Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ice Climbers become extremely dangerous once Popo and Nana arrive together at point-blank range, because grab, aerials, Blizzard, and Squall Hammer all start overlapping into the kind of high-damage scramble Dedede hates. If Dedede turtles too long in close shield against the synced pair, his large body gives them exactly the sequence they want.
The good news is that their reach and movement are both limited, and their pressure drops sharply once the pair is misaligned. Dedede’s first job is to use Gordo, Bair, and Down Tilt to stop the forward line before it is fully established, then force Popo and Nana out of sync. Once one climber is isolated, the matchup shifts hard toward preventing the regroup instead of taking unnecessary center-stage risks.
The frame table shows Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Down Air, Ice Shot, Squall Hammer, and Blizzard are all punishable on shield mainly with Grab (10f) or OOS Nair (10f), with slower follow-ups available when spacing allows. By contrast, Nair, Fair, Bair, Uair, and Up Tilt are not reliable mash-punish spots, so Dedede is better off covering the landing and rejoin path with Gordo or Bair and taking the second contact instead.
Kills are more repeatable through ledgetraps and by edgeguarding the isolated climber, especially Nana, than through random center-stage swings. Once the pair is split, narrowing the return with Bair, Up Tilt, and smash attacks at ledge is safer and more reproducible than diving deep into Squall Hammer or Belay’s active coverage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | King Dedede OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -20(-15) |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -21(-12) |
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| Forward Tilt | 9 | -14(-10) |
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| Up Tilt | 8/11/14/17/20/23/27 | -16(-7) |
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| Down Tilt | 8 | -16(-10) |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -24(-18) |
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| Forward Smash | 11 | -27(-22) |
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| Up Smash | 12 | -29(-24) |
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| Down Smash | 9/16 | -22/-17 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -4(+2) |
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| Forward Air | 19 | -5(+3) |
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| Back Air | 8 | -3(+0) |
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| Up Air | 7 | -10(-3) |
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| Down Air | 12 | -16(-12) |
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| Neutral B | 18/19 | -29(-24) |
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| Side B (1) | 10/14/18/23/28/34/40/51 | -21 |
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| Side B (2) | 10/13/15/18/21/24/28/32/37/42/49 | -24 |
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| Up B | 13 | — | ||
| Down B | 16/21/26/31/36/41/46/51/56 | -22(-15) |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 10 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Gordo, Bair, and Down Tilt to stop the Ice Climbers’ horizontal approach before Popo and Nana can establish synced point-blank pressure.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, any smash attack, Down Air, Ice Shot, Squall Hammer, or Blizzard, default to Grab (10f) or OOS Nair (10f), and extend into OOS Uair (13f), OOS Fair (16f), or Up Smash (17f) only when spacing clearly allows it.
- After shielding Nair, Fair, Bair, Uair, or Up Tilt, do not mash the first punish. Cover the landing and regroup route with Gordo or Bair so Dedede wins the second touch instead.
- Once one climber is isolated, prioritize stopping the regroup over forcing a center-stage read, and push Nana’s landing or recovery toward ledge whenever possible.
- At kill percent, center the trap around ledge Bair, Up Tilt, and smash attacks so the stock is taken before the pair fully reconnects.
Actions to Avoid
- Sitting in shield at close range against the fully synced pair and letting grab plus Blizzard become a complete guess tree.
- Swinging after every blocked Nair, Fair, Bair, Uair, or Up Tilt and getting checked by the landing hit or the regroup when your punish never really reached.
- Throwing careless Gordos or big grounded swings directly into both weapon hitboxes and handing Ice Climbers the exact entry they need.
- Chasing too deep offstage into Squall Hammer or Belay coverage and throwing away the advantage you already earned from the split.