King Dedede (PM)

King Dedede in Project M and Project+
Universe	Kirby
Base game appearance	Brawl
Moveset inspiration	King Dedede (SSBB)
Alternate costume	Samurai Dedede

King Dedede (known as simply Dedede in-game) is a playable character in the Brawl mod Project M and Project+. He has received speed and combo buffs though suffering from a removal of his chain-grabbing abilities.

King Dedede ranks 34th out of 41 on the official Project M tier list, near the top of the D tier. This is a significant drop from his position on the Brawl tier list, where he is ranked 12th out of 38. In the official Project+ tier list, he places 36th out of 42, placing in C+ tier.

Attributes

King Dedede is a character whose strengths lie in his offense. Every one of his attacks boasts speed, power, reach, or hitbox placement, giving him a powerful neutral and punish game. He also has great comboing ability, having combo starters such as his up throw and combo finishers such as his forward aerial. He also has superb camping abilities due to his aforementioned reach and hitbox placements, as well as his versatile Waddle Dee Toss. He also has a highly above average recovery thanks to his many jumps, the new airdodge physics, and his useful Super Dedede Jump. However, Dedede's biggest boon is his back aerial; despite it having less range than in Brawl, his higher air speed and the removal of hitstun canceling allow it to wall of pain better. It also maintains its minimal lag, long duration, power, and still has a favorable hitbox placement.

However, Dedede has numerous flaws, mainly in terms of defense. He is a very large target with slow mobility, making it easy to camp him out. He also has merely above average vertical endurance despite being a super heavyweight due to his average gravity and slightly above average falling speed. He also suffers from his recovery being somewhat predictable due to it mainly being linear. Dedede is also very easy to combo due to his aforementioned weight and size, as well as his gravity only being slightly lower than his falling speed.

Dedede overall fares worse in PM than Brawl as a result of the flaws created in the transition, as well as the significantly harsher environment which is no longer subject to his chainthrows.

Changes from Brawl to PM

King Dedede gained both buffs and nerfs from Brawl to PM. The buffs made him better offensively, but worse defensively, almost turning him into a glass cannon. Despite having received more buffs overall, he is considered to be worse relative to the cast due to the loss of his chain throw and many characters gaining new options to outclass his own.

Attributes

• King Dedede's air speed is significantly faster (0.658 → 0.9), no longer being the slowest, significantly improving his aerial approach and recovery in combination with Waddle Dee Toss and Super Dedede Jump's added movement versatility.
• King Dedede's air friction is lower (0.006 → 0.005).
• King Dedede falls much faster (1.95 → 2.25), although he falls much slower relative to the rest of the cast than in Brawl, going from the fastest to the 10th fastest fall speed. This comparatively worsens his vertical endurance and his ability to mix-up landings, but makes him less susceptible to combos relative to the cast than in Brawl (though on his own, the opposite is relatively true in practice within Project M's more combo-oriented environment).
• King Dedede's fast falling speed is drastically faster (2.73 → 3.3). This makes him less susceptible to juggling, and gives him a much better SHFFL.
• King Dedede's gravity is higher (0.0837 → 0.095).
• King Dedede's short hop is lower (jump force: 1.68 → 1.6). In combination with his higher gravity and falling speed, this improves his ability to hit opponents low on the ground and land more quickly with short hop aerials, but also hinders his ability to auto-cancel his aerials.
• King Dedede's full hop is higher (jump force: 2.4 → 2.6, jump height: 33.21906465 → 35.58).
• Number of midair jumps reduced (4 → 3), making it more difficult to land safely, and somewhat worsening his recovery and enforcing more use of Super Dedede Jump for recovering.
• King Dedede's traction is much higher (0.0484 → 0.07).
• King Dedede swims faster (0.08 → 0.108).
• King Dedede's feet hurtboxes are now ungrabbable, making it harder to grab him.
• Both rolls have less ending lag (FAF 33 → 32).
• Forward roll has a longer duration (frames 4-19 → 4-20).
• Spot dodge has a longer duration (frames 2-20 → 2-21).
• Spot dodge has a new animation where Dedede now moves out of the Z axis as soon as his intangibility has worn off, making his spot dodge much easier to punish.
• Air dodge has a much longer animation (40 frames → 50), significantly increasing the amount of time King Dedede cannot grab the ledge after using it.
• The removal of hitstun canceling both helps and hinders King Dedede. They make him even more susceptible to combos and remove his ability to momentum cancel, hindering his endurance (though he still has one of the best vertical endurances among the cast). However, they also improve his own previously somewhat minimal combo game outside of chain grabs, as well as benefiting from being able to DI non-tumbling knockback due to his large size and high falling speed making him particularly vulnerable to it in Brawl.

