Cucco

Cucco
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 Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda (2021)
Console/platform of origin	Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Species	Cucco
Gender	Varies
Place of origin	Hyrule
Article on Zelda Wiki	Cucco

“	Once it takes enough damage, a Cucco becomes enraged and calls its feathered friends in for backup, attacking the last player that struck it. As you're intently attacking an opponent, be careful not to inadvertently hit a Cucco!	”
—Super Smash Bros. 4 Official Site

A Cucco (コッコ, Cucco) is a chicken-like creature found throughout the The Legend of Zelda series. They appear as an item in both versions of Super Smash Bros. 4, in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and additionally appear as a Smash Run enemy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

Origin

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

Cuccos are a domestic animal found in many titles in The Legend of Zelda series, making their debut in 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 also become hostile if they were attacked too often, often in the form of swarms of indestructible Cuccos flooding the screen and attacking Link only stopping until he perishes, waits ten seconds or leaves the area.

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. A Cucco can be hit by attacks, and if it takes 13% damage or more, it will fly off and summon a flock of Cuccos that target the player who hit it last, which deal 1-4% damage each. Although the Cucco attack will be targeted at the player who hit the Cucco last, all players can be hit by the Cucco flock. There are also certain attacks that can provoke a Cucco even while it is being held by another player.

A Cucco will also trigger its attack if it is thrown at an opponent - even if they are shielding or invincible - which makes them the target of the Cucco's attack. Unlike a Cucco provoked by attacks, only the thrower's opponents are vulnerable to the attack of a thrown Cucco.

When provoked through a stage hazard or boss, a Cucco's attack can hit all players. If it is hit by a stage hazard or neutral boss, the Cucco will target a random player. If it is thrown at one instead, it will target the player that threw it.

While unlikely to outright KO opponents, the rapid hits from the Cucco flock can potentially knock players offstage, and launch them downwards repeatedly (potentially even to the lower blast line), making recovery difficult or impossible.

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.

Damage output

	SSB4
Swarm	119%
Throw	8%
Up tilt throw	10%
Down tilt throw	11%
Dash throw	9%
Forward smash throw	12%
Up smash throw	13%
Down smash throw	15%
Aerial throw	8%
Aerial drop	3%
Aerial up tilt throw	10%
Aerial down tilt throw	11%
Aerial forward smash throw	8%
Aerial up smash throw	10%
Aerial down smash throw	11%

In Smash Run

An enemy Cucco beside Kirby in Smash Run.

Cuccos appear as enemies in Smash Run, where they appear 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 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. While Cuccos can be attacked, grabbed (which will not anger them) and thrown, they cannot actually 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.

Trophies

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 considerably rarer than other trophies.

Cucco's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Cucco's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Cucco

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.

These chicken-like birds don't seem to be aware that there's a fight going on, and if they get hit too often, they'll explode with rage! They'll call in a bunch of their mates to relentlessly peck whoever touched them last. Of course, that could be the person they were thrown at - not just the thrower!

: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (04/1992)

: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (11/1998)

Cucco's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Cucco

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.

Now here's a creature that's just poultry in motion. It usually minds its own business, but if you attack it, it'll call on all its little bird friends for help - a pretty fowl tactic if you ask us. However, just let them get on with body-slamming you and don't fight back, and eventually they'll lose interest and stop driving you Cucco.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Toon Link next to a Cucco in Ultimate.

Cuccos return as an item in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Their function appears identical to Smash 4.

Spirit

No.	Image	Name	Type	Class	Cost	Ability	Series
186		Cucco		★	1	Floaty Jumps	The Legend of Zelda Series

Gallery

• 

  Official artwork of a Cucco from Ultimate.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	コッコ	Cucco
English	Cucco	—
French	Cocotte	—
German	Huhn	Chicken
Spanish	Cuco	—
Italian	Coccò	—
Chinese (Simplified)	咕咕鸡	Cuckoo Chicken
Chinese (Traditional)	咕咕雞	Cuckoo Chicken
Korean	꼬꼬	Cucco
Dutch	Cucco	—
Russian	Кокко	Cucco

Trivia

• As an item in standard battles, Cuccos take on their appearance from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Ironically, Twilight Princess is the only The Legend of Zelda game in the series where attacking them does not result in them attacking the player; instead, players could take control of the Cucco for around ten seconds.
• In Smash Run, Cuccos appear as enemies in their 2D sprite form from The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. However, their enemy trophy uses their models from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. This suggests the possibility that their 3D model was intended to be used in Smash Run, but similar to the Flying Men in Magicant, their 2D sprites were used instead to lessen the strain on the 3DS system.
• There is a glitch involving Cuccos when they're used as an item; if it is thrown offstage, then the Cucco may occasionally attack the character who tossed it, though it won't deal any damage or even make them flinch.
• Their enemy trophies in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS make a pun on the word "cuckoo".