Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Luigi wants to punish Donkey Kong’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Side B, Up B, and Down B with OOS Nair (6f) and Up B (6f), then move immediately into close-range damage before the heavy hit lands.
In Luigi vs Donkey Kong, taking the run-in directly leads to grab and Back Air ledge carry, so the more stable route is to slow that approach with Fireball and only then take the close-range read.
The table shows that Donkey Kong’s Side B, Up B, Down B, all smashes, Forward Air, and Back Air all leave clear punish windows, and those shields can snowball into kill pace very quickly.
Neutral Air is still hard to punish right away, and panicking at the ledge makes cargo pressure and Back Air much stronger, so Luigi has to value center stage and pick the moment to start the brawl himself.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Luigi 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
- Luigi should use Fireball to interrupt Donkey Kong’s run-in and lower the number of grab or Back Air starters that reach point-blank range.
- After blocking Donkey Kong’s Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, Forward Air, Back Air, Side B, Up B, or Down B, answer immediately with OOS Nair (6f) or Up B (6f).
- Take kills from close-range Up B and ledge Back Air so the weight difference does not create extra neutral repetitions.
- At the ledge, mix in escapes back toward center instead of forcing a mash battle into cargo throw or Back Air pressure.
Actions to Avoid
- Letting Donkey Kong run straight in and starting too many exchanges from grab range.
- Blocking Side B or Up B and still giving Donkey Kong another turn because the punish never came.
- Burning jump or dodge too early at the ledge and making Back Air or throw pressure simple.
- Playing too passively out of respect for weight and never cashing in Luigi’s close-range explosiveness first.