King Dedede

King Dedede (sometimes spelled DeDeDe) is a large penguin-like creature and the self-proclaimed king of Dream Land in the Kirby series, and rival of Kirby. He first appears in Kirby's Dream Land, and has appeared in almost every game in the series afterward (with the exception of Kirby & The Amazing Mirror and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse).

Mario Kirby Meisaku Video
King Dedede, alongside his rival Kirby, appeared alongside Mario in the obscure educational video Mario Kirby Meisaku Video; however, this video was merely a compilation of their non-intertwining adventures. In Kirby's Mario Kirby Meisaku Video segment, King Dedede acted as the main antagonist, where it was believed that he had kidnapped the mother of a stray puppy that Kirby befriended. In actuality, King Dedede discovered the dog to have been injured and attempted to nurse her back to health at his castle.

Super Smash Bros.
King Dedede makes a minor appearance in Super Smash Bros., as a background element that can be seen flying by on the Dream Land stage.

According to the website, King Dedede was originally planned to be a playable character, but he was cut due to time constraints.

Super Smash Bros. Melee
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, King Dedede makes an appearance as a trophy. He is also still on the Dream Land stage, which returns from the original Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl


King Dedede makes his playable debut in the Super Smash Bros. series in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In the game, he is voiced by Masahiro Sakurai, his original creator and the director of the Super Smash Bros. series, who also voiced him in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. King Dedede is one of the heaviest characters, making him slower, but similar to Kirby, he has multiple mid-air jumps, and has the fastest falling speed of any character. Dedede's hammer gives his moves range and power, but many of his attacks are slow to execute to compensate.

Dedede's standard special move is Inhale, which works similar to Kirby's move, but Dedede cannot copy opponents, and instead is only able to carry them and spit them back out as a projectile. His side special move is Waddle Dee Toss, in which he throws a Waddle Dee (occasionally a Waddle Doo or rarely a Gordo) at opponents. His up special move is Super Dedede Jump, in which Dedede leaps into the air and slams back toward the ground. His down special move is Jet Hammer, in which Dedede charges a hammer swing powered by a jet engine. Dedede's Final Smash is Waddle Dee Army, which summons Waddle Dees, Waddle Doos and Gordos to attack.

Aside from King Dedede's standard and up specials, his dash attack and forward smash originate from the Kirby games, with the former being his signature trip, while the latter is an attack he commonly uses against Kirby.

The Subspace Emissary
In the Subspace Emissary, King Dedede learns of Tabuu's motives, and about his Off Waves, and worries that if all the fighters of the World of Trophies are all turned into trophies, then there will be no one to change them back. Therefore, he develops special brooches that are set to turn trophies back into fighters after a specific amount of time. It is also revealed through the Smash Bros. DOJO!! that King Dedede engages Meta Knight in combat as the Subspace Army takes his Halberd, though this scene was cut from the final version of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

He is first seen attacking Luigi with his mallet and turning him into a trophy. He then hides and leaves the trophy out in the open as bait. Wario comes along with the Princess (Peach or Zelda, depending on who Kirby rescued) and Ness and sees Luigi's trophy. Wario takes it, but King Dedede's Waddle Dees come and attack Wario. Wario lets go of the Luigi trophy, which King Dedede takes. After that, he steals Wario's vehicle and drives off with the Princess trophy and Ness trophy. He later attempts to take either the Mario and Pit trophies or the Link and Yoshi trophies, until Kirby shows up and frees them. All five character chase down King Dedede. In his castle, he puts one of his brooches on all the trophies he collected, giving the one he was keeping for himself to the Princess. However, Bowser starts attacking them, turning Dedede into a trophy and after a battle, Bowser escapes with the princess trophy (who dropped the badge King Dedede put on her) and Mario, Link, Pit, Yoshi, and Kirby run away leaving the King Dedede, Luigi, and Ness trophies behind. Later, King Dedede's castle is blown up by the Subspace Bomb and the Luigi, Ness and King Dedede trophies are pulled into Subspace. Meanwhile, Kirby finds the other Dedede badge that the princess dropped and Inhales it.

After Tabuu turns everyone into trophies, the brooches activate, bringing Luigi and Ness back to life, who in turn revive King Dedede as well. King Dedede then helps Ness and Luigi save everyone. When King Dedede brings Bowser back to life, Bowser attacks. However King Dedede defeats him, turning him into a trophy. Dedede then revives Bowser and before he can attack again, flicks him on the nose, then points over toward the staircase to the Great Maze.

