Donkey Kong (SSB4)

Donkey Kong in Super Smash Bros. 4
Universe	Donkey Kong
Other playable appearances	in SSB in Melee in Brawl
Availability	Starter
Final Smash	Konga Beat

Donkey Kong (ドンキーコング, Donkey Kong) was confirmed as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4 on June 11, 2013 during the E3 Nintendo Direct. He is among the first wave of compatible amiibo figures for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Donkey Kong also retains his realistic gorilla grunts through a new set of them.

He is the laid-back protagonist of the Donkey Kong series and one of Nintendo's oldest, most recognizable characters. As in Brawl, DK is joined by his sidekick Diddy Kong as playable representation for his series.

Changes from Brawl

Donkey Kong has gained big buffs in speed. A prime example is the Giant Punch, which comes out much faster (DK also more quickly retracts his hand). DK's average speed has also been greatly increased. This improves Donkey Kong's abilities in battle.

Aesthetics

Donkey Kong appears to have more stylized fur, even more so than he did in Brawl. His proportions seemed to have been tweaked slightly to be more reminiscent of his recent appearances in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. His general expressiveness has been greatly exaggerated as well, with many of his moves and animations now accompanied with smirks, toothy grins, or a look of utter confusion. When Donkey Kong is launched, his eyes will even bulge out of his head.

Attributes

• Donkey Kong is overall significantly faster than in Brawl.
• Donkey Kong is significantly heavier than in Brawl.

Ground attacks

• Up tilt has less startup lag.
• Down tilt deals slightly less damage.
• Donkey Kong now rolls like in the Donkey Kong Country series as his dash attack. It has almost no start-up and ending lag.

Aerial attacks

• Down aerial is much faster and now has a powerful sourspot at his chest that deals horizontal knockback.
• Forward aerial and up aerial appear to have less startup lag.
• Forward aerial and up aerial deal slightly less damage.

Throws/other attacks

• DK's dash grabs have been slowed down a bit.
• DK can no longer infinite throw trap Ness.
• Donkey Kong has a new ledge attack that involves him punching the ground in front of him.

Special moves

• Giant Punch is faster.
• Headbutt now deals massive shield damage and has longer range.
• Spinning Kong no longer spins completely horizontally when he uses the move on the ground, but instead spins at an angle. This increases the attack's vertical range. Also, the grounded version is now a multi-hit attack that deals more damage.
• Hand Slap can now be used in midair, which meteor smashes foes and appears to have a larger hitbox on the ground.
• Konga Beat is now accompanied by an indicating bar that shows when to press the attack button.
• While doing Konga Beat, if Donkey Kong performs all button presses with the correct timing, he will perform a thumbs-up at the end of the Final Smash.
• Giant Punch charges slower.

