 79).
• Up throw has decreased ending lag, improving its set-up potential into up aerial at lower percentages.
• King Dedede has a new down throw, a one-handed body slam. It launches opponents at a vertical angle (20° → 80°), making it better suited for combos compared to the previous down throw.
• Down throw no longer has set knockback (80 (set)/100 (growth) → 70 (base)/82 (growth)).
• Floor attack deals 1% more damage (6% → 7%), but has decreased knockback growth (50 → 48). It also has an altered angle (361° → 48°).
• King Dedede has a new over 100% ledge attack. It deals 2% less damage (10% → 8%), has a smaller hitbox (6u → 5.5u), is not intangible and has decreased reach compared to the previous over 100% ledge attack.
• Ledge attack no longer has set knockback (110 (set)/100 (growth) → 20 (base)/90 (growth)).

Special moves

• 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.
• 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. Gordos are more consistent as a projectile due to them still being powerful projectiles that can KO under 150%, in comparison to the extremely weak Waddle Dees and Waddle Doos. The ability to bounce the Gordos in different trajectories also gives the move greater trapping capabilities. The hammer swing in the initiation of the move additionally produces its own hitbox that deals 12%, which can also hit opponents into the subsequently tossed Gordo for immense damage. Depending on the opponent's position, the attack can also hit twice.
• Gordo Toss deals 8% less damage (22% → 14%) compared to Waddle Dee Toss' Gordos. Additionally, Gordos can be reflected by any hitbox that deals at least 2%, making the move significantly more risky than Waddle Dee Toss if Dedede misuses it.
• King Dedede can now grab ledges during Super Dedede Jump's ascent as long as he is facing the stage, making it safer. Super Dedede Jump's landing hit can also now bury grounded opponents. Super Dedede Jump's landing hit no longer deals extra shield damage (3 → 0), but is heavily compensated with the removal of damage reduction on shields, allowing the entire move to break shields much more easily if all of its hits connect.
• Super Dedede Jump descends faster and is now canceled by pressing up instead of down.
• Jet Hammer has a larger hitbox (7u → 7.5u). Uncharged Jet Hammer has increased base knockback (20 → 30) and decreased start-up (frame 29 → 27). Fully charged grounded Jet Hammer deals 8% more damage (30%/20% → 38%/28%), making it significantly stronger (though knockback was compensated (30 (base)/80 (growth) → 5/66 (grounded)). Due to the removal of 30% damage reduction on shields, it can now nearly break a full shield. Its recoil damage also stops earlier (150% → 100%). Lastly, when coupled with the introduction of rage, Jet Hammer's recoil damage is now a double-edged sword rather than a hindrance. Combined with the new ledge mechanics, this makes it more effective at edgeguarding.
• Sweetspotted fully charged aerial Jet Hammer also deals 1% less damage (28% → 27%) and has significantly decreased knockback (30 (base)/80 (growth) → 10/70 (aerial)). Uncharged Jet Hammer lasts 1 frame shorter (3 frames → 2).
• Fully charged Jet Hammer now has a consistent angle (361°/80° → 361°).
• Jet Hammer's animation has changed. It now produces much more intense lighting that visually lights up the surrounding areas, 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.
• King Dedede has a new Final Smash, Dedede Burst. It is a trapping Final Smash with average initial range and KO potential of a typical Final Smash, making it significantly more reliable at KOing opponents than Waddle Dee Army. However, Dedede Burst deals a fixed amount of damage (46%), making it less damaging overall than Waddle Dee Army. It is also the only trapping Final Smash that can be escaped from.

Update history

Despite his poorly regarded status, King Dedede has been nerfed in game updates. 1.0.4 made his forward aerial weaker, which makes him easier to be punished at low percentages even on hit. His down throw is stronger, which makes follow-ups harder to perform. Gordo Toss must be used even more carefully than before due to Gordos becoming slightly smaller and requiring only 2% to be reflected back, and Dedede Burst can now be escaped from. On the other hand, Dedede indirectly benefits from the changes to shield mechanics brought by 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. Lastly, 1.1.4 nerfed him again by reducing his air speed, to the point he is now slower even than Shield Shulk. As a result, he is slightly worse than he was during the game's initial release.

