Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup gets bad when Duck Hunt politely accepts a full-screen exchange against axe, cross, and holy water, then retreats again every time can gets stopped. Duck Hunt wins more by sending a low can first, delaying Simon’s whip timing, and walking behind it to punish Simon’s slow retreat than by trying to out-count projectiles.
Simon is extremely strong at tipper forward tilt, forward air, and back air, but his straight-line escape speed and close-range scrapping are much thinner. If Duck Hunt narrows the ground lane with can and Wild Gunman and only calls out the jump with forward air, back air, and up air, it becomes much easier to catch the landing or backward drift before holy water gets established. Do not stack close shield pressure, because Simon’s Up B will break that pattern immediately. At point-blank range, prioritize trapping the landing and roll path instead of forcing a direct brawl.
The frame table also shows that forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt (1), down tilt (2), dash attack, the smash attacks, down air, and Side B are real punish windows. By contrast, rushing to hit out of shield after forward air, back air, up air, or Neutral B often just gives Simon space to reset stage control. After blocking those moves, keep can active and cover the next landing or ledge route first.
KOs are most repeatable when Duck Hunt uses can at the ledge to split jump and roll, then closes with back air on ledge jump, up smash on high landings, or down smash on roll. Chasing too far offstage is less stable than repeatedly attacking Belmont’s weaker ledge defense.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Duck Hunt OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -21 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -23 |
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| Rapid Jab | 9/12/15… | — | ||
| Rapid Jab Finisher | 3 | -37 |
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| Forward Tilt | 12 | -8/-7 |
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| Up Tilt | 10 | -17 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 7 | -31 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 8 | -42/-28 |
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| Dash Attack | 10/13/16/19/22/24 | -26 |
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| Forward Smash | 24 | -28/-26 |
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| Up Smash | 16 | -27/-26 |
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| Down Smash | 14/20 | -33/-30/-27/-24 |
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| Neutral Air | 8… | -12/-11 |
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| Forward Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Back Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Up Air | 14 | -6/-5/-8 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -21/-23 |
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| Neutral B | 30 | -6 |
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| Side B | 19 | -15 |
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| Up B | 6/9/… | ** | ||
| Down B | 18 | ** | ||
| Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 13 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 14 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Keep a low can moving in front of Duck Hunt, walk behind it, and use the end of axe or returning cross to slip inside Simon’s whip spacing.
- Punish forward tilt, up tilt, down tilt (1), down tilt (2), dash attack, forward smash, up smash, down smash, down air, and Side B on shield with OOS neutral air, OOS up air, grab, or up smash.
- After blocking forward air, back air, up air, or Neutral B, do not mash immediately. Leave can and Wild Gunman in play and seal Simon’s landing and ledge route first.
- Meet the jump out or backward drift before holy water gets set with back air, forward air, or up air, then turn that touch into a ledge sequence.
- Finish stocks mainly through ledge can pressure, back air on ledge jump, up smash on high landings, and down smash on roll.
Actions to Avoid
- Backing away every time axe, cross, or holy water appears and letting Simon hold tipper whip spacing forever.
- Pressuring Simon’s shield at close range with aerials and repeatedly giving Up B a clean interrupt.
- Swinging immediately after every blocked forward air, back air, up air, or Neutral B and letting Simon drift out and rebuild the wall.
- Overcommitting offstage and letting Duck Hunt’s own recovery become the first thing Simon punishes.