3DS unlock conditions: Clear Classic Mode with 8 different characters or play 110 Vs. Matches, then defeat Duck Hunt on Battlefield.
Wii U unlock conditions: Get one KO in Cruel Smash or play 100 Vs. Matches, then defeat Duck Hunt on the Duck Hunt stage.
One of the most iconic NES games of all time, Duck Hunt joins the battle with all of its characters: dog, duck and shooter! Duck Hunt is a character with a heavy zoning playstyle, but plays quite differently from other projectile zoners. Their unorthodox special moves lets them set up devious traps and pressure opponents with a combination of projectiles and attacks. They also have an excellent melee moveset for a projectile-dependent character, with fast attacks and good reach, and a solid recovery to round it off. Duck Hunt's shares a major flaw with many other zoning character: it can rack up damage easily but has difficulty KOing. Nevertheless, Duck Hunt is an interesting character with many tricks up their sleeve, so they are a solid choice for any scheming, calculative player.
Despite composing of both a duck and a dog, the duo is quite lightweight, and is pretty nimble as well. The dogs dash speed is middle of the road, while their lateral air speed is above average, with a decent fall speed as well. One of the more subtle strengths of Duck Hunt is the duo's low profile. They have a very short crouch and can crawl, while a surprising number of attacks involve the dog lying low. Lastly, the duo can wall jump, making its recovery slightly better.
The dog does two swipes. Holding or making short taps of the attack button makes the dog finish with a kick, while mashing the button causes the duck to jab forward rapidly until you stop mashing, upon which it will finish with a strong beak strike. This is one of Duck Hunt's fastest ground moves, so it is a pretty reliable option when you need to defend yourself or disrupt your opponent at close range. The repeating beak jab links fairly well and does good damage and knockback. Overall, this will be one of your better melee damage-dealers.
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Duck Lunge
The dog crouches down while the duck stabs forward. This move can be angled up or down with the control stick. This moves is mainly used as a spacing tool. The duck moves quite far ahead, so it can be used as a quick poke to stop approaches or to zone foes out. Use its angling feature well to strike foes coming from a variety of directions.
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Beak Upper
The duck flies up while thrusting its beak. This move is moderately fast and does upward knockback, but unfortunately is a bit too slow to juggle. It also has limited horizontal range, limiting its usefulness on the ground It is seldom used, but it can serve as a decent anti-air if your foe is approaching from straight above due to its reach. It is also used to reverse the direction of Trick Shot without drastically knocking the can around.
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Low Peck
The duck lunges forward low to the ground. This attack is similar to Duck Hunt's Strong Side Attack, but slightly faster, lower, and with less range. Just like Strong Side Attack, it can be used as a poke or to help you space, but is slightly inferior to the former because of its lower range. It does consistently send foes at a nearly horizontal angle, which can set up edgeguards by knocking them offstage. This knockback angle also makes it good for launching the Trick Shot can forward a good distance, which may surprise opponents.
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Charging Beak
The dog slides forward a bit while the duck pecks forward. This Dash Attack is quite conventional, with a brief boost of momentum and a moderately strong attack that decays slightly over time. It is a decent move as Duck Hunt moves forward a fair distance for the attack, making it a fairly quick punish. It's also a potential combo follow-up from any forward hitting attack, including from your projectiles. Note that it is punishable if shielded, so don't use it too liberally.
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The dog gets up and swipes.
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Smash Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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Triple Front Shot
The shooter fires three shots in front of the duo. Charging the smash attack increases the size of the blasts. This is the strongest of Duck Hunt's three smash attacks, making it a decent KO move, but also the slowest. It has excellent range, but is slow enough to be shielded on reaction. The move also has an odd quirk where one of the weaker hits occasionally knocks foes too far for the finishing strike. Your best bet for landing this KO move is when your foe is wide open for punishes.
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AA Triple Shot
The shooter fires three shots above the duo. Charging the smash attack increases the size of the blasts. This move is another one of Duck Hunt's KO moves, but not as strong as Side Smash. It is Duck Hunt's most reliable grounded KO move, as it is moderately fast and all hits connect consistently. It is still a bit slow, so you must use it with caution. It is a very effective anti-air due to its great vertical reach.
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Surrounding Triple Shot
The shooter fires three shots, two in front and one behind the duo. Charging the smash attack increases the size of the blasts. This smash attack is the weakest of the three, but still has some utility. The shots hit on both sides of the dog and has a wide blast radius, making it an excellent tool to punish roll-happy opponents. It also has nearly horizontal knockback that launches foes behind you. At higher percents, while the move won't KO easily, it will almost surely send your foe offstage, setting up an edgeguard for you.
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Air Attacks
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
Canine Cartwheel
The dog spins around with its limbs extended. This move is extremely fast and has good power at the start, which decays over time. However, it lacks range and has punishable landing lag. Therefore, this move is best used at the start of a jump, and it is good for clearing some space when surrounded by foes. It can also be used as a KO move when unstaled, especially if used close to the edge.