Ground Attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first hit has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 12-13 → 11-13), with the hitbox coming out before King Dedede fully swings his hammer.
  • The first two hits have less ending lag (FAF 38 → 28 (hit 1), 28 → 25 (hit 2)).
    • This also reduces the window to execute each subsequent hit (30 frames (both) → 28/25).
  • The infinite's hammer head hitbox is smaller (7u → 5.7399836u).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt deals much more damage (6% (clean), 4% (late) → 12%/9%) with its knockback scaling not fully compensated (80 (handle) 100 (hammer head) → 70/80), and sends opponents at a lower angle (65° → 361°), making it much stronger and more effective at edgeguarding.
  • Forward tilt deals more shield damage (0 → 9 (clean), 6 (late)). When combined with its higher damage output and the universally increased shieldstun, this makes it both more effective at wearing down and relatively even safer on shield.
  • The hammer head hitbox is larger (4.5u (clean)/4u (late) 5.7399836u (both)), further increasing its already notoriously long disjointed range.
    • When combined with the changes to ledge grabbing and smaller recovery ledge sweetspots, this further improves forward tilt's effectiveness as an edgeguarding and ledge-trapping tool (though in certain matchups, this is mitigated by the reintroduction of ledgedashing).
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 34).
  • Up tilt now only grants intangibility to King Dedede's head as opposed to his whole body from frames 7-8, making it much easier to contest.
  • The universally increased falling speeds combined with the altered knockback formula hinder up tilt's KO potential against most characters.
    • However, this also improves its combo potential combined with its lower ending lag.
  • Up tilt has altered hitbox sizes, but its head hitbox is noticeably smaller (7u/7u/6u → 5.7399836u/7.38u/6.25u), along with it being positioned lower (Y offset: 7u → 6.579983u), reducing its effective range overall, especially above King Dedede.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has smaller hitboxes (clean: 6u/6u/6u → 4.92u/4.92u/4.92u, late: 4u/4u/4u → 3.279983u/3.279983u/3.279983u), and they are positioned closer to King Dedede (Z offset: 4u/0u/-6u → 3.7599833u/0u/-5.639983u (clean), 2u/-2u/-8u → 1.8799833u/-1.8799833u/-7.5199833u (late)), reducing its range.
  • Down tilt can no longer trip opponents (40% chance → 0%).
• Dash attack:
  • Dash attack now gives King Dedede heavy knockback-based armor between frames 8-29, making it harder to challenge and improving its usage in approaching and hitting recoveries with hitboxes.
  • Dash attack's body hitbox is larger (5u → 6.9u) with its positioning altered (X/Y/Z offset: -4u/0u/-3u → 0u (all)), now fully covering King Dedede's body, while its head hitbox is positioned further and lower (X/Y/Z offset: -4u/0u/0u → 0u/2.9u/1u), improving its ability to hit opponents recovering below or hanging on the ledge.
  • Dash attack now has a weaker late hit from frames 30-35 which deals less damage (16%/14% → 10%).
• Forward smash:
  • King Dedede holds his hammer much further out during the move, noticeably increasing its range.
  • The early hit deals more damage (13% (early) → 16%).
  • The clean hit has a longer duration (frames 44-46 → 44-47).
  • The early and clean hits' hammer head hitbox is larger (4.7u (early), 5.7u (clean) → 6u (both)), further increasing its range.
  • The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 47-54 → 46/48-50), making it less effective at covering spot dodges, and increasing the move's relative ending lag.
  • The late hit now has a sweetspot on the hammer head that deals more damage (5% → 12%) and knockback (100 (base), 30 (scaling) → 40/70) than the previous sole late hit.
    • The new sweetspots are made up of two hitboxes: an upper hitbox that launches opponents vertically (70°) and a lower hitbox that meteor smashes opponents, increasing the move's edgeguarding potential against opponents recovering below or hanging on the ledge, combined with the changes to ledge grabbing and smaller recovery ledge sweetspots.
    • The new late hitboxes can also now hit aerial opponents unlike the previous late hit.
  • The late hitboxes can no longer reverse hit, now always sending opponents in the direction King Dedede is facing.
  • The previous late hit has less startup lag (frame 47 → 46).
  • The previous late hit has more knockback scaling (30 → 50) and now meteor smashes grounded opponents (80° → 270°).
  • The previous late hit now consists of one very large hitbox instead of four equally sized and spaced hitboxes (8u/8u/8u/8u → 15u), significantly increasing its range in front of and above King Dedede.
    • However, its hitbox placement was not fully compensated around King Dedede's body (Y offset: 4u/4u/4u/4u → 0u, Z offset: 0u/9u/18u/27u → 0u), decreasing its range closer to him.
  • The previous late hit now uses the kick hit sound effect instead of the "thowmp" hit sound effect.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has less startup lag with a longer duration (frame 20-24 → 17-23), with its animation timing altered to have the hitboxes cover around King Dedede for longer during the swing.
  • Up smash has less ending lag (FAF 68 → 54).
  • Up smash deals much more damage (14% (sweetspots), 9% (sourspot) → 20%/17%) with its knockback scaling not fully compensated (95 (sweetspots), 96 (sourspot) → 79/80), improving its KO potential.
  • The hammer head hitbox is smaller (6u → 5.75u).
    • Despite this, King Dedede holds his hammer much further out during the move. When combined with its faster startup lag and altered animation speed, this drastically increases the move's range overall regardless.
  • The sourspot hitbox is larger (4u → 5.5u).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has less ending lag (FAF 53 → 47).
  • The front half of the hitbox duration deals more damage (15% → 18%) with its knockback scaling not fully compensated (82 → 79), increasing its KO potential overall.
  • Down smash now consistently sends opponents behind Dedede (105°/80°/50° → 130°/125°/120°), allowing him to KO opponents more easily and making it harder to DI.
  • The hammer head hitbox is smaller (7u → 5.75u).
    • Despite this, King Dedede holds his hammer further out during the move, increasing the move's horizontal range overall regardless.

