King K. Rool (SSBU)/Up tilt

Hitbox visualization showing King K. Rool's up tilt.

Overview

An uppercut. Has a wide hitbox, covering the front of K. Rool, and starts low enough to reach prone enemies; this even includes several fighters when hanging on the ledge. The vertical reach of up tilt is significant, with it hitting platforms below while also catching jumps as they begin from them; stages such as Battlefield and Pokémon Stadium 2 are considerable examples of this.

Up tilt is King K. Rool's fastest tilt attack, coming out on frame 5 along with frame 4 intangibility, which is very fast for a move with reasonably decent KO power. The FAF of 38 also makes it one of K. Rool's safest moves. While the move loses power the longer it is out, the fact it lingers until Frame 13 makes it his best anti-air. Due to the hitbox placement, odd angles are possible to get as the fist rises, giving the illusion of a mid hitbox and a good situation to further the advantage state. The sweetspot deals rather strong diagonal knockback, and the sourspot deals weak, mostly vertical knockback, which can potentially lead to another up tilt or up aerial.

The length of time the hitbox is out combined with its relatively fast startup makes it a very useful approach option with pivot cancelling, with its impressive range stuffing almost any approach. Using this preemptively in neutral, while somewhat risky, can break apart many aerial approaches while giving a strong situation thereafter. Pivot cancelled up tilt can be used out of forward throw as a niche followup once dash attack stops working, though proper DI makes it difficult to pull off.

Up tilt is a very important move to use out of forward throw when dash attack is no longer possible, which can be achieved through pivot cancelling forwards. This is difficult to do, but with practice it is immensely important due to the angle it sends at. This leads to ledgetrap situations very consistently. Up tilt also works extremely well out of down throw due to its combination of high speed and power, and can kill middleweights over 120%. However, it is inferior to other options in terms of KO potential (dash attack is 2 frames slower but much stronger), making this a move usually used for consistency against good mashers.

Up tilt has some notable weaknesses, however. The intangibility ends 4 frames prior to the hitbox ending, as well as before the arm retracts, making it possible to "2-frame" the arm. This makes its ability to stuff aerial approaches somewhat risky in some situations, such as when sharking platforms. Furthermore, the 50 angle makes it relatively easy to DI, with up+in dampening its kill power by a significant margin. It also lacks any true followups - even at the last active frame - making it strictly an anti-air to generate situations that could lead to up aerial KOs. Up tilt has noticeable endlag as well, making it very punishable on whiff, especially after a pivot cancel.

Update History

13.0.0

Up tilt deals more damage with no compensation on knockback (11.5% → 12.5% (clean), 6.8%/8.2% → 7.4%/8.9% (late)).

Hitboxes

ID	Part	Rehit rate	Damage	SD	Angle type	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			H×	SDI×	T%	Sound	Hit bits	Hit part
Clean
0	0	0	12.5%	0	Standard	50	90	0	3.5	arml	2.2	0.5	0.0	1.2×	1.0×	0%	Punch	All	All
1	0	0	12.5%	0	Standard	50	90	0	5.0	arml	7.5	2.5	0.0	1.2×	1.0×	0%	Punch	All	All
Late
0	0	0	7.4%	0	Standard	66	72	0	4.0	arml	2.2	0.0	0.0	1.2×	1.0×	0%	Punch	All	All
1	0	0	8.9%	0	Standard	66	72	0	5.0	arml	7.0	2.0	0.0	1.2×	1.0×	0%	Punch	All	All