Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is primarily about reducing how often Donkey Kong has to stay in Bayonetta’s air strings, because his large body and fast fall speed make those routes connect too easily. At the same time, Bayonetta’s raw hit power and grounded pressure are limited, and as the table shows, jab strings, forward tilt, down tilt, dash attack, smash attacks, neutral B, side B, and down air can all be punished solidly with OOS Uair (9f), Grab (10f), or OOS Bair (10f). By contrast, neutral air, forward air, back air, up air, and Up B are mostly safe, so trying to swing immediately after every blocked aerial is lower value than waiting for her landing or the end of side B movement. The win condition is to stop unsafe grounded entries from shield, cash out hard when they happen, and then use bair, grab, up tilt, and uair at ledge to shrink Bayonetta’s jump and escape routes before taking the stock first.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Donkey Kong OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 9 | -19 |
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| Jab 2 | 7 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 7 | -29 |
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| Rapid Jab | 6/10/14 | ** | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 4/11 | -45 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 12 | -15 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 12 | -23 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 14 | -21 |
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| Up Tilt | 7/10/13 | -19/-10 |
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| Down Tilt | 7 | -15 |
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| Dash Attack | 15 | -17 |
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| Forward Smash | 17 | -38/-39 |
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| Up Smash | 18 | -35 |
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| Down Smash | 17/22 | -32 |
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| Neutral Air | 9 | -6/-7/-16 |
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| Forward Air (1) | 7 | -7 |
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| Forward Air (2) | 7 | -8 |
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| Forward Air (3) | 12 | -5 |
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| Back Air | 11 | -5/-6 |
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| Up Air | 9 | -5/-14 |
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| Down Air | 18 | -23 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 17… | -32 |
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| Neutral B (2) | 42/47/57/62… | -29 |
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| Side B | 15/51 | -25/-26/-15 |
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| Up B | 6/11… | +0 |
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| Down B | 8 (start of counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 7 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 11 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- As Donkey Kong, do not force your way in through the air; use walk shield and slightly retreating spacing to wait for side B, dash attack, down tilt, or jab pressure, then stop it with OOS Uair (9f) or Grab (10f).
- As Donkey Kong, even after blocking neutral air, forward air, back air, or up air, do not overcommit to immediate retaliation; place bair, up tilt, and dash grab at the landing instead and cut off the combo extension.
- As Donkey Kong, do not miss the larger punishes on side B and down air, and take the best confirm available from OOS Bair (10f), Up Smash (14f), or even Up B (19f) when the spacing allows it.
- As Donkey Kong, once Bayonetta is cornered, prioritize stage control over deep chasing and use bair, grab, up tilt, and uair to narrow jump from ledge and neutral getup until she is forced back into the air.
Actions to Avoid
- As Donkey Kong, do not jump high first and enter Bayonetta’s air routes by choice.
- As Donkey Kong, do not mash after every blocked safe aerial and hand the turn back through neutral air or forward air landing mixups.
- As Donkey Kong, do not chase too deep offstage and let Bayonetta reverse the situation with her stronger edgeguarding and aerial pursuit.
- As Donkey Kong, do not rush for the KO with oversized swings and let side B or Witch Time shut down your pressure and convert into a punish.