After Kirby arrives with several more fighters, King Dedede directs them to the Great Maze. They explore the maze, defeating previously defeated bosses and battling clones of themselves. After defeating all of these, they head in to Tabuu's chamber for the final battle. Tabuu attempts to turn all the fighters back into trophies, but is ambushed by Sonic, weakening him and allowing the fighters to defeat him. Tabuu disappears and the World of Trophies is restored.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
King Dedede returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. While Masahiro Sakurai reprises King Dedede's role, he is given a more distorted voice. Several of his moves have been changed from the previous game; most of his aerial attacks are new, his side special has been changed to Gordo Throw, in which Dedede hammers a Gordo to attack opponents, and his Final Smash has been changed to Dedede Burst, which involves Dedede drawing in opponents with his suction breath before hammering them and ending with a bomb exploding on them. While most of his attributes remain relatively unchanged, he no longer has the fastest falling speed; King Dedede's air speed is slower, though other aspects of his mobility are improved. Similar to Meta Knight, King Dedede also has his overall damage output toned down.

Dedede also once again appears flying in the background of the Dream Land (64) stage that returns as downloadable content, though he does not appear if he is part of the battle.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
King Dedede returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where he is unlockable for the first time in the series. He has a new Final Smash, in which he traps opponents in a caged arena and fires missiles at them before finishing them off with his hammer as Masked Dedede, launching them away. This makes him one of the few fighters that have appeared since Super Smash Bros. Brawl to have a different Final Smash in each appearance (along with R.O.B., Pit, and Zero Suit Samus). King Dedede's back aerial is now a horizontal hammer swing, which has much greater range than his previous one. Aesthetically, Jet Hammer now burns with blue fire instead of orange. King Dedede's mobility is improved in all aspects, while a majority of his attacks are faster, deal more damage or knockback, or have larger hitboxes. King Dedede's down tilt is Rolling, while his dash attack is Belly Flop.

King Dedede also once again appears flying in the background of Dream Land (64), though he does not appear if he is part of the battle.

King Dedede also briefly appears in King K. Rool's debut trailer, where he pranks Donkey and Diddy Kong by wearing a King K. Rool disguise, and then proceeding to laugh hysterically at the joke he played on them before being knocked out by the actual King K. Rool.

In the Chinese version, King Dedede is only character whose name is announced differently between the Simplified and Traditional Chinese versions: The former uses "King Dedede!" from the English version, while the latter uses "Dedede!" from the Japanese version.

Classic Mode route
King Dedede's route pits him against fighters associated with royalty.

Inhale


Inhale is King Dedede's standard special move, based on the ability of the same name in the Kirby series. Similar to Kirby's Inhale special move, King Dedede creates a vacuum effect that draws in items and opponents (with the exception of Poké Balls, Master Balls, Cuccos, Mr. Saturns, and Dragoon and Daybreak parts which are collected instead), with King Dedede's Inhale having a longer range. However, while Kirby's Inhale heals him when using it on items, King Dedede's does not. Certain items such as the Metal Box and Timer take effect when swallowed, with explosive items damaging King Dedede. Additionally, while larger items such as Crates and Party Balls take longer for Kirby to swallow, King Dedede takes the same amount of time to swallow any item. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, King Dedede can now inhale his own Gordos and other projectiles and spit them back out.

Unlike Kirby, King Dedede is unable to gain a Copy Ability when inhaling a character, though he can slowly move while one is kept in his mouth. King Dedede is then able to spit them out as a star to both send them away and attack other opponents, which deals more damage than Kirby's.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the first custom variant for this move is Dedede Storm, which draws in opponents, the breath hitting them repeatedly before knocking them up into the air. The second is Taste Test, which inhales faster but instantly spits out opponents as a star.


 * Names in other languages

Waddle Dee Toss


Waddle Dee Toss is King Dedede's side special move in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. When used, King Dedede pulls out a Waddle Dee and throws it forward to damage opponents. After it is tossed, the Waddle Dee remains on the stage for some time, walking around and jumping when an opponent is nearby to damage them. They can also block any oncoming attacks. Occasionally, Dedede may also toss a Waddle Doo, a Gordo, or an item. The Waddle Doo behaves similarly to the Waddle Dee, but it inflicts more damage on the initial toss and instead of jumping performs its beam attack, which also deals more damage than the Waddle Dee's jump. The Gordo is the most powerful and the most rare, but once thrown it bounces once before disappearing when it touches the ground again, and can be reflected back at Dedede.


 * Names in other languages

Gordo Throw


Gordo Throw is King Dedede's side special move in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, which appears to be a variation of and replacing the Waddle Dee Toss in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. When this move is used, King Dedede pulls out a Gordo and hits it with his hammer, sending it bouncing in front of him. The Gordo can bounce up to three times and damages opponents in contact, starting at 24% and becoming progressively weaker, finally bouncing off them. It disappears shortly after hitting an enemy, or after the third bounce if no target is hit. Only one Gordo can thrown at a time; when a Gordo is already out, the attack consists of a single hammer swipe which can damage opponents. Gordos have a chance of getting stuck in any wall they hit, causing slight damage to opponents in contact. They will then disappear after a few seconds. The trajectory of the Gordo can be adjusted with the Circle Pad / Control Stick.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the first custom variant for this move is Topspin Gordo, which moves slowly at first, but suddenly moves much faster and farther once it bounces on the ground. However, unlike Gordo Throw, the Gordo used in this move can only bounce once. The second variant is Bouncing Gordo, which bounces back and forth and lasts longer than Gordo Throw. It also does electrical damage, although it is not as strong as the other two variants.