Aerial Attacks

• Neutral, forward, and back aerials have more landing lag (neutral: 15 frames → 22/11, forward: 30 frames → 32/16, back: 21 frames → 22/11), though this is heavily compensated by L-cancelling.
• King Dedede's increased air speed and the changes to hitstun and air dodging make forward aerial and back aerial more effective and consistent at wall of pain combos.
• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 38).
  • Neutral aerial can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Dedede's lower short hop, and higher gravity and falling speed.
  • Neutral aerial sends opponents at a consistent angle between the clean and late hits (60° (clean), 80° (late) → 75°). When combined with the changes to the game's mechanics, this significantly improves its combo potential.
  • Neutral aerial has larger hitboxes, especially the late hit (9u (clean), 5u → 11.08u (both)), now fully covering King Dedede's entire body during both halves.
    • Its vertical positioning was altered to compensate (Y offset: 12u → 8u).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 16-18 → 13-18), and with its animation timing altered to have the hitbox start directly below King Dedede and cover in front of and above him for longer during the swing.
  • Forward aerial has more ending lag (FAF 37 → 40).
  • Forward aerial auto-cancels later (frame 35 → 39), no longer doing so in a short hop in combination with King Dedede's lower short hop, and higher gravity and falling speed.
  • Forward aerial has more knockback scaling (90 → 100).
  • Forward aerial has smaller hitboxes overall (7.5u/4u/4u/4u → 5u/5u/3.2799833u/3.2799833u).
    • Despite this, King Dedede holds his hammer much further out during the move. When combined with its faster startup lag and altered animation speed, this drastically increases the move's range despite its smaller hitboxes, now being one of the largest aerials in the game.
      • The move's hitbox placements along the hammer have been altered to compensate (X offset: -2u/-6u/-12u/-18u → 16.5u/16.5u/9u/2.8199832u, Y offset: 0u/-3u/-3u/-3u → 0u/0u/0u/0u, Z offset: -4u/-3u/-2u/-1u → -2.6u/2.6u/0u/0u).
• Back aerial:
  • King Dedede can no longer perform two back aerials in a short hop due to his lower short hop, higher gravity and falling speed.
  • The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 9-25 → 9-21), now matching its animation.
  • Back aerial has much smaller hitboxes (clean 8.5u/8.5u → 5.534983u/5.534983u, late: 7u/7u → 4.92u/4.92u), and its inner hitbox is positioned closer to King Dedede (Z offset: 6u → 5.639983u), noticeably reducing its previous notoriously large range and disjoint.
  • Back aerial can no longer trip opponents (30% chance → 0%).
• Up aerial:
  • Up aerial now consists of a single clean and late hit instead of being a multihit attack. This removes the gaps between hits, makes it much more reliable at hitting overall, and improves its juggling potential.
    • It has a shorter total hitbox duration (frames 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24-25 → 10-13 (clean), 14-24 (late)).
  • Up aerial deals less maximum damage (multihits: 2%, final hit: 5%, total: 19% → 12% (clean)/9% (late)) with its knockback compensated (50 (base), 130 (scaling) → clean: 40/85, late: 30/85).
  • The uppermost front hitbox sends opponents at a lower angle (80° → 70°).
  • Up aerial has smaller hitboxes overall, particularly the hammer head hitboxes (multihits: 6u/6u/4u/4u, final hit: 6.5u/6.5u/5u/5u → clean hit: 5.7399836u/5.7399836u/4.51u/4.51u, late hit: 4.92u/4.92u/3.2799833u/3.2799833u), and its hitboxes are positioned closer (X offset: 17u/17u/9u/3u → 15.979983u/15.979983u/8.46u/2.8199832u, Z offset: -3u/6u/0u/0u → -1.8799833u/1.8799833u/0u/0u), reducing its range.
    • However, King Dedede holds his hammer higher during the attack, increasing its upwards range overall.
• Down aerial:
  • Down aerial has a shorter animation (50 frames → 41), decreasing the amount of time King Dedede cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
  • Down aerial has much less ending lag (FAF 48 → 38).
  • Down aerial has less landing lag (30 frames → 22/11).
  • Down aerial auto-cancels sooner (frame 44 → 34), now doing so in a short hop.
  • Down aerial now consists of five hits instead of seven.
    • This worsens its shield pressuring potential out of a full hop, but due to the universally increased shieldstun and the move's lower landing lag and now being able to auto-cancel from a short hop, it is more effective at shield pressuring from a short hop.
    • Each hit of down aerial lasts one frame longer, with the final hit having less startup lag (frame 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 → 9-10, 13-14, 17-18, 21-22, 25-26), making the full attack execute faster.
      • This effectively shortens the move's total hitbox duration by a frame (19 frames → 18).
      • The two-frame gaps between each hit were not fully compensated for with their increased hitbox duration, relatively increasing the multihits following the first's startup lag, and effectively increasing the gaps between each hit (2 frames → 3).
      • The multihits deal more damage (2% → 3%).
      • The two upper multi-hitboxes have an altered angle (270° (both) → 260°).
      • The two upper multi-hitboxes can now hit aerial opponents.
      • Between the two upper multi-hitboxes, the lower one now takes priority over the higher one. However, this has no practical effect since they have the same attack properties.
      • The two lower multi-hitboxes have higher set knockback (20 → 50) and altered angles (60°/120° → 100° (both)).
  • The final hit deals less damage (5% → 3%) and knockback (50 (base), 140 (scaling) → 70/105), hindering its KO potential, and resulting in the move dealing 2% less damage if all hits connect despite the multihits' higher damage (17% → 15%).
    • Its lower power improves its combo potential.
  • The final hit's lowest front hitbox sends opponents at a lower angle (80° → 70°).
  • Down aerial has smaller hitboxes (multihits: 4u/4u/5.5u/5.5u → 3.28u/3.28u/4.8u/4.8u, final hit: 4u/4u/6.5u/6.5u → 3.28u/4u/5.33u/5.33u), and the hitboxes are positioned much closer to King Dedede, along with Dedede holding his hammer closer to him. This noticeably reduces the move's range, and making it a worse anti-juggling tool despite Dedede's higher gravity and falling speed.
  • Down aerial's attacking sound effect now matches up aerial's.

Throws/other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Standing grab has increased startup lag (frame 6 → 7) and ending lag (FAF 31 → 32).
  • Standing grab has smaller grabboxes (4u/4u/4u → 3.91u/3.91u/3.91u), and they are positioned closer to King Dedede (Z offset: 18u/13u/8u → 17u/13.5u/8.449984u), reducing its range.
  • Dash grab has smaller grabboxes (4u/4u/4u → 3.91u/3.91u/3.91u).
  • Dash grab's grabboxes are positioned further (Z offset: 15u/10u/5u → 16u/10.3u/5.199983u), marginally increasing its horizontal range despite its smaller grabboxes.
  • Pivot grab has more startup lag (frame 7 → 9).
    • However, its total duration was unchanged, decreasing its ending lag.
  • Pivot grab's grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: -22u/-15u/-8u → -20u/-13u/-6u), reducing its horizontal range.
• Forward throw:
  • Forward throw has more ending lag (FAF 38 → 39).
  • The throw deals more damage (throw: 6% → 8%, total: 12% → 14%) and knockback (70 (base), 80 (scaling) → 80/75).
• Back throw:
  • The collateral hitbox has more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 16-18 → 17-18).
  • The collateral hitbox has an altered angle (361° → 45°).
  • The throw deals less damage (throw: 10% → 9%, total: 16% → 15%), no longer making it the most damaging throw in the game.
  • The throw has much higher knockback scaling (65 → 94), making it among the strongest throws in the game despite its lower damage.
• Up throw:
  • Up throw has more ending lag (FAF 40 → 41).
  • The collateral hitbox now launches bystanders vertically (361° → 90°).
  • Up throw has less base knockback (70 → 60). When combined with the changes to the game's mechanics, this makes it significantly better at following up into moves, and can even be used to chain grab fast-fallers.
• Down throw:
  • Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 36).
  • The throw sends opponents at a higher angle (20° → 32°) and has altered knockback (0 (base), 80 (set), 100 (scaling) → 50/80/40), now putting every character into tumble. This removes Dedede's ability to guarantee a chain grab with it, making it act more like how it did on lightweight characters in Brawl. As a result, it is a significantly inferior throw by comparison; no longer nullifying certain characters (though it is still highly effective at tech-chasing and setting up into forward tilt or an edgeguard).
• Edge attacks:
  • Edge attacks no longer deal set knockback (110 (set), 100 (scaling) → 70 (base)/50 (scaling)).
    • Fast edge attack:
      • Fast edge attack has an altered angle (45° → 361°).
    • Slow edge attack:
      • Slow edge attack has less intangibility (frames 1-51 → 1-43), no longer being intangible while the hitbox is active.
• Trip attack:
  • Trip attack has significantly more intangibility frames (frames 1-8 → 1-20).
  • Trip attack has more base knockback (60 → 80).

