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Smash Ultimate · Mid Tier

Donkey Kong Balance Changes

Donkey Kong struggles to get back to the stage, so his up special moves faster. Down tilt, already a strong low-commitment combo starter, comes out later.

Tier Mid Tier
Direction Mixed
Proposed changes 2 · 1 buff · 1 nerf

Balance Philosophy

Each mid-tier character receives a buff and a nerf: shave off the most unfair part of the kit while lessening the character's biggest weakness.

Proposed Changes

Each entry lists the move or ability affected, the adjustment itself, and — where the analysis states one — the problem it is meant to solve and the reasoning behind it.

  1. Up special (aerial)

    Buff
    Proposed adjustment
    Travels faster from directional input.
    Current issue
    Donkey Kong sometimes struggles to recover.

  2. Down tilt

    Nerf
    Proposed adjustment
    Start up increased to frame 8.
    Current issue
    It has good range and low end lag while also starting combos.

Every Character In One Place

Donkey Kong is one of Smash Ultimate's entries — the full tier-by-tier breakdown covers the whole roster.

Read The Full Breakdown Browse The Roster