Diddy Kong (SSBU): Difference between revisions

Having been one of the most notorious top tier fighters in early ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'' and remaining a dominant top-tier character throughout the game's lifespan, Diddy Kong was noticeably nerfed in the transition to ''Ultimate''. His staple moves have all been worsened in various ways, hindering his once excellent neutral game; the most notable example is his {{b|Banana Peel|move}}, which cannot be grabbed as quickly due to him releasing it at a higher arc, and although it can now be thrown twice at opponents before disappearing, this also gives them more opportunities to use it against him. Among other examples, [[Monkey Flip]] has more ending lag, [[up aerial]] is harder to hit due to possessing a large blind spot in front of Diddy, and his [[up tilt]] and [[down tilt]], the latter having been previously infamous for easily setting up combos and KO setups into his [[up smash]], have shorter range that makes them harder to take advantage of. Additionally, [[Rocketbarrel Boost]] travels a drastically shorter distance when fully charged, and the charge time itself was reduced by a third, to the point that the difference in distance between the uncharged and fully charged version is now barely notable, significantly worsening his already vulnerable [[recovery]]. Further exacerbating these nerfs, the universal changes hinder Diddy  overall, as the more limited [[out of shield]] options and increased lag on [[grab]]s weaken his approach and defensive game with Banana Peel, while the faster knockback physics reduce his [[up throw]]'s combo potential, no longer having reliable combos or KO setups at high percents. Lastly, Diddy's [[weight]] has been lowered, making him even easier to KO.

Overall, Diddy Kong's nerfs outweigh his buffs, making him worse than his iteration in ''Smash 4''. During ''Ultimate''{{'}}s early metagame, his overall perception has been negative, since notable ''Smash 4'' Diddy Kong players such as {{Sm|MVD}}, {{Sm|Zinoto}} and {{Sm|Nietono}} have dropped him in favor of other characters, and he has suffered from minimal tournament representation. However, recent game updates (most notably version {{SSBU|3.1.0}}) have meaningfully buffed Diddy to a more substantial degree; furthermore, Diddy has started to show signs of competitive success thanks to the efforts of {{sm|Dakpo}}, who recently placed 13th at {{Trn|Low Tier City 7}}. As a result, Diddy Kong remained as a viable character, but to what extent is currently unknown, leading his true viability being a subject of debate.