Special Moves

• Inhale:
  • King Dedede is now able to control his aerial drift while using Inhale in the air, further compounded by the changes to jumps carrying more horizontal momentum like in Melee and his faster air speed. This improves Inhale's mix-up potential, accuracy, and its ability to approach.
  • Inhale's windboxes are now unblockable, improving its ability to swallow shielding opponents.
  • Inhale's two middle windboxes have lower set knockback (50/30 → 30/20).
  • Aerial Inhale's grab and windboxes are positioned higher, making it easier to swallow opponents above and on platforms.
  • Inhale's star spit was made harder to button mash out of (star time reduction per input: 12 frames → 3).
• Waddle Dee Toss:
  • Waddle Dee Toss' throwing angles are much sharper and more varied from each other, with King Dedede throwing his minions much higher and lower when angled up and down, respectively. This overall significantly improves Waddle Dee Toss' accuracy and makes it a more versatile tool for stage control, edgeguarding, setting up follow-ups, or planting a minion close to Dedede to regrab it sooner.
  • Waddle Dee Toss' tilt-inputted tosses travel slower (especially Gordos) and cover less distance.
    • However, the shorter distance of tilt-inputted tosses along with the sharper throwing angles makes it easier to keep Dedede's minions closer to him to set up regrabs or throw them toward center stage, while the slower travel speed allows minions thrown upwards to stay airborne for longer to increase their hitbox active frames. The ability to smash throw minions also largely compensates for the tilt-throw's shorter distance, making it more beneficial overall.
  • Gordos can now be regrabbed, which is further complemented by their slower travel speed, making it possible to throw a Gordo multiple times to rack up massive damage.
  • Regrabbing a minion has significantly less ending lag (FAF 63 → 21 (grounded), 30 (aerial)).
  • Minions can now be regrabbed with air dodging. When combined with the reintroduction of directional air dodging, this gives it properties that distinguish it from a normal aerial regrab:
    • Regrabbing a minion while air dodging horizontally will cause King Dedede to travel in the direction the air dodge was angled (known as a "Waddle Dash"). When combined with regrabbing a minion's significantly lower ending lag and Dedede's much faster air speed, this can be combined to allow him to move forward at a very fast rate if he repeatedly jumps into and throws one forward, significantly improving his mobility, recovery, camping ability, and approach.
    • Regrabbing a minion while air dodging in place or vertically will halt Dedede's momentum, compared to a normal aerial regrab which maintains it. This improves the move's movement mixups and throw arcs.
      • Additionally, a normal aerial minion regrab can now only be done with a grab button input rather than alternatively with a normal attack button input. This makes it much easier to perform aerial moves near minions without accidentally regrabbing them.
• Super Dedede Jump:
  • Super Dedede Jump now has a hitbox during the rising portion from frames 23-32 (6% damage, 50 base, 100 scaling, 65° launch angle).
  • Canceling Super Dedede Jump negates Dedede's vertical momentum faster, and the canceling animation can grab ledges much sooner (frame 29 → 19), giving the move more versatility for recovering and making it much easier to grab the ledge.
  • Super Dedede Jump will no longer cause King Dedede to go through a significantly longer delayed landing animation if the move was canceled too close to the ground, improving its landing and recovery.
  • Super Dedede Jump descends faster.
  • Super Dedede Jump will no longer be interrupted if King Dedede collides with a ceiling, improving its recovery potential from below the stage.
  • Super Dedede Jump now has heavy knockback-based armor during its startup before rising between frames 7-21 if initiated on the ground.
  • Super Dedede Jump no longer has intangibility or super armor during its initial take-off and near the peak of its jump, respectively, making it much easier to challenge and edgeguard, especially with the changes to ledges now requiring characters to be falling downward to sweetspot like in Melee and the relatively long time it takes for the move to be able to grab the ledge making it particularly vunerable to repeated edgeguards.
  • Super Dedede Jump now causes King Dedede to lose all remaining jumps if used and before landing again, instead of retaining his remaining jumps. This makes it more dangerous to initiate in the air if Dedede is hit out of it, worsening his recovery potential, further compound by Dedede's fewer jumps and the above changes to losing its intangibility and super armor.
  • The changes to ledges normally only being grabbable while facing it forwards by default like in Melee hinders Super Dedede Jump, as unlike most up specials whose ledge grabboxes were changed to be able to grab the ledge while facing away from it, Super Dedede Jump was not given this ability while canceling the move. This makes it more crucial to not misinput the cancel in the wrong direction of the ledge and self-destruct with it.
  • Super Dedede Jump's falling hitbox is larger (8u → 8.5u) with its positioning compensated (Y offset: 7.5u → 7u, Z offset: 0u → -0.4u).
  • Super Dedede Jump's landing hit deals significantly more damage, especially the body hitbox (11% → 20% (body), 16% (outer hitboxes)), and shield damage (3 → 15 (body), 12 (outer hitboxes)), improving its KOing and shield breaking/pressuring potential.
• Jet Hammer:
  • Jet Hammer applies a forward momentum boost on swinging based on the level of charge (especially while airborne), improving the move's effective range and giving it niche recovery and approaching potential.
  • Jet Hammer begins charging much sooner (frame 18 → 2), and the uncharged/half-charged release has less startup lag (frame 10 → 7), drastically decreasing the move's minimum startup lag (frame 28 → 9) and ending lag (FAF 77 → 57) when uncharged.
  • Uncharged aerial Jet Hammer deals more damage (10% → 11%).
  • A non-fully charged Jet Hammer deals less knockback overall (20 (base), 100 (scaling) → 40/80).
  • Jet Hammer applies light armor once holding maximum charge.
  • Fully charged Jet Hammer's recoil damage caps earlier (150% → 100%).
  • Fully charged Jet Hammer has an added weaker late hit that deals 7% damage, significantly lengthening its total duration (frames 9-11 → 9-33) as well as its range above and behind King Dedede.
    • The clean hit additionally has a longer duration (frames 9-11 → 9-13).
  • Fully charged Jet Hammer's clean hit now deals consistent (and in the case of the aerial version, more) damage (30%/20% (grounded), 28%/16% (aerial) → 30%). This is especially beneficial for the aerial version, as previously, one of the sourspot hitboxes took priority over both sweetspot hitboxes.
  • Fully charged deals more knockback overall (30 (base), 80 (scaling) → 40/75), improving its KO potential.
  • Jet Hammer now semi-spikes (361° (most hitboxes), 80° (fully charged sourspots) → 35°), which, along with its altered knockback, further improves the fully charged version's KO potential.
  • Jet Hammer has larger hitboxes (7u/5u/5u/4u → 10u/8u/7u/5u), and they are positioned farther from King Dedede (Y offset: 14u/7u/1u/6u → 16u/9u/2u/11u), noticeably increasing its range, compounded with its new forward momentum when charged.
  • The uncharged and former full-charge sourspot hitboxes now use a flame hit effect.

