I've been playing 
since the 3ds version and he is my favorite character to play in both the 3Ds and Wii U version. From his disjoints and projectile game to his laugh taunt he is just an awesome and fun character. Time to time I will have concerns about his game and will seek out solutions to solve them and improve my game. Here is what I have come up with so far and I hope it will help others.
I play an aggressive style, how can I fit into this frame?
I first noticed how people were playing, campy and rolling everywhere. They would throw out his projectiles, roll to the other side of the stage and continue to throw out projectiles. Not only is this annoying and counterproductive, but you will not kill anyone this way. So I decided to fit my style into this character. My approaches include throwing out can and gunmen to bait shields then grab, from this I will proceed to a necessary follow up ...
Down Throw --> forward smash 0%
Down Throw --> Fair 10%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> Dash attack 10%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> Fair 20%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> RAR Bair 10%-20% (Depending mostly on opponent reaction)
Back Throw --> gunmen/can--> grab or forward smash (depending on opponents reaction)
Disc --> Fair, grab, or Dash Attack (depending on opponent position)
I also approach by throwing out RAR Fairs and RAR Bairs to pressure opponent. (This is very effective and is a good switch up to your approach game so you're not so predictable). I learned this by watching a player name Brood (Can see his videos in the Video Thread)
has a very hard time fighting fast opponents, how can I counter this?
I found out that Duck Hunt has a very hard time fighting speedy characters like, , ,, and . I could NOT get out a projectile without being punished for doing so. Rolling/Running away throwing out projectiles just wouldn't work! So I decided not to run, but to be aggressive by throwing out RAR Fairs and Bairs. This forced my opponent to slow down, shield or roll away. When I got space I was then able to throw out and pressure my opponent with projectiles. This is evident in the way Brood plays in his videos. By throwing out Fairs he is given space and is not predictable and read so easily.
I also found out recently that a short hop sour spot Fair can lead into some things. If you do a falling Fair and connect with the hitbox closest to the dog it will have little knockback. You should aim for the duck to pass the opponent's hurtbox when coming down. {I'm still testing this but if you hold right or left, depending on what direction you're DI'ing to, the dog will be ducking and this will help you avoid being punished if your opponent perfect shields} These follow ups are pretty much guaranteed and have been tested against characters with fast frame aerials ( and for example also )
If opponent shields ...
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt (multiple times to get shield pressure)
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Dash attack
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Fair
If the opponent does not shield...
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Dash attack 0%- 50%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Fair 0%- 50%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> --> Dash attack 50%-Higher Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Jab combo Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Down Tilt Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Forward Tilt Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt --> Up Tilt--> Up Tilt 0%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt --> Up Tilt--> Up Air 0%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Down Smash 20%-35%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Smash Depending on Opponent DI
Now that I have practiced without specials, How can I incorporate them into my game?
I found that people react to the gunmen in two different ways, they either shield or jump to avoid the shot. I first start by throwing out a gunmen to see how they react. If they shield, I run in for a grab, but if they jump I throw out a Fair or Nair to catch them. I may even throw out the can if they jump.
With the can I use it for the same effect.....bait. Opponent usually rolls knowing that I am able to pop it up, thats when I punish with a Dash Attack or even a timely Smash Attack.
I only throw out the Disc in certain situations.
1. To pressure opponent.
2. To Catch Landing
3. To catch opponents that are rushing me down
It is the least used projectile.
Now that I have them at High percents, how do I kill?
This questions still baffles me and just about every player. HOW DO I KILL?! MY PROJECTILES DON'T KILL ! MY THROWS DON'T KILL ! AND MY SMASH ATTACKS ARE UNRELIABLE ! I CAN'T EVEN RELY ON GIMPING BECAUSE MY RECOVERY SUCKS !!
With all of this in my mind I pondered on what I was doing to get me to this point. What moves haven't I used or haven't used a lot? I was left with Down Throw, Up Throw and my "unreliable" Smash Attacks. What I found out in the many hours I put in the lab was that the smash attacks work best when catching the landing of an opponent. In Smash 4 the most punishable moments come from reading rolls, punishes out of shields, and Landings. With Duck Hunt's mobility and range on Smash Attacks it is very easy for us to catch the landing of our opponents! If all three reticles connect in the Forward Smash it can kill the opponent starting at 90% (near the edge) and even 110% (around the middle of the stage) ! Here are the situations.
Just like the original game "Duck Hunt" you are given a Zapper and told to shoot ducks in the air to score points. It applies here! Duck Hunt plays just like the NES game with the gunmen, can, duck, dog, and shooters. The only way to score (or easiest way to kill) is to play this game and shoot your opponent in the air (landing). Now don't get me wrong, this will take a lot of practice, I'm still trying and haven't mastered it. It is extremely difficult to spot where your opponent will be, but it will get very easy the more you practice. You can achieve this through Up Throws, Down Throws, and any attack that launches your opponent and forces them to land on stage. You can even catch them when they are approaching with short hops, just pivot forward smash to catch landing. Even if the opponent decides to land on top of you with a down air, meet them with a timely Up Smash. This is how I am netting early kills with Duck Hunt. Mix up landing options by throwing out a can and a gunman to make the spot where they're landing easier to predict. The air is not safe!
