Dark Dive
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| Dark Dive | |
|---|---|
 Ganondorf uses Dark Dive on Link. | |
| User | Ganondorf |
| Universe | The Legend of Zelda |
| “ | ...[Ganondorf's] Dark Dive blasts foes in a burst of dark energy. | ” |
| —Ganondorf's trophy description in Melee | ||
Dark Dive (雷神掌 Raijinshō, Raijin Palm) is the up special move used by Ganondorf, introduced in Super Smash Bros. Melee. It's similar in function to Captain Falcon's Falcon Dive, but instead of the opponent getting hurt by fire, they will be shocked by electricity if Ganondorf connects with them. Like the Falcon Dive, it can be used repeatedly if successful, and Ganondorf can grab a ledge at the peak height of this move when facing the other direction. This helps to sweet spot and to keep Mario players from caping. Due to its predictability and poor distance, the move has often been cited as one of the worst recoveries in the game.
Appearances
Super Smash Bros. Melee
In Melee, the move itself is essentially a clone move of Falcon Dive, except that there are electric effects. He rises up, catching opponents that are above him, and zaps them. He can use this move again after. Also, as with most moves Ganon has compared to Falcon, the move is stronger than Falcon Dive, and is easier to KO foes with (though F.D. is still strong by itself). It is interesting to note that, unlike Falcon Dive, Dark Dive can harm other characters (in addition to the victim Ganon has latched on to) via the electrical hitboxes. This makes it harder for an opponent to hit Ganondorf out of this move. Unfortunately, it cannot grab, or even affect foes on a ledge, making this move extremely easy to edgeguard.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Ganondorf can still grab opponents with his Dark Dive, but if the move does not connect until the end of the animation, the opponent is simply knocked away with Darkness damage. In addition, Ganondorf can now grab opponents hanging onto the ledge, which often stage spikes them, though they can tech it and punish Ganondorf because they can move before Ganondorf can.
The Dark Dive has much weaker knockback in Brawl, deals less damage and can even get punished from grabbing the opponent with it depending on their damage percent and how fast their aerials are. The move is also capable of destroying targets in Target Smash!! when his body comes in contact with the target.
In The Subspace Emissary, Ganondorf attacks Tabuu with his Dark Dive after he finds out Tabuu is controlling Master Hand with his Chains of Light. The distance Ganon travels with Dark Dive seems to be highly exaggerated. Even before he hits Tabuu, he gets hit by a counterattack, turning him into a trophy.
Super Smash Bros. 4
Dark Dive returns in Super Smash Bros. 4. However, the knockback of the attack appears to have been reduced, despite its attack power already being significantly reduced in Brawl.
Customization
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Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the known variations:
- Dark Fists: Doesn't grab enemies, but can launch them. Hits twice.
- Dark Vault: Moves higher, but can only grab at the beginning or end of the move.
Differences with Falcon Dive
- Electrical effects instead of flames.
- Multi-hitting instead of 2 hits.
- In Brawl, it deals a total of 11% damage instead of 17% for Falcon Dive and the damage Dark Dive dealt in Melee.
- Stronger knockback-wise in Melee, but much weaker in Brawl and can get hit out of it by many characters at mid percents or higher.
- Doesn't go as high and moves much slower horizontally after using it, but falls slower after using it.
- Dark Dive hits with an uppercut that deals 7% damage with darkness if he doesn't grab the opponent earlier in the move (Brawl only).
- A little slower.
Trivia
- In Melee, victims don't visibly wince from this attack (except for Yoshi), though in Brawl, they squint in pain. This also seems to be the case for Captain Falcon's Falcon Dive.
- In Melee, the multi-hit hitboxes of the move may fail to connect on characters of a significantly different size than Ganondorf, such as a tiny Kirby or a giant Wire Frame. As a result the move deals significantly less damage and ends faster.
- In Brawl, the grab box can not break a Smash Ball, along with Captain Falcon's Falcon Dive, though the uppercut can break them and the grab box can break targets in Target Smash!! and hit enemies and Bosses in the Subspace Emissary and in the Boss Battles.
