Cucco

Cucco
File:ZeldaSymbol.png A Cucco, as it appears in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Universe	The Legend of Zelda
Debut	The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991)
Smash Bros. appearances	SSB4
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Hyrule Warriors (2014)
Console/platform of origin	Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Species	Cucco
Gender	Varies
Place of origin	Hyrule
Article on Zelda Wiki	Cucco

A Cucco (コッコ, Cucco) is a chicken-like creature found throughout the The Legend of Zelda series.

In Super Smash Bros. 4

As an item

A Cucco beside Toon Link in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Robin holding a Cucco.

Cuccos appear as items. Like Mr. Saturn they are living, throwable items that can walk around on the stage without impacting gameplay. If a Cucco is hit by an attack or is thrown into an opponent it summons multiple other Cuccos from offscreen: these Cuccos will then jump all over the stage and inflict 1% to 4% damage to a specific target. If thrown at a player the Cuccos will target only them, ignoring all other characters. Having invincibility does not stop a thrown Cucco from becoming hostile. If hit by an attack, the Cuccos will target the player that hit the Cucco, but they can damage all players. If a Cucco is provoked by a stage hazard it will target a random player but they can damage all players. If a Cucco is thrown at a boss or stage hazard, it will target the player that threw it but they can damage all players. Shielding a thrown cucco does not prevent the cucco attack.

While unlikely to directly KO opponents, the rapid hits from multiple Cuccos can potentially knock players offstage and could knock them to the lower blastline.

Like most elements from The Legend of Zelda in Smash 4, their design is based on their appearance in Twilight Princess, though their coloration is slightly whiter.

In Smash Run

An enemy Cucco beside Kirby in Smash Run.

Cuccos appear as enemies, appearing as their two-dimensional sprite from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as opposed to the three-dimensional models for the item. Unlike most enemies in the Smash Run, Cuccos will ordinarily not attack characters: they will, however, summon a swarm of other hostile Cuccos if they take sufficient damage. As an added visual cue the screen also flashes red, akin to what occurs in Cucco swarms in A Link to the Past. Cuccos cannot be defeated, nor can they drop items or power-ups: as such, Cuccos primarily act as an obstacle for players to fight around as they attempt to defend themselves from other enemies.

Trophy information

The enemy Cucco trophy is exclusive to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, while the item one appears in both versions, the item trophy is extremely rare.

Trophy in for 3DS.

Trophy in for Wii U.

Cucco (item)

"Why exactly a Cucco flees is anyone's guess. Maybe it knows what will happen when it is attacked and is trying to save you from that boundless rage. Once angered, it will call its flock and attack the last player to hit it. If thrown, whoever it hits will suffer its flock's wrath."

Cucco (enemy)

"Now here's a creature that's just poultry in motion. It usually minds its own business, but if you attack it, the chickens will come home to roost—by body-slamming you over and over...and over... A pretty fowl tactic if you ask us. It's almost futile to fight back, and eventually they'll lose interest and stop driving you Cucco."

Origin

Young Link using a Cucco to fly in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Cuccos are a domestic animal found in many titles in The Legend of Zelda series, starting with A Link to the Past. In some games, Link can carry Cuccos above his head to slow his descent whenever he jumped. However, Cuccos would often become hostile if they were attacked too often, often in the form of swarms of Cuccos flooding the screen and attacking Link. The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the only exception to this as Link gains control of the Cucco for a short while if he attacks it enough times.

Trivia

• When used as an item in standard battles, Cuccos take on the appearance of their Twilight Princess incarnation. This is ironic, as Twilight Princess is the only Zelda game in which attacking them does not result in them ganging up on you as in other games. When attacking Cuccos in Twilight Princess, if players damage them enough times players get to temporarily control that cucco for around 10 to 15 seconds, before regaining control over Link.
• In Smash Run, Cuccos appear in their 2D sprite form from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. However, in the related trophy, they are depicted using models from Ocarina of Time 3D. This suggests that at one point in development the 3D model version was to be used in Smash Run, but similar to Flying Man's cancelled 3D model, it was turned into a sprite for performance reasons (given that many can be onscreen at once).