Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Diddy Kong wants to use banana to stop Terry’s walk-in game and down tilt pressure, then keep the opening going long enough to push Terry to the ledge and cut down the time he spends in GO.
Terry’s Jab 2 onward, up tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, neutral special, and down special are all punishable on shield by Up Smash (5f), OOS Uair (7f), OOS Bair (8f), Up B (8f), OOS Fair (9f), and Grab (10f), so Diddy can answer Terry’s committed grounded pressure with shield discipline.
The danger is lingering in place against low-risk pokes like Jab 1 and down tilt or letting Terry force repeated close-range guesses once GO is active, because Diddy’s lighter weight makes each wrong answer expensive.
The matchup is won by doing more than just dropping banana, using re-catches and forward movement to cover Terry’s retreat routes, and finishing the stock before GO appears or ending it in a single ledge sequence once GO is already online.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Diddy Kong OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 3 | -6 |
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| Jab 2 | 3/4 | -19/-17 |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -19 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8 | -8/-7 |
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| Up Tilt | 7 | -12 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -6 |
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| Dash Attack | 10 | -18/-15 |
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| Forward Smash | 18 | -20 |
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| Up Smash | 10 | -20 / -18 |
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| Down Smash | 8 | -23 |
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| Neutral Air | 4 | -4 |
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| Forward Air | 7 | -7/-8 |
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| Back Air | 11 | -5/-6 |
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| Up Air | 7 | -3 |
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| Down Air | 12 | -10 |
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| Neutral B | 18 (21) | -22 (-21) |
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| Up B | 10/12/15/20/25 | ** | ||
| Down B | Weak: 6/9/29 | Strong: 6/9/35 | -19 |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Diddy Kong should mix re-catches and forward movement after showing banana so Terry cannot approach with only walk and down tilt.
- Diddy Kong should punish Terry’s Jab 2 onward, up tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, neutral special, and down special on shield with Up Smash (5f), OOS Uair (7f), OOS Bair (8f), Up B (8f), OOS Fair (9f), or Grab (10f).
- Diddy Kong should value small center-stage wins even more once GO is active and avoid reckless jumps that give Terry clean Buster Wolf or Power Geyser chances.
- Diddy Kong should convert banana confirms at the ledge into Up Smash or back air and finish the stock before Terry trades back with a heavy hit.
Actions to Avoid
- Diddy Kong should not be satisfied with placing banana without controlling the re-catch and the space behind it, because that leaves Terry room to advance anyway.
- Diddy Kong should not miss Terry’s guaranteed shield-punish windows and give GO extra time for free.
- Diddy Kong should not swing immediately after shallow disadvantage states like Jab 1 or down tilt and walk into close-range special move guesses.
- Diddy Kong should not overextend in center stage against GO Terry and hand over the fastest possible kill confirm.