34. DIDDY KONG

Franchise / home series: Donkey Kong

Notable non-Smash games: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (1995); Diddy Kong Racing (1997); Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)

Diddy Kong made his Smash debut in Brawl as Donkey Kong’s energetic sidekick. Representing the more agile, adventurous side of the Donkey Kong series, he brings his signature cap, tail, and peanut popguns into the fray.

In Smash, Diddy is a nimble character with strong aerials and one of the most infamous items in series history: his Banana Peel. Controlled use of bananas enables powerful trip setups, combos, and stage control. His Rocketbarrel Booster recovery and Peanut Popgun give him both vertical mobility and zoning tools, while his grab game is central to his offensive pressure.

In Smash 4, Diddy was initially one of the most dominant characters, with down throw-to-up air combos defining early metagame discourse until balance patches adjusted his power. In Ultimate, he remains a technical, setup-focused fighter who rewards item mastery and smart positioning, providing a fast-paced counterpart to the heavier Donkey Kong.