Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Donkey Kong can close space quickly with his walk speed and back air, and once he gets a grab or a close-range hit, Lucas can lose huge damage or a ledge carry immediately.
At the same time, Donkey Kong’s large body and shaky upward recovery make him a strong target for Lucas’s Fair, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, and Zair wall, then repeated juggling once he is launched.
Do not force shield punishes on Back Air, Neutral Air, or Down Air just because they touched your shield; saving Up B or grab for Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Fair, Headbutt, Spinning Kong, and Hand Slap is much more reliable.
The most repeatable kill route is not a center-stage slugfest, but forcing Donkey Kong below ledge with PK Thunder tail, PK Freeze, Fair, and Bair, then recycling the ledgetrap when he is forced to recover low.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Lucas OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 5 | -14 |
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| Jab 2 | 4 | -20 |
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| Forward Tilt | 7 | -19/-18 |
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| Up Tilt | 5 | -24 |
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| Down Tilt | 6 | -11 |
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| Dash Attack | 9 | -13 |
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| Forward Smash | 22 | -17/-18 |
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| Up Smash | 14 | -22 |
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| Down Smash | 11 | -32 |
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| Neutral Air | 10 | -5/-6 |
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| Forward Air | 18 | -12/-11/-12 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -6/-7 |
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| Up Air | 6 | -10 |
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| Down Air | 14 | -8/-9 |
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| Neutral B | 19(+7) | -33 to -19 |
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| Side B | 20 | -32 |
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| Up B | 19/25/32/40/49/55/62 | -37 |
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| Down B | 12/23 | -15 |
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| Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 11 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 12 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Fair, Forward Tilt, Down Tilt, and Zair to intercept Donkey Kong’s walk-up pressure and advancing Back Air before he starts the grab and Up Tilt scramble.
- Once Donkey Kong is airborne, do not cash out too early. Keep the juggle going with Uair, Nair, and preemptive landing coverage so his large body keeps taking repeated hits.
- Shield punish only the real openings: blocked Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Fair, Headbutt, Spinning Kong, Hand Slap, and obvious smash attacks should turn into Up B or grab.
- Offstage, rotate PK Thunder tail, PK Freeze, Fair, and ledge hold to force Donkey Kong lower, because his weak vertical recovery is the point Lucas can exploit most consistently.
- At kill percent, stay disciplined in center stage and make the stock come from ledgetrap pressure, anti-airs, or one clean offstage catch instead of gambling on a raw smash.
Actions to Avoid
- Do not turtle in place at close range and let Donkey Kong run the grab and Back Air coin flip for free, because one opening can carry Lucas to the ledge immediately.
- Do not auto-swing after shielding Donkey Kong’s Back Air, Neutral Air, or Down Air when the punish does not truly reach.
- Do not spam PK Freeze or long PK Thunder routes from full screen while Donkey Kong is still grounded, or he gets time to jump, shield, and simply take stage while Lucas stays stuck.
- Do not chase too deep below the stage every time; if the edgeguard misses, Donkey Kong often buys back the ledge situation he needed with Spinning Kong.