Duck Hunt (Smash Plus)

Duck Hunt is a playable character in Super Smash Brothers Plus for the Nintendo Switch Plus. Representing the Duck Hunt universe, they are listed as Fighter #77 in Smash's modified numbering system and are classified as a Middleweight fighter. They are hidden at the start of the game, but can be unlocked through random encounters in versus mode or by clearing Classic Mode with R.O.B.
Duck Hunt is a unique fighter, using the attacks of both the Duck Hunt Dog and the titular duck on his back to perform attacks on opponents. In Smash Plus, they have been somewhat overhauled to make their ineffective Smash attacks more effective, along with slight increases to their ground mobility. While their Smash attacks still have notoriously bad endlag if they miss, an additional hitstun mechanic on the first hit has increased the combo and damage potential on both their side and up smashes, while their down smash has been simplified and amplified in power to make it more reliable as a KO move. Their special attacks have been altered as well, with Trick Shot moving to Down Special, Clay Shooting moving to Neutral Special, and a new Dog Pounce move giving them a quick attack option out of side special. Overall, Duck Hunt's weaknesses have been improved greatly, though their KO options, while more reliable, still lack in overall damage output and combo potential beyond their new attacks. Duck Hunt has two normal jumps and can crawl.
==Moveset==
===Basic Attacks===
*Neutral Jab- The dog performs two paw swipes followed by a simple headbutt to knock foes away. It can be changed into a rapid jab involving the duck rapidly pecking with its beak, knocking foes away with a wing swipe.
*Side Tilt- The dog leans forwards on his paws, allowing the duck to attack forward with a powerful peck straight ahead. It can be angled slightly up or down.
*Up Tilt- The duck flaps its wings twice as it stands on the dog's back, all while the dog arches its back into the air to allow for further range. The attack hits multiple times, launching on the final hit.
*Down Tilt- The dog crouches down and bites at the ground directly in front of himself. It does the most damage of their tilt attacks, but also has the shortest range.
*Dash Attack- The dog slides forward while leaning in, while the duck pecks any opponent ahead of them. The attack does more damage at the start of the move.
*Grab & Pummel- The dog bites at the opponent and holds them with his mouth, while the duck pummels by pecking at them with his beak.
*Forward Throw- One of the Wild Gunmen will appear behind Duck Hunt and shoot the held opponent away as the Dog does his signature laugh.
*Back Throw- Similar to the forward throw, only with the Wild Gunman appearing behind the opponent as opposed to Duck Hunt, and shooting them from the back.
*Up Throw- The dog throws the opponent up into the air while the duck leaps off his back and headbutts them away.
*Down Throw- The duck lifts the dog off the ground a short distance and then drops them straight onto the fallen opponent, knocking them forward.
*Neutral Air- The dog performs an aerial cartwheel, lingering in the pose as he falls. The attack is strongest when the cartwheel first comes out.
*Forward Air- The dog swings his back forward, allowing the duck to hit opponents with a corkscrew pecking attack. It's lack of a strong sweetspot keeps it from being a true KO option.
*Back Air- The duck turns around behind the dog and pecks behind him. The sweetspot is on the edge of the duck's beak, and despite its small window of opportunity makes this Duck Hunt's strongest aerial attack.
*Up Air- The duck will peck the air above the dog three times, raising him slightly into the air as this move stall's the duo's fall.
*Down Air- The dog will somersault over, performing a headbutt, as the duck pecks directly underneath the pair. The second hit can meteor foes if it connects right.
===Smash Attacks===
*Side Smash- Duck Hunt will cause a single blast from an offscreen zapper to detonate in front of them. If no one is hit by the blast, then the attack will fail. If someone is hit, then they will be stunned in place momentarily, with the length determined by damage percentage prior to the attack hitting. Players can then press the attack button twice more for two additional zapper shots (of significantly weaker power) to attack the foe before the are sent flying, use another attack on the opponent, or wait for the hitstun to end and then let them be launched. The size of the target reticle will increase as the attack is charged.
*Up Smash- Similar to their forward smash, Duck Hunt will detonate a single Zapper blast directly above themselves. Any foe hit will be stunned and players can follow up with two additional zapper shots if they so choose. The Up Smash does less damage than the forward smash, but it also launches further at lower percentages. However, it's range is very weak, making it more reliable as an anti-air tool.