Update History

v2.1

• Spot dodge animation was smoothed out.
• Super Dedede Jump's canceling animation can grab ledges much sooner (frame 29 → 19).

v2.5b

• Up tilt's lowermost hitbox is larger (4.92u → 6.25u) and is positioned more favorably on King Dedede's body (Y offset: -6.579983u → 0u).
• Dash attack's body hitbox is larger (5u → 6.9u) with its positioning altered (X/Y/Z offset: -4u/0u/-3u → 0u (all)), now fully covering King Dedede's body, while its head hitbox is positioned further and lower (X/Y/Z offset: -4u/0u/0u → 0u/2.9u/1u).
• Forward smash second late hitbox now consists of one very large hitbox (6.559983u → 15u), significantly increasing its range in front of and above King Dedede.
  • It deals less damage than the second sourspot hitbox it replaced (12% → 5%).
  • Its knockback was altered (40 (base), 70 (scaling) → 100/50), and it now meteor smashes grounded opponents (70° → 270°).
• Neutral aerial has less ending lag (FAF 41 → 38).
• Neutral aerial's late hit is larger (6.15u → 11.069966u), now only being negligibly smaller than the clean hit rather than much smaller.
• Forward aerial has less ending lag (FAF 43 → 40).
• Waddle Dee Toss' throwing angles are much sharper and more varied from each other, with King Dedede throwing his minions much higher and lower when angled up and down, respectively. This overall significantly improves Waddle Dee Toss' accuracy and makes it a more versatile tool for stage control, edgeguarding, setting up follow-ups, or planting a minion close to Dedede to regrab it sooner.
• Waddle Dee Toss' tilt-inputted tosses travel slower (especially Gordos) and cover less distance.
  • However, the shorter distance of tilt-inputted tosses along with the sharper throwing angles makes it easier to keep Dedede's minions closer to him to set up regrabs or throw them toward center stage, while the slower travel speed allows minions thrown upwards to stay airborne for longer to increase their hitbox active frames. The ability to smash-throw minions also largely compensates for the tilt-throw's shorter distance, making it more beneficial overall.
• Super Dedede Jump's falling hitbox is larger (8u → 8.5u) with its positioning compensated (Y offset: 7.5u → 7u, Z offset: 0u → -0.4u).
• Super Dedede Jump's landing hit deals more damage (11% → 20% (body), 16% (outer hitboxes)), and shield damage (3 → 15 (body), 12 (outer hitboxes)).
• Super Dedede Jump's landing stars have more base knockback.
• Fully charged Jet Hammer's recoil damage caps earlier (150% → 100%).

v2.6b

• Up tilt has less ending lag (FAF 40 → 34).
• Dash attack now has medium knockback-based armor instead of damage-based armor.
• Neutral aerial's clean hit sends opponents at a higher angle (60° → 65°).
• Each hit of down aerial lasts one frame longer (frame 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 → 9-10, 12-13, 15-16, 24-25, 27-28), effectively increasing the move's total hitbox duration by a frame (19 frames → 20).
• Pivot grab has more startup lag (frame 7 → 9).
  • However, its total duration was unchanged, decreasing its ending lag.
• Pivot grab's grabboxes are positioned closer (Z offset: -22u/-15u/-8u → -20u/-13u/-6u), reducing its horizontal range.
• Forward throw deals more damage (throw: 6% → 8%, total: 12% → 14%) and knockback (70 (base), 80 (scaling) → 80/75).
• Down throw has less ending lag (FAF 42 → 36).
• King Dedede is now able to control his aerial drift while using Inhale in the air.
• Super Dedede Jump now has a hitbox during the rising portion from frames 23-32 (6% damage, 50 base, 100 scaling, 65° launch angle).
• Super Dedede Jump now has medium armor during the same timeframe as the new rising hitbox.

v3.0

• Forward smash has gained a new late hit that meteor smashes aerial opponents with the same damage and knockback values as the regular late hit, being much more effective than the much larger sourspot late hit at meteor smashing aerial opponents.
  • The much larger sourspot late hit was changed to only be able to hit grounded opponents to accommodate the new aerial meteor smash hitbox.
• Forward aerial's hitboxes were altered to match the animation better (Hammer head hitbox sizes: 6.15u/3.279983u → 5u/5u, X offset: 15.97998u/11.59u/7.199983u/2.819983u → 16.5u/16.5u/9u/2.819983u). This overall improves the move's absolute range.
• Grounded Super Dedede Jump's medium armor has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 23-32 → 7-21).
• Aerial Super Dedede Jump no longer has medium armor.

