Donkey Kong (SSB4): Difference between revisions

Donkey Kong has seen a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4'', but was noticeably buffed overall. As for his buffs, the most noticeable improvement has been to his overall speed. His already solid movement speed has also been greatly increased although this is the case for a majority of returning veterans. Donkey Kong has received some new attacks which help him out overall including a new dash attack which covers much more distance and has much less ending lag and an aerial variant of [[Hand Slap]] which gives him a new landing option and edgeguarding tool. He also has additional [[intangibility]] on a variety of his moves. His grab game is significantly more effective as his grabs have more range and his dash grab is less laggy. All variants of his Cargo Throw have been altered and improved but the most significant variant of Cargo Throw which was improved was his up throw. His Cargo up throw has altered knockback which when combined with the removal of [[hitstun canceling]] and the changes to [[DI]], gives it much better combo potential and at certain percents, it can lead into an up aerial for a guaranteed kill at very low percents especially with [[rage]]. Donkey Kong has received many benefits from the game's new mechanics. Donkey Kong heavily benefits from the introduction of [[rage]] as his increased [[weight]] enables him to live for a long period of time and build up rage, which makes his already solid power becoming even more effective and allows his "Ding Dong" (Cargo up throw up aerial) to kill opponents at obscenely early percents. Donkey Kong also benefits from the removal of [[chain grab]]bing as it improves his endurance against certain characters although he lost a couple of chain grabs of his own. Finally, DK benefits considerably from the removal of edge hogging and the introduction of edge stealing, which prevents his poor vertical recovery from being edge-hogged.

Overall, the general changes to ''Smash 4''{{'}}s mechanics benefit him more than they hinder and some of his buffs benefit him quite a bit resulting in him being considered to be more viable than he was in ''Brawl'' despite the various downgrades his ground moves and aerials received. He was initially considered to be much worse in earlier versions of the game although update [[1.1.0]] gave him multiple beneficial changes most notably his "Ding Dong" resulting in players having a much higher opinion of him with most professionals consider him being a high tier character.

===Ground attacks===

*[[Neutral attack]]:

**{{change|The far hit's knockback (0 (base), 100 (scaling) → 45/25) and angle (140° → 130°) have also been altered.}}

***{{nerf|However, this hinders its jab canceling potential at higher percents no longer being able to reliably lead into a down smash at realistic percents.}}

**{{nerf|Neutral attack's first and second hit have shorter durations (frames 5-7 → 5-6 (first hit), frames 6-11 → 6-7 (second hit)).}}

*[[Forward tilt]]:

**{{buff|Forward tilt has increased [[intangibility]] on its non angled and angled down versions (frames 8-11→ 1-25). The up angled version also gains intangibility earlier (frame 8 → 7).}}

**{{nerf|All variants have more startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 8-11 → 9-11), more ending lag (FAF 34 → 38) and have smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u/4u/3.5u → 5u/4.5u/3.2u).}}

*[[Up tilt]]:

**{{nerf|It has increased landing lag (15 frames → 17).}}

*[[Forward aerial]]:

**{{buff|It has slightly decreased landing lag (30 frames → 29).}}

**{{buff|The late sweetspot has higher knockback scaling (85 → 100) improving its KO potential.}}

**{{nerf|It no longer has hitboxes which deal extra shield damage (0 (hand/arm)/1 (shoulder) → 0 (all)).}}

*[[Back aerial]]:

**{{nerf|It has has increased landing lag (15 frames → 18).}}

*[[Up aerial]]:

**{{buff|Donkey Kong's head is now intangible while performing up aerial.}}

**{{nerf|It has a smaller hitbox (8u → 7.5u).}}

**{{nerf|It has increased landing lag (22 frames → 25).}}

**{{buff|Down aerial has decreased start-up lag (frame 18 → 14) and landing lag (31 frames → 24).}}

**{{change|Due to its angle being altered (270° → 361°), the sourspot is no longer a [[meteor smash]].}}

**{{nerf|The sweetspot has decreased base knockback (38 → 30).}}

**Cargo down throw:

***{{buff|Cargo down throw deals 1% more damage (6% → 7%), and knockback (65 (base), 26 (scaling) → 50/80) improving its KO and stage spike potential.}}

****{{buff|This allows it to chain grab opponents on moving platforms.}}

****{{nerf|However, this hinders its edgeguarding potential.}}

***{{nerf|However, this also removes its ability to cancel out projectiles.}}

**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve fully charged Giant Punch's shield pressuring potential despite no longer dealing extra shield damage (2 → 0).}}

**{{nerf|The early hit was removed for grounded fully charged Giant Punch increasing its startup lag (frame 18 → 19).}}

**{{nerf|Giant Punch has a shorter duration (frames 18-22 → 18-20 (uncharged/aerial fully charged), 19-20 (grounded fully charged)).}}

**{{buff|Aerial Spinning Kong has increased intangibility (frames 4-6 → 3-6).}}

**{{nerf|Grounded Spinning Kong's loop hits deal 1.7% less damage (3% → 1.3%) significantly reducing its maximum damage potential (35% → 18%).}}

***{{nerf|However, the new animation is longer without full compensation on its interruptibility (FAF 85 → 93). The move's longer duration also fails to compensate for its increased ending lag.}}

*[[Hand Slap]]:

|usmashname= 

|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|18}}

|dsmashname= 

|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (arms), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|17}} (early, fists), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|18}} (late, fists)

|usc1name=Chopper Kong

|usc1dmg=—

|usc2name=Kong Cyclone

|usc2dmg=4% (grounded hit 1), 3% (aerial hit 1), 15% (grounded hit 2), 12% (aerial hit 2)

The only real downsides of aerial Kong Cyclone compared to Spinning Kong are that the loop hits have more startup lag and it covers less distance overall, but all of its other traits more than make up for it and it is still a better recovery move overall due to its super armor and potent loop hits. The move is also still quite punishable if Donkey Kong misses the auto-cancel, so the player does have to be careful when using the move.

*{{Sm|HIKARU|Japan}} (#48) - The best Donkey Kong player in Japan and one of the best Donkey Kong players in the world. He often places Top 8 at [[Sumabato]] tournaments, 7th at [[2GGC: Civil War]], 9th at [[Sumabato for THE BIG HOUSE]], 33rd at [[EVO 2016]].

*{{Sm|Konga|USA}} (#76) - Regarded as the best solo Donkey Kong player in the United States and one of the best Donkey Kong players in the world. Ranked 30th on the [[Panda Global Rankings|Panda Global Rankings v4]]. Placed 2nd at [[Don't Park on the Grass]] and 7th at [[DreamHack Austin 2017]]. Has set wins over {{Sm|VoiD}}, {{Sm|MkLeo}}, {{Sm|Tweek}}, and {{Sm|ANTi}}.

*{{Sm|Mew2King|USA}} - 3rd at [[PAX Prime 2015]] and 5th at [[SKTAR 4]]. Defeated {{Sm|Saj}}, {{Sm|Mr.E}}, {{Sm|MVD}}, {{Sm|dyr}}, {{Sm|Day}} and {{Sm|Ryo}} using the character.

*{{Sm|Tweek|USA}} (#7) - Uses him as a secondary, with set wins over {{Sm|ZeRo}}, {{Sm|MkLeo}}, {{Sm|komorikiri}}, {{Sm|Mr E}}, and {{Sm|Tyrant}}. Regarded as the best Donkey Kong player in the world.

==[[Trophies]]==

==In [[Event Match]]es==