*Down Smash- Duck Hunt will detonate a zapper blast first in front of itself and then behind itself, with the second hit doing more damage than the first. Unlike the other two Smash Attacks, these zapper blasts will not stun foes, instead they will launch on contact.
===Special Attacks===
*Neutral Special: Clay Shooting- Duck Hunt will fling a clay pigeon forward a short distance, with the trajectory altered slightly with controller input right before the pigeon leaves the dog's mouth. The pigeon will fly its traversed arc through the air, dealing minor damage to any opponent hit by it. Pressing the special button while the clay pigeon is in the air again will cause the zapper gun to fire five shots at the disc, breaking it and dealing damage to anyone hit by the blasts. The pigeon can be destroyed either by Duck Hunt or another opponent before this happens, though. Only one disc can be on screen at a time.
*Side Special: Pounce- Duck Hunt will leap forward at an angle, with the dog's mouth wide open. If he catches hits an opponent en route to the apex of the jump, then he will initiate a command grab, holding them with his mouth, shaking them three times before tossing them behind himself quickly. Working very similar to Wolf's side special, only the timing required for the command grab isn't nearly as precise and the move goes slightly faster and at a slightly lower angle. However, unlike Wolf's new side special, this move will send Duck Hunt into freefall, making it hard to use off stage.
*Up Special: Duck Jump- The duck will hold onto the dog and begin flapping its wings madly, lifting it up into the air. The duck will continue flying for roughly three seconds before tiring out and the pair descend to the ground in freefall. While in flight, players have full horizontal control. Players can also exit the flying motion early and not enter freefall, however they will be unable to use Up Special again until they land on the ground.
*Down Special: Trick Shot- Duck Hunt will summon a tin can directly in front of himself. Pressing the special button will cause the can to be "shot" sending it up into the air. Pressing the special button repeatedly will send it higher in the air, towards the nearest player. Contact with any player (or if hit by a projectile) will cause the can to explode with powerful force. The can will also automatically explode if it is shot 9 times or more. The projectile is active on frame 1, meaning it can be very useful to disrupt combos, though the explosion will also damage Duck Hunt if they are too close.
*Final Smash: NES Zapper Posse- Duck Hunt will cause a flock of ducks to fly directly in front of themselves. Any player hit by them will be sent into a cinematic in the old west, where they are confronted by the Wild Gunmen. The Gunmen take aim and blast them with shots repeatedly (and somewhat comically). All players caught in the cinematic are dealt large damage and sent flying once the cinematic ends.
===Miscellaneous===
*Entry Animation- Duck Hunt leaps into an 8-Bit spot of grass, emerging from behind it while doing his signature laugh before the grass disappears in a puff of smoke.
*Idle Animation 1- The dog sniffs the ground around himself while the duck simply looks on.
*Idle Animation 2- The dog scratches his ear while the duck temporarily flies off his back in protest.
*Side Taunt- The dog lays on his side, doing his signature laugh, while the duck flies above him.
*Up Taunt- The dog does a handstand on his front paws, balancing the duck on his rear paws. The duck quacks in protest.
*Down Taunt- The dog stands up and does a silly dance while the duck flies around him once, quacking in time.
*Victory Animation 1- The dog jumps into an 8-bit spot of grass, rising up and doing his signature laugh while the duck quacks and joins in the merriment.
*Victory Animation 2- Duck Hunt runs onto the screen and kicks away the can from the Trick Shot, finishing on a pose as the can explodes in the background.
*Victory Animation 3- The dog performs a pose where he points left and right, causing the zapper gun to fire a shot on either side of himself, finishing on one of the pointing poses while the duck flies above his shoulder.
==How to Unlock==
Duck Hunt can be unlocked any of the following ways:
*Playing Versus matches until they randomly show up as a "Challenger Approaching" fight. Defeat them to unlock them.
*Defeat Classic Mode with R.O.B. on starting difficulty 3.0 or higher.
*Unlock them in the Finale of World of Light by defeating them.
*Pay 1,000 gold in a shop, where they can randomly appear (though rarely.)
Category:Super Smash Bros. Characters
Category:Super Smash Bros. (series)
Category:Smash Plus Characters