v3.5

• Soft and hard landings cause the screen to shake less.
• Helpless landing animation was reverted to its Brawl animation, rather than reusing his regular hard landing animation.
• Spot dodge and air dodge voice clip changed to be the same as his ledge grab voice clip.
• Adjusted ledge jump animations to prevent warping.
• King Dedede's environmental collision box (ECB) was adjusted during his jumping and air dodge animations, significantly improving his wavedashing ability.
• Dash attack can no longer slip off edges with a turnaround once it ends, removing a way King Dedede could quickly grab ledges.
• Dash attack now has a flash overlay to denote knockback armor.
• Dash attack now shakes the screen on faceplant.
• Aerial Waddle Dee Toss regrabs have more ending lag (FAF 21 → 30).
• Waddle Dashing carries over less horizontal momentum. When combined with the above change, this makes performing consecutive Waddle Dashes in a row more difficult to perform, and reduces its movement and recovery potential.
• Super Dedede Jump now has a flash overlay at startup to denote knockback armor.
• Super Dedede Jump now depletes all jumps.
• Super Dedede Jump's landing stars have less base knockback (60 → 50).
• Super Dedede Jump's landing stars are slightly larger (3.75u → 4u).
• Fixed the vertical positioning when charging Jet Hammer on the ground.

v3.6b

• King Dedede was moved down during his air-grabbed animation, to fix him instantly breaking free from aerial grabs if immediately pummeled.
• Forward smash's large sourspot late hit has less startup lag with a longer duration (frames 48-50 → 46-50).
• Forward smash's sweetspot has an altered hit sound effect.
• Up smash's animation was smoothed out.
• Up smash has less startup lag (frame 20 → 17).
  • However, its total ending lag was not compensated to match (FAF 57), relatively increasing it.
• Up smash's hammer hitboxes deal less damage (22% → 20%) with their knockback scaling not fully compensated (75 → 79).
• Neutral aerial sends opponents at a consistent angle between the clean and late hits (65° (clean), 80° (late) → 75°), improving its combo potential.
• Neutral aerial has a negligibly smaller hitbox (11.0699835u (clean), 11.069966u (late) → 11.06u (both)).
• Neutral aerial's hitbox is positioned lower (11.2799835u → 8u), making it cover King Dedede's body more effectively.
• Forward aerial's animation was smoothed out.
• King Dedede does not hold his hammer as far out during down aerial, reducing its range.
• Down aerial has more startup lag, which also increased each subsequent hit by three frames (frame 9-10, 12-13, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28 → 12-13, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28, 30-31).
  • Its ending lag was also increased to match (FAF 43 → 46).
• Down aerial's two lower multi-hitboxes have altered set knockback (45 (base), 20 (set), 0 (scaling) → 0/50/100), while each hitbox has altered angles (270° (upper hitboxes), 90° (lower hitboxes) → 260°/100°).
• Down aerial's two lower multi-hitboxes have higher SDI multipliers (0.8× → 1×).
• Down aerial's final hit has altered knockback (90 (base), 50 (scaling) → 40/150).
• Down aerial's attacking sound effect now matches up aerial's.
• Inhale's two middle windboxes have lower set knockback (50/30 → 30/20).
• Gordos can now be regrabbed.
• Super Dedede Jump's downward momentum gain was altered to be smoother overall, making it descend faster.
• Super Dedede Jump has a plummeting graphical effect added once the descending hitboxes appear.
• Jet Hammer now uses a set frame command instead of frame speed mods on attack subactions. Its frame data and attack properties, however, remain unchanged.
• Jet Hammer has some graphical effect timings altered.

v3.6

• Down aerial has a shorter animation (50 frames → 41), decreasing the amount of time King Dedede cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
• Down aerial auto-cancels sooner (frame 46 → 34), now doing so in a short hop.
• Down aerial has much less ending lag (FAF 46 → 38).
• Down aerial now consists of five hits instead of seven.
  • Down aerial's startup lag was reverted, although the multihits following the first's startup lag were not fully compensated (frame 12-13, 15-16, 18-19, 21-22, 24-25, 27-28, 30-31 → 9-10, 13-14, 17-18, 21-22, 25-26).
    • The subsequent multihits' startup not being fully compensated means there is now a longer gap between each hit (2 frames → 3).
    • This effectively also shortens the move's total hitbox duration by two frames (20 frames (frames 12-31) → 18 (9-26)).
  • The fewer hits worsen its shield-pressuring potential.
  • The multihits deal more damage (2% → 3%), leaving the move's total damage output unchanged.
• Down aerial's final hit has altered knockback (40 (base), 150 (scaling) → 70/105).
• Inhale's star spit was made harder to button mash out of (star time reduction per input: 12 frames → 3).

Changes from PM to P+

Aesthetics

• Eye animation adjustments made on up tilt, up smash, down smash, and forward aerial.

Attributes

• King Dedede's hurtboxes were adjusted to be slightly smaller overall, making him marginally harder to hit.
• King Dedede is lighter (112 → 107).
• King Dedede has a faster initial walk (0.15 → 0.25).
• King Dedede runs faster (1.22 → 1.3).
• King Dedede's jump-squat is one frame faster (frame 6 → 5).
• King Dedede's soft landing is faster (6 frames → 5).
• King Dedede's shield is larger (12.5 → 13.5, power shield size multiplier: ×0.75 → ×0.9).
• Crouching has significantly less startup lag (frame 16 → 8), making it much easier to crouch cancel.
• King Dedede can now fall through platforms during his mid-air jumps.

