Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Meta Knight does not want a grounded slugfest here, but Donkey Kong’s size and weak landing make him highly vulnerable once he is launched, so the matchup is about stretching every Nair, Up Tilt, and Uair juggle as far as possible. The table shows that after blocking Donkey Kong’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Up Air, Neutral B, Side B, Up B, and Down B, Meta Knight can answer with OOS Dair (7f), Up B (7f), Up Smash (8f), OOS Nair (9f), and OOS Uair (9f), so the heavy grounded swings should always be taxed. At the same time, Donkey Kong’s Neutral Air and Back Air are difficult to punish immediately on block, and forcing the issue there is worse than simply tracking the landing and launching him again. Meta Knight should close stocks by routing advantage upward and offstage, then matching DK’s recovery height with jumps and Up B so the weak vertical return gets cut off before center-stage trades can happen again.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Meta Knight 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
- After Meta Knight starts a juggle with Nair, Up Tilt, or Uair, do not rush the kill; keep chasing Donkey Kong’s landing and jump until the disadvantage string is extended.
- After Meta Knight blocks Donkey Kong’s Jab 1, Jab 2, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, smash attacks, Forward Air, Up Air, Neutral B, Side B, Up B, or Down B, immediately choose the reachable punish from OOS Dair (7f), Up B (7f), Up Smash (8f), OOS Nair (9f), and OOS Uair (9f).
- After blocking Donkey Kong’s Neutral Air or Back Air, Meta Knight should not mash back and should instead chase the landing drift or retreat route to relaunch him.
- Once Donkey Kong is offstage, Meta Knight should use multi-jumps and Up B to line up with the recovery height and punish the weak vertical route instead of resetting neutral too early.
Actions to Avoid
- Taking repeated grounded trades and letting Donkey Kong cash out on grab starters or raw power at even percent.
- Blocking Donkey Kong’s heavy buttons and specials, then letting the punish window pass without using Meta Knight’s fast OOS options.
- Challenging Donkey Kong’s Back Air head-on over and over instead of following the landing after it is spent.
- Swinging too early offstage before Donkey Kong has committed his remaining drift, then giving up the position that actually covers the short vertical recovery.