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Aerial Front Peck
The duck jabs its beak forward. There is a sweetspot at the tip of the attack that does more damage and knockback. This move has awesome range and moderate speed, making it one of Duck Hunt's best aerials for damage racking. Use its range to poke at your opponents from a safe distance. Landing the sweetspot isn't necessary, but the stronger knockback usually sends foes offstage. It's good for edgeguarding as well, once again due to its excellent range.
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Back Peck
The duck jabs its beak backward. There is a sweetspot at the tip of the attack that does more damage and knockback. This move is quite similar to Forward Air, but it trades range for power. This attack is Duck Hunt's main aerial KO move, but requires you to land the sweetspot to get early KOs. It still has good range despite not being as distant as Forward Air, making it fairly safe as a poke as well.
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Multi Beak
The duck pecks upward multiple times. This move comes out very quickly and lasts a while. It racks up damage well and has good knockback if you can get all hits to connect, although it is harder to get the full combo when you're fast falling. It can be used to punish airdodges if timed well due to its moderate duration, but its awkward horizontal range makes it somewhat difficult to juggle with. Lastly, this attack is a potential KO move when used near the top.
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Paw Dunk
The dog swipes downward. This meteor smash consists of two hits, the first hit usually comboing into the downward launcher. It has pretty good horizontal range and has no landing lag if you time it well, so it is a usable onstage attack to put pressure on opponents. Like any meteor smash, it is a difficult to land but effective edgeguarding tool.
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Throws
Control
Attack
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
after grab
after grab
after grab
Grapple Peck
The duck pecks the grabbed opponent. Average damage, but poor speed. One of the worse grab pummels in the game, but still usable.
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after grab
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after grab
Jaw Throw
The dog flings the grabbed opponent forward. This is a conventional sideways throw that is also weak enough to combo from at very low percentages. As with other sideways throws, it is usually used to get foes offstage to set up edgeguards.
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
after grab
Jaw Swing
The dog flings the grabbed opponent backward. This is Duck Hunt's most damaging throw and has greater knockback than Forward Throw, but its function doesn't change much. It is still mainly used to get foes offstage so you can begin an edgeguard or regain stage control. Unfortunately, none of Duck Hunt's throws are reliable KO moves.
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after grab
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Inverted Kick
The dog kicks the grabbed opponent upward with its hind legs. This throw can be used for combos into aerials at very low percentages, but it is usually outclassed by Down Throw due to Down Throw's lower knockback. Up Throw can be easier to combo out of in some situations, as it sends foes at a nearly vertical angle compared to Down Throw.
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after grab
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Jaw Slam
The dog flings the grabbed opponent into the ground. This is Duck Hunt's combo throw and leads into its aerials fairly decently. It is Duck Hunt's least damaging throw, but makes up for it with damage from comboing. It should be Duck Hunt's standard option at early percents, but since its moves don't combo too well, you're usually better off going for sideways throws at higher percents.
The dog kicks out a can from Hogan's Alley. Pressing the special button again causes the shooter to shoot the can, making it fly upward in an arc. The can will explode upon hitting an opponent, being shot too many times, or after a set period. You and your enemies can also knock the can around with normal attacks. This move is central to Duck Hunt's playstyle. It lets you pressure enemies and set up traps in a bunch of creative ways. Since the can can be shot without interrupting other actions as long as your control stick is neutral, you can threaten foes with the can while using your normal attacks up close. The can also deters approaches and can also be used for edgeguarding due to its arced trajectory. Overall, it is vital to incorporate this move into your strategy, so it's worthwhile to experiment with the can and familiarize its various quirks.
High-Explosive Shot
The dog kicks the can at a wider arc. The can immediately explodes when it lands or with one shot. This variant behaves more like a standard projectile, particularly like Clay Shooting. It is certainly much more straightforward than the convoluted properties of Trick Shot, but sacrifices the versatility and pressure provided by the default Trick Shot. It's certainly still a good projectile with excellent range and decent control, but at the end of the day, Trick Shot is simply more flexible and harder to play against.
Zigzag Shot
The dog kicks the can at a wider arc. Each shot causes the can to change directions. The can doesn't explode as easily on contact, but can only take fewer shots and has a different knockback angle. Zigzag Shot is the most difficult Trick Shot to utilize due to its odd arc and constantly reversing directions. It is not as good at prolonged pressure as the default, but has better combo ability. Knocking foes with the can sends them at a lower horizontal trajectory, which can lead into your normal attacks or even further can strikes. Zigzag Shot is also good at short-term pressure, as its back-and-forth trajectory unpredictable and hard to avoid. While the default Trick Shot is a mainstay on cautious, defensive Duck Hunt players, the Zigzag Shot's offensive potential cannot be overlooked.