This information is not the final product, I am still figuring stuff out. But this is what I have come up with so far. Please give me some tips if you can! Thanks!!
since the 3ds version and he is my favorite character to play in both the 3Ds and Wii U version. From his disjoints and projectile game to his laugh taunt he is just an awesome and fun character. Time to time I will have concerns about his game and will seek out solutions to solve them and improve my game. Here is what I have come up with so far and I hope it will help others.I play an aggressive style, how can I fit
into this frame?I first noticed how people were playing
, campy and rolling everywhere. They would throw out his projectiles, roll to the other side of the stage and continue to throw out projectiles. Not only is this annoying and counterproductive, but you will not kill anyone this way. So I decided to fit my style into this character. My approaches include throwing out can and gunmen to bait shields then grab, from this I will proceed to a necessary follow up ...Down Throw --> forward smash 0%
Down Throw --> Fair 10%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> Dash attack 10%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> Fair 20%-Higher Percents
Forward Throw --> RAR Bair 10%-20% (Depending mostly on opponent reaction)
Back Throw --> gunmen/can--> grab or forward smash (depending on opponents reaction)
Disc --> Fair, grab, or Dash Attack (depending on opponent position)
I also approach by throwing out RAR Fairs and RAR Bairs to pressure opponent. (This is very effective and is a good switch up to your approach game so you're not so predictable). I learned this by watching a
player name Brood (Can see his videos in the Video Thread) has a very hard time fighting fast opponents, how can I counter this?I found out that Duck Hunt has a very hard time fighting speedy characters like
, , ,, and . I could NOT get out a projectile without being punished for doing so. Rolling/Running away throwing out projectiles just wouldn't work! So I decided not to run, but to be aggressive by throwing out RAR Fairs and Bairs. This forced my opponent to slow down, shield or roll away. When I got space I was then able to throw out and pressure my opponent with projectiles. This is evident in the way Brood plays in his videos. By throwing out Fairs he is given space and is not predictable and read so easily. I also found out recently that a short hop sour spot Fair can lead into some things. If you do a falling Fair and connect with the hitbox closest to the dog it will have little knockback. You should aim for the duck to pass the opponent's hurtbox when coming down. {I'm still testing this but if you hold right or left, depending on what direction you're DI'ing to, the dog will be ducking and this will help you avoid being punished if your opponent perfect shields} These follow ups are pretty much guaranteed and have been tested against characters with fast frame aerials (
and for example also ) If opponent shields ...
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt (multiple times to get shield pressure)
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Dash attack
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Fair
If the opponent does not shield...
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Dash attack 0%- 50%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> grab --> Forward Throw --> Fair 0%- 50%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> --> Dash attack 50%-Higher Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Jab combo Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Down Tilt Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Forward Tilt Lower Percents
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt --> Up Tilt--> Up Tilt 0%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Tilt --> Up Tilt--> Up Air 0%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Down Smash 20%-35%
Short Hop--> FastFall--> Fair(sour spot) --> Up Smash Depending on Opponent DI
Now that I have practiced without specials, How can I incorporate them into my game?
I found that people react to the gunmen in two different ways, they either shield or jump to avoid the shot. I first start by throwing out a gunmen to see how they react. If they shield, I run in for a grab, but if they jump I throw out a Fair or Nair to catch them. I may even throw out the can if they jump.
With the can I use it for the same effect.....bait. Opponent usually rolls knowing that I am able to pop it up, thats when I punish with a Dash Attack or even a timely Smash Attack.
I only throw out the Disc in certain situations.
1. To pressure opponent.
2. To Catch Landing
3. To catch opponents that are rushing me down
It is the least used projectile.
Now that I have them at High percents, how do I kill?
This questions still baffles me and just about every
player. HOW DO I KILL?! MY PROJECTILES DON'T KILL ! MY THROWS DON'T KILL ! AND MY SMASH ATTACKS ARE UNRELIABLE ! I CAN'T EVEN RELY ON GIMPING BECAUSE MY RECOVERY SUCKS !! With all of this in my mind I pondered on what I was doing to get me to this point. What moves haven't I used or haven't used a lot? I was left with Down Throw, Up Throw and my "unreliable" Smash Attacks. What I found out in the many hours I put in the lab was that the smash attacks work best when catching the landing of an opponent. In Smash 4 the most punishable moments come from reading rolls, punishes out of shields, and Landings. With Duck Hunt's mobility and range on Smash Attacks it is very easy for us to catch the landing of our opponents! If all three reticles connect in the Forward Smash it can kill the opponent starting at 90% (near the edge) and even 110% (around the middle of the stage) ! Here are the situations.
Just like the original game "Duck Hunt" you are given a Zapper and told to shoot ducks in the air to score points. It applies here! Duck Hunt plays just like the NES game with the gunmen, can, duck, dog, and shooters. The only way to score (or easiest way to kill) is to play this game and shoot your opponent in the air (landing). Now don't get me wrong, this will take a lot of practice, I'm still trying and haven't mastered it. It is extremely difficult to spot where your opponent will be, but it will get very easy the more you practice. You can achieve this through Up Throws, Down Throws, and any attack that launches your opponent and forces them to land on stage. You can even catch them when they are approaching with short hops, just pivot forward smash to catch landing. Even if the opponent decides to land on top of you with a down air, meet them with a timely Up Smash. This is how I am netting early kills with Duck Hunt. Mix up landing options by throwing out a can and a gunman to make the spot where they're landing easier to predict. The air is not safe!
This information is not the final product, I am still figuring stuff out. But this is what I have come up with so far. Please give me some tips if you can! Thanks!!
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