1.0.4

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

1.0.8

• Super Dedede Jump's voice clip changed.
• King Dedede's name now takes up one line in both the character selection screen and the results screen.

1.1.3

• Timing for Inhale and Taste Test modified.
• Facing restriction for Super Dedede Jump modified.

1.1.4

• Air speed decreased: 0.658 → 0.63.

Moveset

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			4%	A pair of hammer swings followed by a twirling hammer attack that traps the opponent followed by with an upward swing. It is the second slowest neutral attack in the game, coming out on frame 10, losing out only to Zelda's by 1 frame. However, King Dedede's has a huge disjointed range and can be used in a zero-to-death combo. Unlike most neutral attacks, the finisher launches opponents at a nearly vertical trajectory, while it also has KO potential, though around 150%.
			4%
			1% (loop), 3% (last)
Forward tilt			2% (hits 1-4), 3% (hit 5)	A spinning hammer poke. Very good range. 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 doesn't connect at its highest range.
Up tilt			12% (body), 10% (head)	An upward headbutt. King Dedede's head and upper body are intangible while its hitbox is active.
Down tilt			10% (clean), 6% (late)	A rolling tackle. Very fast start-up, it can be used after most defensive options and attacks, as a good out of shield option and for disrupting opponents.
Dash attack			16% (clean), 13% (late)	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.
Forward smash			15% (early), 24% (clean), 6% (late)	He winds up and brings down the hammer. 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 slowset startup 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 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%. However, it can miss against short characters during the move's startup as the attack does not possess a hitbox directly in front of him. Has transcendent priority.
Down smash			13%	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. Appears very similar to the Giant Dedede Swing from Kirby's Return to Dream Land. Has transcendent priority.
Neutral aerial			12% (clean), 7% (late)	A belly flop. Behaves like a sex kick, though unlike most of them, it has transcendent priority.
Forward aerial			12%	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 Roy, Little Mac or Cloud.
Back aerial			16%	An upward swing. Can KO reliably below 130% and autocancels from a short hop.
Up aerial			1% (hits 1-7), 5% (hit 8)	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 Greninja's up aerial. This move is also useful for fending off edgeguarders while recovering.
Down aerial			15% (hammer head), 8% (handle)	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.
Grab			—	Reaches out with his free hand.
Pummel			3%	A headbutt. Moderately slow.
Forward throw			4% (hit 1), 6% (throw)	Whacks the opponent forward with his hammer.
Back throw			4% (hit 1), 9% (throw)	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.
Up throw			4% (hit 1), 5% (throw)	A jump set, a technique used in volleyball. Can lead into up aerial at low to mid percents.
Down throw			6%	A one-handed body slam. King Dedede's best way to rack up damage, scoring true combos into his up tilt, up smash and neutral, forward and up aerials until medium percentages. The up aerial combo can also be used until high percentages as a KO set-up.
Forward roll Back roll Spot dodge Air dodge		—	—
Techs		—	—
Floor attack (front) Floor getups (front)			7%
Floor attack (back) Floor getups (back)			7%
Floor attack (trip) Floor getups (trip)			5%
Edge attack Edge getups			8%
Neutral special	Default	Inhale	5% (release), 10% (spit)	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 swallow projectiles and items. Unlike Kirby's Inhale, Dedede will not be damaged or be healed upon Inhaling explosive or non-explosive items.
	Custom 1	Dedede Storm	2% (loop hits), 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. 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. 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.
	Custom 1	Topspin Gordo	10% (hammer), 11% (Gordo)	Throws Gordos that do not go far initially, but fly forward upon bouncing. Disappears after a second bounce.
	Custom 2	Bouncing Gordo	10% (hammer), 6% (Gordo)	The Gordos are electrified and bounce back and forth. Angling the move changes the Gordo's trajectory significantly.
Up special	Default	Super Dedede Jump	15% (drop), 11% (landing), 5% (stars)	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.
	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), 5% (stars)	Jumps faster, but the stomp is also weaker and lower than the default.
Down special	Default	Jet Hammer	11% (uncharged ground), 10% (uncharged air), 38%/28% (fully charged ground), 27%/16% (fully charged air)	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.
	Custom 1	Armored Jet Hammer	9% (uncharged), 24%/20% (fully charged ground), 22%/15% (fully charged air)	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.
	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.
Final Smash		Dedede Burst	10% (hits 1-3), 1% (hit 4), 15% (hit 5)	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.