Ground attacks

• Neutral attack:
  • The first two hits have less startup lag (frame 11 (both) → 8), with their ending lags compensated to match (FAF 28 → 25 (hit 1), 21 (hit 2)).
    • Additionally, both hits have altered animation timings without a change to their total hitbox durations; the first hit was altered to have the hitbox start once King Dedede fully swings his hammer, rather than right before, while the second hit's second active frame has Dedede swing his hammer much higher upwards. This gives both hits more favorable attack arcs overall.
  • The first two hits' hammer handle hitboxes were moved inward (X offset: -6u/-12u (both) → -7u/-14u), reducing their potential to blindspot directly in front of Dedede.
  • The infinite deals less damage (2% → 1%).
• Forward tilt:
  • Forward tilt's ending animation was altered to have King Dedede pull back his hammer immediately after the hitboxes end instead of slightly delaying it. This makes it better at indicating when the hitboxes end, while also reducing Dedede's hurtbox more during its ending lag, and thus, further improving its already large relative disjoint.
• Up tilt:
  • Up tilt grants more head intangibility, now matching its hitbox duration (frames 7-8 → 7-17).
    • Additionally, King Dedede's left arm is also now intangible during this period.
• Down tilt:
  • Down tilt has less startup lag (frame 7 → 6) and ending lag (FAF 37 → 32).
  • The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 10-18 → 9-14).
• Forward smash:
  • Forward smash has less startup lag (frame 42 → 37), with its ending lag compensated to match (FAF 81 → 77).
  • Forward smash has gained an additional hitbox at the end of King Dedede's hammer handle, reducing the move's potential to blindspot.
• Up smash:
  • Up smash has more knockback scaling (79/80 → 83/84).
• Down smash:
  • Down smash has larger hitboxes (5.75u/4u/4u → 6u/5u/5u) with altered vertical hitbox placements (Y offset: 0u/-3u/-3u → -2.5u/-4u/-4u), making it more effective at hitting opponents below the ledge.
    • Its horizontal hitbox placements were altered to compensate for their larger sizes (X offset: 2u/-7u/-13u → 1.5u/-9u/-15u).

Aerial attacks

• Neutral aerial:
  • Neutral aerial's animation is one frame shorter (40 frames → 39), slightly decreasing the amount of time King Dedede cannot grab ledges after performing the move.
  • Neutral aerial auto-cancels sooner (frame 35 → 33).
  • Neutral aerial has less startup lag (frame 7 → 6), with its ending lag compensated to match (FAF 38 → 37).
• Forward aerial:
  • Forward aerial has a slightly altered startup animation to prevent King Dedede from landing before the hitbox starts, making it easier to use out of a short hop.
  • Forward aerial has less landing lag (32/16 frames → 28/14).
  • Forward aerial has gained an additional sourspot hitbox that deals 13% at the end of King Dedede's hammer handle.
• Back aerial:
  • Back aerial has less ending lag (FAF 34 → 33).
  • Back aerial has less landing lag (22/11 frames → 20/10).

Throws/other attacks

• Grabs:
  • Standing grab's two inner grabboxes were moved inward (Z offset: 13.5u/8.449984u → 13u/7.449983u), reducing their potential to blindspot.
  • Dash grab has larger grabboxes (3.91u (all) → 5.45u), reducing their potential to be low-profiled by smaller characters.
    • Their hitbox placements were altered to compensate for their larger sizes (Y offset: 9u (all) → 7.4u, Z offset: 16u/10u/5.199983u → 14.2u/8u/3.7u).
• Up throw:
  • Up throw's release point was adjusted to be directly above King Dedede.

Special moves

• Inhale:
  • Inhale was made harder to button mash out of.
  • Inhale has a shorter maximum inhaled period (200 frames → 120).
  • Opponents can no longer mash out of the star when spit out.
  • Dededecide always KOs the opponent before King Dedede, instead of at the same time or after, meaning Dedede will always win if he lands a Dededecide on the opponent's last stock.
• Waddle Dee Toss:
  • Grounded Waddle Dee Toss has less ending lag (FAF 65 → 59).
  • Gordos deal less damage (22% → 18%).
  • King Dedede no longer has an extremely rare chance to throw capsules if items are turned on.
  • Fixed a bug that would cause Gordo’s to occasionally get stuck in King Dedede’s face.
• Super Dedede Jump:
  • Super Dedede Jump's landing hit has less startup lag (frame 3 → 1), with its ending lag compensated to match (FAF 62 → 60).
• Jet Hammer:
  • Jet Hammer has a faster jump-squat, matching King Dedede's normal jump-squat frames (7 frames → 5).

Moveset

Up to date as of version 3.6.

		Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack			6%	Hits his opponent with two quick swipes of his hammer, then sticks it out in front of him and spins it.
			5%
			2% (loop)
Forward tilt			12% (clean), 9% (late)	Extends his hammer forward and spins it quickly.
Up tilt			12%	Sets his hammer down and quickly jumps upwards while headbutting. Dedede's head has some intangibility frames while the hitboxes are out.
Down tilt			10% (clean), 6% (late)	Does a sweeping kick low to the ground.
Dash attack			16% (clean body), 14% (clean head), 10% (late)	Trips and face-plants forward. A powerful dash attack, capable of KOing most fighters at low percentages.
Forward smash			16% (early), 24% (clean), 12% (late), 5% (shockwave)	Raises his hammer over his head and swings it at the ground in front of him. If the hammer comes into contact with a ledge that a character is grabbing, that character will be meteor smashed.
Up smash			20% (hammer), 17% (body)	Pulls his hammer back then swings it vertically over his head.
Down smash			18% (front), 15% (back)	Swings his hammer near the ground, performing a low spinning hammer attack.
Neutral aerial			12% (clean), 7% (late)	Extends his arms and legs and attacks with his stomach. His limbs produce a second, weaker hitbox soon after.
Forward aerial			15%	Pulls his hammer back slightly then swings it in front of him upwards.
Back aerial			13% (clean), 9% (late)	Extends one foot backward. Has sex kick properties.
Up aerial			12% (clean), 9% (late)	Spins his hammer above his head.
Down aerial			2% (hits 1-6), 3% (hit 7)	Extends his hammer below him and spins it, dealing multiple hits.
Grab			—
Pummel			3%	Lays his hammer down and headbutts the opponent.
Forward throw			6% (hit), 8% (throw)	Hits opponent forward with his hammer.
Back throw			6% (hit), 9% (throw)	Hits opponent with his hammer behind himself.
Up throw			4% (hit), 5% (throw)	Throws his opponent above his head, then pushes them upwards.
Down throw			4% (hit), 4% (throw)	Slams opponent on ground and sits on top of them.
Floor attack (front)			6%	Gets up and kicks both sides.
Floor attack (back)			6%	Gets up and kicks both sides.
Floor attack (trip)			5%	Gets up and swings his hammer both sides of himself.
Edge attack (fast)			8% (foot), 6% (body)	Pulls himself up slightly, then heaves himself onto the stage while kicking in front of him.
Edge attack (slow)			10%	Pulls himself slowly onto the stage, then quickly swings his hammer over his head in front of him.
Neutral special		Inhale	5% (release), 10% (spit), 9-18% (star)	Inhales the opponent, and does damage upon spitting them out. Does collateral damage to anybody hit by the character being spit out, depending on that character's weight.
Side special		Waddle Dee Toss	5% (Waddle Dee), 7% (Waddle Doo), 22% (Gordo)	Pulls one of his minions out of his sleeve and throws them forward. Unlike in Brawl, the minion can be thrown in three different trajectories, much like Snake's hand grenades.
Up special		Super Dedede Jump	6% (jump), 15% (fall), 16%/20% (landing/body), 5% (stars)	Jumps extremely high and comes crashing down. Unlike Brawl, if the move is cancelled and he falls to the ground, he will get up instantly instead of fumbling around, making it safer to cancel the move.
Down special		Jet Hammer	11% (uncharged), 30%/7% (fully charged/late)	Raises his hammer above his head, and it opens up to create a jet of white flame. The longer the move is held, the more damage, knockback, and directional boost to Dedede occurs. However, Dedede starts taking damage if the move is held past maximum charge.
Final Smash		Waddle Dee Army	2% (Waddle Dee), 8% (Waddle Doo), 15% (Gordo)	Whistles, and then dances for ten seconds while Waddle Dees, Waddle Doos, and Gordos move about the stage. During these ten seconds, he is invincible.