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Clay Shooting
The dog tosses out a clay pigeon. Pressing the special button again will make the shooter fire three shots at the clay pigeon, destroying it. When a clay pigeon and a can is present at the same time, the shooter will prioritize the pigeon. Tapping the control stick instead of tilting it increases the speed of the projectile. While not as important as Trick Shot, Clay Shooting is still a big part of Duck Hunt's projectile zoning. Clay Shooting is more of a conventional projectile than Trick Shot, but it can be destroyed by enemy attacks. Therefore, you need to lock down your enemies by pressuring with your other projectiles for Trick Shot to be most effective. The projectile does good damage and the shots extend its duration. The shots have moderate stun, so they set up combos if you're not too far away from your opponent.
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Rising Clay
The dog tosses a clay pigeon that dips down before rising up. It cannot be shot, but does more damage the longer it travels. This projectile is more standard. It has no special properties and travels fast and with an effective arc, in exchange for being weaker and dealing less stun on hit. While you lose some combo setups with the shots, it lets you maintain total control of Trick Shot, which improves your pressure by giving you two advancing projectiles at once.
Clay Break
The dog tosses the clay pigeon at an upward angle while the shooter fires inaccurate but stronger shots, hitting the pigeon on the third try. This variant has a very consistent arc, and big shots, so it is easier to combo into. Since it rises at a low angle, it can be used as an anti-air. The bigger shots offset its inaccuracy to some degree, and like Clay Shooting, they can potentially set up other attacks. While you have less control over where the shots hit, the faster speed and stronger shots of this variant makes it a decent substitute for Clay Shooting.
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Duck Jump
The duck carries the dog as it flies upward. There is a bit of horizontal inertia during the move, so changing directions can be cumbersome. This is Duck Hunt's recovery move, and it has no uses outside of that. It is a decent recovery with a fair amount of distance, but the lack of a hitbox makes you an easy target for edgeguarders. Make use of your maneuverability to avoid attacks as you reach for the ledge.
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Duck Jump Snag
The duck flies faster but for a shorter distance while the dog bites repeatedly. Any opponent caught by its bite will get carried by the attack as well. While it is supposed to be an offensive variant of Duck Jump, Duck Jump Snag actually offers an improvement to your recovery, in that it is much faster. This means you can reach the edge very quickly, and the snagging attack has surprising reach as well. It has horizontal knockback too, so you might stage spike an opponent by dragging them toward the stage. Of course, the reduced distance is a concern, but it can be offset with careful play, especially since you don't have to go too deep offstage for edgeguards.
Super Duck Jump
After a brief delay, the duck thrusts upward in a burst of flight, enveloped by a strong gust. This move has greater vertical distance, but no horizontal movement. This variant makes Duck Hunt's recovery travel further at the expense of making it more predictable. It has a restrictive trajectory, so you are limited to always recovering from directly below the ledge to remain safe. However, it's high speed and wind effect can throw off edgeguarders, making it an overall better recovery move.
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Wild Gunman
The dog summons an outlaw from Wild Gunman in front of it. After a significant delay, the gunman fires forward. The outlaws can be attacked and incapacitated prematurely. This move seems too slow to be useless at first, but like a duel in a wild west movie, the delay serves to increase your opponent's tension. You can act before the gunman shoots, so you can continue to pressure your enemies as they try to evade the outlaw's shots. The gunmen can also serve as meatshields, particularly from other projectiles, giving you a slight edge against other long-range zoners. Lastly, you can use the outlaw for a delayed Trick Shot launch, which can catch foes off-guard.
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Quick Draw Aces
The outlaws summoned by the dog fire immediately and does greater damage, but with worse knockback and range. While it doesn't help you pressure your opponents, its strength is more immediate. The projectile travels very quickly and can't be disrupted by enemies like Trick Shot and Clay Shooting. It is good for punishing just about anything, from rolls and missed attacks to speedy approaches. As the rest of Duck Hunt's projectiles are slower but have a lasting presence, having a brief and weak projectile is a nice contrast and increases Duck Hunt's versatility.
Mega Gunman
The dog summons giant outlaws which take a long while the fire, but can sponge more attacks. This variant is chosen for one perk only: as a large meatshield. They have a large size and stay on the field for a long time, so they are perfect for shielding yourself while you set up your other projectiles. Of course, they are virtually useless for attacking, so you'll have to make do with one less projectile.
Taunts
Control
Info
Wii U GamePad / Pro Controller
Wii Remote + Nunchuk
Wii Remote (sideways)
Wii Classic Controller
GameCube Controller
Nintendo 3DS
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The dog balances on its two front limbs and does a little dance.
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The dog lies down and sniggers.
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The dog stands on its hind legs and does a little dance.
A flock of ducks pass through from the foreground. If they miss, nothing happens. However, if they hit at least one character, all affected targets will be trapped in a cinematic shootout between the outlaws of Wild Gunman and the criminals of Hogan's Alley. The shots quickly rack up damage, while sending opponents flying sideways after the attack. This attack is a traditional trapping Final Smash, requiring you to hit with the ducks for anything to actually happen. Like the Blue Falcon, it triggers a cutscene upon successful activation, which pauses the battle for all other players in the match. Compared to other Final Smashes in its category, it has a nice radius for its initial strike, but relatively lackluster power.
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