Why is King Dedede so Bad in Smash Ultimate?
King Dedede, the self-proclaimed monarch of Dream Land, is a character with a unique design and a dedicated fanbase. However, when it comes to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, his performance often leaves much to be desired. The core reason why Dedede is considered a low-tier character boils down to a collection of significant weaknesses that overshadow his potential strengths. His most glaring flaws include atrocious mobility, particularly his slow air speed, which is the worst in the game. This crippling lack of mobility makes him incredibly vulnerable to combos and juggling. Combined with a large hurtbox and heavy weight, Dedede becomes an easy target for opponents who can capitalize on these vulnerabilities. Although he has the tools to keep foes at bay with his hammer and Gordos, these projectiles are easily countered by a skilled opponent. His slow frame data on many attacks also leaves him with little chance to react to aggressive play. While he might appear threatening at first glance, a deeper dive reveals the harsh reality of his kit in competitive play. He is an underdeveloped character in the scene, meaning few players are able to find his full potential. His strengths are situational, easily negated, and do not compensate for his many drawbacks, making Dedede a challenging pick for serious competitors.
Dedede’s Flaws in Detail
Mobility and Vulnerability
Dedede’s poor mobility is arguably his biggest downfall. His slow air speed makes him a sitting duck in the air, easily comboed and juggled by a multitude of characters. He’s forced to rely on his fast fall speed to return to the ground quickly, but this only further accentuates his vulnerability. This leaves him susceptible to edgeguarding and makes it difficult for him to escape pressure or pursue opponents effectively. Furthermore, his large hurtbox means he gets hit more frequently, amplifying his disadvantages. The fact that his hurtbox is also quite tall means he can also be easily hit by moves that other characters could duck or jump over.
Reliance on Predictable Offense
While Dedede possesses some powerful attacks and a zoning game based around his hammer and Gordos, these offensive tools are often predictable and easy for opponents to navigate. His Gordos, while effective for spacing, can be reflected or absorbed, turning his own offense against him. His slow animations make his attacks easier to read and punish. Opponents familiar with Dedede’s game plan can exploit these weaknesses, rendering his offensive attempts ineffective. Because of his predictable offense, Dedede is heavily reliant on his opponents making a mistake to punish.
Lack of Reliable Escape Options
Dedede’s lack of fast escape options puts him at a severe disadvantage when pressured. He struggles to get out of disadvantageous positions, making it difficult to break free from combos and juggles. His heavy weight, while initially seeming like a perk, contributes to his immobility, as it does little to mitigate damage as much as it limits his ability to avoid attacks. He can’t get out of a combo effectively, leading to high-percent damage situations. This lack of escapability, combined with his other flaws, places him in an overall difficult position.
Underdevelopment in the Meta
A further problem is that Dedede is an underdeveloped character in the scene. While the general consensus is that he is not high tier, his full potential has not been thoroughly explored by the competitive community. Unlike top-tier characters which are refined with consistent play, Dedede’s kit has not been adequately explored. Because players haven’t played him often, it is very difficult to find success with Dedede. This is a huge disadvantage in a game where the meta is consistently evolving. There are not a large variety of creative strategies to use, unlike other characters, contributing to his low-tier status.
King Dedede FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions to provide more insight into Dedede’s place in Smash Ultimate.
1. How does Dedede’s air speed compare to other characters?
Dedede has the slowest air speed in the game. This makes him extremely vulnerable in the air and significantly limits his aerial mobility.
2. What are Gordos, and how do they affect Dedede’s gameplay?
Gordos are projectiles that Dedede throws. They’re used for zoning and edge guarding, but can be reflected, making them risky if overused.
3. Why is Dedede’s grab range considered a problem?
Dedede has a massive grab range that allows him to shield grab many attacks. However, this is not considered a positive attribute of Dedede but rather a reason for concern. It is this grab range that allows him to use a short-step grab, which can be banned in competitive play.
4. Is Dedede considered a “heavyweight” character in Smash Ultimate?
Yes, Dedede is considered a heavyweight character, but this classification does not prevent his weaknesses, specifically his mobility, from making him one of the worst characters.
5. What are some of Dedede’s best matchups?
Dedede has few genuinely good matchups, but he performs reasonably well against characters who are slow, predictable, and are limited in how they approach. For instance, he can do well against other heavies that he can outspace, and are limited in how to punish him. However, most of the cast is an uphill battle for him.
6. Why is King Dedede often called an “underdeveloped character”?
Dedede is called underdeveloped because very few players have fully explored his potential due to his many glaring weaknesses. This means players are unsure of how to use him to the fullest. His poor traits overshadow whatever potential he may have.
7. How does Dedede’s fast falling speed factor into his gameplay?
Dedede’s fast falling speed allows him to quickly return to the ground, but it also makes him more susceptible to combos and juggling because he cannot stay in the air for long and escape danger.
8. What are some of the combos that easily punish Dedede?
Many of the basic bread-and-butter combos in the game, especially aerial juggles, work very well against Dedede, due to his lack of mobility in the air and lack of escape options. Almost the entire cast can juggle him with ease.
9. How does Dedede’s size affect his gameplay?
Dedede’s large hurtbox makes him easier to hit and combo, which is a significant disadvantage. It is far easier for opponents to be able to hit Dedede, even if they are bad at timing their attacks.
10. Is Dedede’s hammer a reliable offensive tool?
Dedede’s hammer is powerful but slow, making it predictable and easy to punish. It is not reliable because of how easily an opponent can dodge it.
11. Does King Dedede have a good recovery?
Dedede’s recovery is average and often predictable, leaving him vulnerable to edge guarding, especially due to his slow air speed. While his Up B moves him a reasonable distance, his slow movement makes it easy to intercept.
12. Why is Dedede not considered a popular pick in competitive Smash Ultimate?
Dedede’s poor mobility, predictability, and lack of reliable escape options make him a low-tier character, not viable for high-level competitive play. He is considered a challenging character to play well.
13. Has Dedede ever been considered high-tier in Smash history?
No, Dedede has never been considered a high-tier character in any Smash game. He has always had a hard time because of his slow speed.
14. What kind of players might find success with Dedede?
Only the most dedicated and patient players might have some success with Dedede. These players must be able to take advantage of the few strengths he has, such as his reach with his hammer. It also takes a lot of studying an opponent to be able to predict their next moves and punish with Dedede’s slow attacks.
15. Is it impossible to win with Dedede?
It’s certainly not impossible to win with Dedede, but he requires significantly more skill and patience than most characters. A skilled player might be able to find some minor success with him. However, most players will not be able to perform well with him, because of how many disadvantages he has.
In conclusion, while King Dedede has a unique charm and design, his performance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is hindered by significant weaknesses that place him at the bottom of the competitive tier list. His poor mobility, predictable offense, and lack of escape options make him a difficult character to play effectively, even if a player were to learn his kit to its fullest potential.