Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup is about whether Donkey Kong can refuse to play directly into Charizard’s Flame Breath, Bair, Up Smash, and Up Throw kill layer, then use walk shield and Bair to pin down the next landing. Once Charizard starts the juggle or corner sequence, Donkey Kong’s large body makes the defense expensive very quickly.
The frame table shows that Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, and Side B are all punishable by OOS Uair (9f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), OOS Nair (13f), or Up Smash (14f). If Donkey Kong blocks those grounded swings and larger commitments cleanly, he can immediately convert into throw, Up Tilt, and Uair landing traps against Charizard’s large hurtbox.
At the same time, Neutral Air and Up Air are fairly safe, and trying to swing in place after every blocked aerial usually feeds the next anti-air. Against that safer aerial layer, Donkey Kong should lean on dash shield, drift back, and preemptive Bair to claim only the next landing spot instead of forcing a scramble above him.
The win condition is not to prolong a center-stage slugfest, but to turn one punish or one grab into upward pressure and ledge control. Donkey Kong’s Bair, Grab, Up Tilt, and Uair all pressure Charizard’s re-landing well, so once Charizard is cornered, the cleaner kill route is to hold stage, cover jump and panic buttons, and finish at ledge rather than chasing too far offstage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Donkey Kong OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -14 |
|
|
| Jab 2 | 5 | -16 |
|
|
| Jab 3 | 7 | -20 |
|
|
| Forward Tilt | 12 | -18/-15 |
|
|
| Up Tilt | 9 | -16 |
|
|
| Down Tilt | 9 | -11 |
|
|
| Dash Attack | 10 | -12 |
|
|
| Forward Smash | 22 | -36/-37 |
| |
| Up Smash | 6/14 | -24 |
| |
| Down Smash | 14 | -35 |
| |
| Neutral Air | 8 | -6/-5 |
| |
| Forward Air | 8 | -14/-14 |
|
|
| Back Air | 14 | -16/-15/-14 |
|
|
| Up Air | 12 | -8 |
|
|
| Down Air | 18 | -16/-17 |
|
|
| Neutral B | 19/26/33/40 | -24 |
| |
| Side B | 23 | -52/-66 |
| |
| Up B | 9… | — | ||
| Down B | — | — | ||
| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not jump carelessly over Flame Breath or into Charizard’s jump path. Start with walk shield and Bair to push the next landing toward ledge.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Jab 3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Down Air, Neutral B, or Side B, punish with OOS Uair (9f), Grab (10f), OOS Bair (10f), OOS Nair (13f), or Up Smash (14f).
- Against Neutral Air and Up Air, do not force in-place retaliation. Use dash shield, drift back, and preemptive Bair to take the next landing instead.
- Once you touch Charizard, prioritize throw, Up Tilt, and Uair extensions plus ledge carry over extra center-stage brawling.
- Close stocks more often through ledge Bair, Grab pressure, and Up Smash than through deep offstage chases.
Actions to Avoid
- Jumping high to clear Flame Breath and giving Charizard direct access to Bair or upward kill routes.
- Swinging after every blocked Neutral Air or Up Air and handing Charizard another anti-air reset.
- Missing punish windows on Jab, Forward Tilt, Dash Attack, or Side B and letting Charizard’s larger commitments go unpunished.
- Chasing too deep offstage after finally winning stage control and giving up the corner for free.
- Overforcing hard reads in center and exposing Donkey Kong’s large hurtbox to Charizard’s bigger reward.