On-screen appearance

• He is carried in on a palanquin by four Waddle Dees, then jumps off, scattering them.

Taunts

• Up taunt: Hoists his hammer above his head and pumps it up and down.
• Side taunt: Spins his hammer while looking at the camera, laughing.
• Down taunt: Dances in a circle while drumming on his belly.

Up taunt	Side taunt	Down taunt

Idle poses

• Taps his hammer on his shoulder.
• Smacks his belly.

Crowd cheer

	English	Japanese
Cheer
Description	De-De-De! De-De-De! Dedededededede!	De-De-De! De-De-De! Dedededededede!
Pitch	Group chant	Group chant

Victory poses

A flourished remix directly from Brawl. It is a remix of the short recurring theme that plays when Kirby completes a stage or defeats a boss, debuting in Kirby's Dream Land.

• 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.
• Slams his hammer down on both sides of him, then looks towards the screen.
• Spins his hammer into the air and finishes with a pose while sporting a strained and angry facial expression or the same expression that sees his eyelids slightly adjust at the end of the animation, resulting in his expression simply looking strained and no longer angry.

In competitive play

Official Custom Moveset Project

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

Notable players

Active

•  Big D
•  El_Bardo
•  Girthquake
•  Hello
•  Jdawg
•  J.T.C.
•  KingJames
•  Soul Train

Inactive

•  Vex Kasrani

Trophies

King Dedede

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.

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.

: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)

: Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)

King Dedede (Alt.)

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!

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!

: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)

: Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)

Dedede Burst

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!

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.

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  Classic (3DS)

• KingDededeAllStarTrophy3DS.png

  Alt. (3DS)

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  Classic (Wii U)

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  Alt. (Wii U)

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  Dedede Burst

In Event Matches

Solo Events

• All-Star Battle: Brawl: King Dedede is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents debuted in Brawl.
• Kirby's Crazy Appetite: Three King Dededes will try to stop Kirby from healing his damage.
• The Final Battle: The player must defeat King Dedede, along with Bowser and Ganondorf.
• The King Strikes Back: King Dedede must defeat Kirby in a 150 HP battle.

Co-op Events

• Final Battle Team-Up: King Dedede appears as an opponent to be defeated.
• Food Fight: A damaged King Dedede and Kirby must defeat Wario, Yoshi, and Pac-Man.
• The Ultimate Battle: Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.
• Wrecking Bros.: King Dedede and Wario will try to stop Mario and Luigi's progress.

Alternate costumes

					File:KingDededeHeadBrownSSB4-U.png

Gallery

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  King Dedede in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.

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  King Dedede's amiibo.

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  The Pic of the Day shown during King Dedede's reveal.

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  Using his neutral aerial with Kirby.

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  Charging Jet Hammer on Mario Galaxy.

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  Using his forward smash.

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  One of King Dedede's idle poses.

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  King Dedede fighting Villager.

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  Using Super Dedede Jump.

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  Charging Jet Hammer while approaching Fox using Fire Fox.

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  Using his dash attack on Little Mac.

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  King Dedede while stunned.

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  King Dedede crouching in front of Wii Fit Trainer...

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  ...and then getting hit by her forward smash.

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  King Dedede performing his down taunt with Peach and Zelda.

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  "Curiouser and curiouser ..." This is a quote from Chapter Two of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

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  "Ah--soft and squishy." [1]

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  Using his new Final Smash, Dedede Burst.

Trivia

• King Dedede and Mega Man are the only characters that have projectiles that can stick to walls.