Smash Ultimate: Art of Donkey Kong

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to mastering Donkey Kong in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. We will cover various aspects of his gameplay, including his strengths, weaknesses, neutral strategies, and advanced techniques. By the end of this guide, you'll have a solid foundation for utilizing Donkey Kong effectively in your matches.

Chapter 1: Understanding Donkey Kong

• Donkey Kong (DK) is classified as a heavyweight character, known for his powerful moves and ability to execute early kills.
• He possesses a strong advantage state, excelling at juggling, ledge trapping, and edgeguarding.
• However, DK has a significant disadvantage state due to his large size, making him easy to combo and difficult to recover.

Key Strengths

• Powerful combos and early kill potential.
• Exceptional juggling and edgeguarding capabilities.
• Good mix of speed, power, and range.

Key Weaknesses

• Large hitbox makes him easy to hit.
• Struggles with landing and recovering.
• Vulnerable to shield pressure.

Chapter 2: Playing Neutral

• Donkey Kong's neutral game focuses on call-outs and baiting opponents into mistakes.
• Effective moves include:
  • Spaced Down Tilt and Forward Tilt: Good for shield pressure.
  • Back Air and Neutral Air: Useful for punishing and spacing.

Tips for Neutral Play

• Aim to condition your opponent to react to your moves rather than throwing out unsafe options.
• Use Dash Attacks and grabs to punish over-commitments from your opponent.
• Focus on maintaining safe pressure and avoiding risky plays.

Chapter 3: Game Plan

• Focus on landing key moves such as Dash Attacks, grabs, and anti-airs (Back Air and Up Air).
• Use grounded Hand Slap to pressure opponents and force them to jump or shield.
• Recognize distances for effective use of tilts and Dash Tilts to maintain pressure.

Execution Tips

• Be patient and react to your opponent's movements instead of making preemptive calls.
• Charge your Giant Punch when possible to increase your offensive potential.

Chapter 4: Counterplay Strategies

• Opponents need to apply pressure to limit DK's options.
• Be cautious when jumping near DK’s shield, as he can punish with Up Air or Back Air.
• Keep DK's shield pressured to prevent him from executing moves like Hand Slap and Giant Punch.

Effective Counter Strategies

• Utilize low-profile moves to avoid DK's Back Air.
• Recognize when DK is vulnerable and capitalize on his slow options out of shield.

Chapter 5: Utilizing Tilts and Smashes

• Tilts:
  • Down Tilt: Can trip and lead into combos.
  • Forward Tilt: Great for spacing and setting up tech chases.
• Smashes:
  • Forward Smash: Effective for punishing opponents trying to rush in.
  • Up Smash: Good for catching platform techs.
  • Down Smash: Useful for hitting rolls.

Jab Mechanics

• Jab is quick and can launch opponents into a vulnerable position for follow-up attacks.

Chapter 6: Special Moves

• Giant Punch:

  • High damage and range with super armor during startup.
  • Can be charged and stored; use it as a punishing tool after opponents commit.

• Headbutt:

  • Has super armor and can bury opponents.
  • Effective for punishing landings and aggressive approaches.

• Hand Slap:

  • Can lead into true combos and is effective for tech chasing.

Chapter 7: Advanced Techniques

• Cargo Throw:

  • Use Cargo Up Throw to carry opponents and set up for kills at high percent.
  • Timing and positioning are crucial for executing the throw onto platforms.

• Edgeguarding:

  • Use Forward Air and Down Air to cover recoveries and secure kills offstage.
  • Neutral Air is great for lingering hitboxes during edgeguarding scenarios.

Conclusion

Mastering Donkey Kong requires understanding his strengths and weaknesses, effective use of his neutral game, and executing advanced techniques like Cargo Throws and edgeguarding. By focusing on conditioning opponents and maintaining pressure, you can leverage DK's powerful moves for success in matches. Continue to practice these strategies and refine your gameplay to become a formidable Donkey Kong player!