Stats (Project+)

Stats	Weight	Dash speed	Walk speed	Traction	Air friction	Air speed	Air acceleration	Gravity	Falling speed	Jumpsquat	Jump height	Double jump height	Empty landing lag
Value	107	1.4 – Initial dash 1.3 – Run	0.95	0.07	0.005	0.9	0.01 – Base 0.04 – Additional	0.095	2.25 – Base 3.3 – Fast fall	5	35.58 - Base 13.474 - Short hop	25.47, 22.12, 20.01	5

In competitive play

Most historically significant players

See also: Category:King Dedede players (PM)

•  Dumshiny - One of the best King Dedede players in the world in the late-2010s, known for frequently using King Dedede's "Swallowcide" tactic. He is best known for placing 5th at Smash Camp: End of Summer, where he defeated Dirtboy and ilovebagelz, as well as finishing 17th at The Encore; these results led him to rank 42nd on the PMRank 2019 as the second King Dedede player to rank globally in the mod, and he notably outranked Ripple that year.
•  Fly Amanita - One of the best King Dedede players in the early years of Project M and was considered a top 10 player in 2012. He was best known for finishing 5th at Apex 2014, which remained the best major placement from a King Dedede player for over a decade. Outside of Apex, he has done well at a couple of other events as well, such as 2nd at Low Tier City and 17th at the EVO 2015 side event. Though he stopped competing in the mid-2010s, he is still considered one of the mod's greatest King Dedede players, ranking 86th on the Project M/+ All Time Top 100.
•  Ripple - One of the longest-active Project M players and one of the mod's greatest King Dedede players, being considered a top 20 player in 2014 and being ranked 29th on the PMRank 2016, the highest-ranking King Dedede player in the mod. For a long time, his 7th-place finishes at both The Big House 4 and Tipped Off 11 made him the only King Dedede player place top 8 at multiple majors. He continues to play King Dedede in Project+, eventually adding Samus as a co-main; he placed 9th at Deep Space Tussle with mainly King Dedede and was ranked 26th on the PMRank 2025 with both characters. Due to his long-term success, he is ranked 51st on the Project M/+ All Time Top 100 as the list's highest-ranking King Dedede player.

Alternate costumes

Project M

Dedede's alternate costumes remain unchanged from Brawl. He obtained a costume based on his appearance in the Samurai Kirby minigame.

King Dedede's alternate costumes in PM

Project+

King Dedede gains additional color schemes and new team colors. His second green one has an obi featuring sprites of the Kirby series enemy Sparky, a light-blue and purple color based on concept designs for Parallel Dedede, and a black color scheme with an obi that features the eye shape of one of his possessors, Dark Matter. His Samurai Kirby-inspired costume also gains two additional color swaps. In 2.4, his Samurai Kirby-inspired costume receives visual touch-ups while also having him throw a Key Dee, a Waddle Doo as it appears in the aforementioned Sub-Game (with a yellow complexion to match the enemy Waddle Doos in Kirby Super Star), and a Blado.

King Dedede's alternate costumes in P+

Secret costumes:

Z-Secret Costume: Kirby 64 Dedede: Based on King Dedede's appearance in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, which became the basis for his appearances in Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Extra details include the white crown-like fluff on his hat, his eyes and beak having a different shape, and the removal of his usual kimono. As of 2.4.1, the Waddle Dees he throws now resemble the individual character, the Waddle Doos he throws now resembles the transformed form of said Waddle Dee after being possessed by Dark Matter, and the Gordos he throws now resemble the versions from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards right down to the cyan spikes and wider eyes that look more cross-eyed than how they generally look in most other games.

R-Secret Costume: Shadow Dedede: Based on Shadow Dedede, an entity hailing from the Mirror World in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Extra details include the monochrome bull's-eye emblem in place of King Dedede's own emblem, blank eyes always in an angry expression, and a different colored version of the Super Dedede Hammer normally wielded by Masked Dedede in place of the king's usual wooden hammer.

Trivia

• His original Z-Secret Costume was based on Masked Dedede, a form he takes on at the end of Kirby Super Star Ultra's Revenge of the King Sub-Game, and would later appear as part of his Final Smash, Dede-Rush, in Ultimate. The mask that was part of the costume appears as part of an Easter egg from 2.3 onwards, occasionally appearing after using Dedede's side taunt.
• King Dedede, along with Mewtwo, Meta Knight, and R.O.B., are the only characters whose respective up specials (Super Dedede Jump, Teleport, Shuttle Loop (aerial version), and Robo-Booster) do not allow them to grab the ledge if facing away from it at any point during the move. Though in Dedede's case, this is largely compensated by him being able to turn around right as he is canceling the move to face the opposite direction.

External links

• King Dedede's page at the Project M website
• Labbing Discord Tech Post