Moveset

	Name	Damage	Description
Neutral attack.		4%, 6% (10% Total)	Donkey Kong performs a quick cross punch followed by an uppercut. The tip of the first punch's hitbox will knock targets towards Donkey Kong instead of away.
Forward tilt		10%	Donkey Kong quickly swats his outstretched hand.
Up tilt		9%, 11% (sweetspot)	Donkey Kong quickly swipes his hand in the air. Has very reliable arch range. Deals more damage and knockback if the target is extremely close to Donkey Kong's behind.
Down tilt		7%	Donkey Kong quickly swats towards the opponents feet.
Dash attack		10%, 8% (sourspot)	Donkey Kong performs a roll as done in Donkey Kong Country. Deals less damage towards the end.
Forward smash		20-21% (uncharged), 29-30% (fully charged)	Donkey Kong performs a very forceful clap. DK now smirks as he performs the move.
Up smash		18% (uncharged), 26% (fully charged)	Donkey Kong performs a very powerful clap above his head, swinging both of his arms 90˚ in the process.
Down smash		15-17% (uncharged), 20-24% (fully charged)	Donkey Kong performs a double back-handed punch, swinging both of his clenched fists down 90˚ in the process.
Neutral aerial		11% (clean), 8% (late)	Donkey Kong quickly spins with arms extended.
Forward aerial		16%, 15% (sweetspot), 13% (sourspot)	Donkey Kong closes his hands together over his head and quickly thrusts them downward as an ax-handled smash. If landed correctly the opponent is meteor smashed.
Back aerial		13% (clean), 8% (late)	Donkey Kong performs a quick kick directed behind him that lingers briefly.
Up aerial		13%	Donkey Kong performs a quick and reliable headbutt. Ideal for combos.
Down aerial		16% (sweetspot) 13% (sourspot)	Donkey Kong performs a downward stomp while flexing his arms in a somewhat iconic "macho" pose. Sweetspot will meteor smash foes. Sourspot present close to Donkey Kong's chest.
Grab		—	Grabs the opponent.
Pummel		2%	A fairly quick slap.
Forward throw		8% (forward), 7% (upward), 6% (downward)	Donkey Kong cradles the opponent on his back and carries them away. When the player releases the grab button DK will toss the opponent forward, upward or downward depending on which direction you hold.
Back throw		11%	Donkey Kong flings the opponent with stunning force.
Up throw		9%	The opponent is tossed upwards.
Down throw		7%	Donkey Kong slams the opponent into the ground.
Floor attack (front)		7%	Donkey Kong swats at the opponent.
Floor attack (back)		7%	Donkey Kong tries to clasp the opponent.
Floor attack (trip)		5%	Donkey Kong does a wind-up spin to the opponent.
Edge attack		8%	Donkey Kong rams into the opponent back first.
Neutral special	Giant Punch	10% (uncharged), +2% per windup, 28% (10th windup/Fully Charged), 30% (10th windup at sweetspot)	Donkey Kong winds up and thrusts out his arm as a potentially powerful attack. The attack is at fully charged after eleven windups and gains super armor. The punch deals more knockback but has less launch resistance at ten windups. The punch can be saved and chosen when to be released after being fully charged.
Neutral special custom 1	Lightning Punch	10% (uncharged), +1% per windup, 16% (five windups), 15% (fully charged)	An electrical version of the Giant Punch. Takes less time to fully charge (six windups at increased speed), but deals less damage.
Neutral special custom 2	Storm Punch	8% (uncharged), +2% per windup, 18% (fully charged)	Does less damage, but produces a powerful windbox that will push back opponents.
Side special	Headbutt	10% (ground target/sweetspotted aerial), 8% (sourspotted aerial)	Donkey Kong slams his head downward. When performed in the air, the struck opponent is meteor smashed if hit by the sweetspot. When performed on the ground the opponent is buried and will remain submerged longer if the opponent has already dealt a fair amount of damage. Unlike in Brawl, DK will not stall in the air.
Side special custom 1	Jumping Headbutt	5% (aerial target), 10% (ground target)	Donkey Kong jumps before slamming his head downward. Buried opponents can break out faster. Will SD Donkey Kong if used off-stage out of ledge-grabbing distance.
Side special custom 2	Stubborn Headbutt	13%	Donkey Kong launches a Headbutt with a longer startup time, but it deals more damage and gives him high knockback resistance.
Up special	Spinning Kong	7% (1st hit, ground), 1% (hits 2-6, ground), 4% (7th hit, ground), 10% (1st hit, air), 2% (subsequent hits, air)	Donkey Kong spins with his arms outstretched. DK has launch resistance when using this move. Strong horizontal recovery, weak vertical recovery. If used on the ground, Donkey Kong spins at an angle, increasing the move's vertical range.
Up special custom 1	Chopper Kong	0%	Has increased vertical recovery, but doesn't deal any damage.
Up special custom 2	Kong Cyclone	4% (1st hit, ground), 3% (1st hit, air), 15% (2nd hit, ground), 12% (2nd hit, air)	Donkey Kong pulls in opponents in with a windbox as you spin, then launches them with the final hit. On the ground, has no hitboxes except for the first and last hits. In the air, deals no damage except for the first and last hits, but does deal hitstun.
Down special	Hand Slap	14%	Donkey Kong repeatedly slaps his hands against the ground, causing earth-shaking vibrations in the process. The attack gives him some protection from opponents while grounded and has good range. Donkey Kong can now use the move while in midair, although not in rapid succession.
Down special custom 1	Focused Slap	7% (1st hit) 14% (2nd hit)	A modified Hand Slap that sacrifices range for increased hitstun and knockback.
Down special custom 2	Hot Slap	4% (1st hit), 12% (2nd hit)	Donkey Kong slaps his hands against the ground, causing flaming pillars to erupt on impact. Sacrifices horizontal range and damage for increased vertical range.
Final Smash	Konga Beat	?%	Donkey Kong's final smash from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Donkey Kong will take out a pair of bongos and begin to play them to the beat of "DK Island Swing", sending out shock-waves in the process. The attacks range and power is determined by the player's input. The player must push the attack button in succession with the song's beat in order have the greatest range and power. While this was difficult in Brawl, the final smash now is accompanied by an indicative bar that will appear above DK. It will let the player know when to press the attack button. The final smash is heavily influenced by the Donkey Konga subseries.

Taunts

• Beats his clenched hands against his chest. DK now smirks as he does so.
• Shakes himself as if his fur was wet. DK now has a large toothy grin as he does so.
• Faces the camera, shrugs his shoulders, and makes a confused grunt. It originates from Super Smash Bros..

On-Screen Appearance

Donkey Kong bursts from a DK Barrel and briefly strikes a pose.

Victory Fanfare

A flourished remix directly from Brawl based on the jingle that would play whenever Donkey Kong completely cleared a bonus room or defeated a boss in Donkey Kong Country. He shares this with his best friend, Diddy Kong.

Trophies

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophy descriptions

Donkey Kong's regular trophy can be obtained by completing Classic Mode and his alternative trophy can be obtained by completing All-Star mode.

Donkey Kong

This king of the jungle really, really loves bananas. His adventures usually start with people stealing his hoard of them. In Smash Bros., he's known for his incredible strength and long reach. Despite his size, he's still pretty quick. He can even jump carrying heavy items! Use this knowledge well.

Donkey Kong (Alt.)

Donkey Kong pulls no punches when it comes to fighting. Or headbutts, as it turns out. His Headbutt special move will bury anyone on the ground who gets hit, leaving them open to some serious damage. If Donkey Kong strikes an airborne foe with this move, they'll go crashing downward.

• Donkey Kong Trophy.png

  Classic

• Donkey Kong All-Star Trophy.png

  Alt.

In Event Matches

Solo Events

• All-Star Battle: Regulars: Donkey Kong is one of the opponents fought in this event. All opponents are starter characters from the original Super Smash Bros. game.
• Guardian of the Jungle: Donkey Kong, aided by 2 Diddy Kongs, must defeat 3 Duck Hunts.
• The Jungle in Chaos: Diddy Kong must defeat 20 Donkey Kongs wearing Bunny Hoods.
• The Original Heavyweights: Donkey Kong and Bowser must be defeated by Mario.

Co-op Events

• 1988: Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong must defeat 3 Marios, each one larger than the last.
• Flat Fracas: A shadow Mario and a giant shadow Donkey Kong are opponents fought by Wario and Mr. Game & Watch.
• The Ultimate Battle: Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.

Alternate costumes

Gallery

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  Donkey Kong in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.

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  Donkey Kong's amiibo.

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  Donkey Kong's appearance during E3 2013.

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  Donkey Kong's appearance in the 3DS version of the game.

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  Donkey Kong using Spinning Kong on the ground in the Wii U version.

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  Donkey Kong using Hand Slap in the 3DS version of the game.

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  Being hit by a smash attack from a Home-Run Bat.

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  Grinning while next to Diddy Kong.

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  With Kapp'n.

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  With King Dedede, Mario, and Bowser.

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  Holding a Bomb with Toon Link and Link.

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  With Wii Fit Trainer.

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  Pikachu footstooling on Donkey Kong.

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  The Wii Fit Trainer lifting Donkey Kong.

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  Donkey Kong attacking next to Pikachu

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  Donkey Kong fighting against enemies in Smash Run.

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  One of Donkey Kong's custom special moves, the Storm Punch.

Trivia

• Donkey Kong is the only character in SSB4 to gain a new move without losing an old one, namely the aerial version of Hand Slap.