 * Names in other languages

Super Dedede Jump


Super Dedede Jump is King Dedede's up special move. The move is based on one of King Dedede's attacks when faced as a boss in the Kirby series. When used, King Dedede leaps into the air and slams down to the ground, damaging any enemies beneath him; hitting them as he falls acts as a meteor smash, and in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U landing on enemies on the ground buries them. Dedede also produces stars on both sides of himself as he lands which also damage nearby opponents. The player can angle Dedede's jump by holding left or right on the control stick as the move is executed. It is also possible to stop Dedede's fall by tilting down on the control stick in Super Smash Bros. Brawl or up in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, though doing so puts him in a helpless state, and doing it closer to the ground causes Dedede to remain on the ground before returning to his feet.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the first custom variant for this move is Rising Dedede, which damages on the way up and leaves Dedede in a helpless state after he reaches the peak of his jump rather than descending. The second is Quick Dedede Jump, which is faster but does not get as much height or deal as much damage.


 * Names in other languages

Jet Hammer


Jet Hammer is King Dedede's down special move. When used, by holding down the special attack button, King Dedede charges up a jet-powered hammer swing; the attack gets stronger while the player charges, and the player is able to hold the charge indefinitely and move while charging, though a fully-charged Jet Hammer also damages Dedede for every second he holds it, though it stops damaging him at 150% in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and 100% in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.

In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the first custom variant for this move is the Armored Jet Hammer (spelled Armoured Jet Hammer in the British English version), which grants Dedede super armor while charging, though it causes Dedede to take more damage than normal when it is fully charged. It also deals less damage and knockback, making it less effective at making KOs. Additionally, Dedede suffers from a longer start-up and ending period upon releasing the attack. The second variant, the Dash Jet Hammer, enables Dedede to travel forward when he releases the move, but he does move backward a little while charging. The move deals less damage and knockback overall, but its knockback is better than that of the Armored Jet Hammer.


 * Names in other languages

Waddle Dee Army


Waddle Dee Army is King Dedede's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. King Dedede blows a whistle to summon many Waddle Dees, Waddle Doos, and Gordos that charge across the screen to deal damage. While Waddle Dees simply ram into the player, Waddle Doos give an electric shock on contact, while Gordos deal a high amount of damage and knockback, but stay on screen for the shortest amount of time. Characters on the ground are also pulled toward Dedede during the move if they are nearby.


 * Names in other languages

Dedede Burst


Dedede Burst is King Dedede's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, which replaces Waddle Dee Army from Super Smash Bros. Brawl. King Dedede inhales nearby opponents, suspending them in midair, and repeatedly attacks them with his hammer, followed by shooting a giant bomb from the hammer which explodes into fireworks, launching the trapped opponents. King Dedede's initial Inhale is much larger than the one he can normally use, but if no opponents are in range, the Final Smash fails. Additionally, King Dedede cannot take any damage from other opponents during the move.


 * Names in other languages

Dede-Rush


Dede-Rush is King Dedede's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which replaces Dedede Burst from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. King Dedede hits the opponent in front of him with his hammer, sending the opponent into a caged ring. The opponent will then hit with a barrage of missiles, before Dedede uses his mask and spins towards the opponent, giving a final hit with his hammer.

Super Mario Maker
King Dedede also appears in Super Mario Maker as a Mystery Mushroom costume, based on his appearance in Kirby's Adventure.

Snake's codec

 * Snake: Look at the size of that hammer...
 * Colonel: That's King Dedede you're fighting, Snake.
 * Snake: Dedede? You mean it's not a penguin, Colonel?
 * Colonel: He's the king of Dream Land. Well, so he says, anyway.
 * Snake: Are you sure he's not a penguin?
 * Colonel: One full swing from that hammer can level an entire building. It may look like just a big wooden mallet, but it's actually outfitted with special mechanical systems like turbo jets and precision bearings to boost its effectiveness.
 * Snake: I don't think I could even lift that thing. And he's swinging it around like it was nothing...
 * Colonel: But he also leaves himself wide open. Just make sure you avoid the swing, Snake.

Trophies
Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.

Palutena's Guidance

 * Pit: Who's this, Lady Palutena?
 * Palutena: That's King Dedede.
 * Pit: So what do I need to know about him?
 * Palutena: He's a heavyweight and has the ability to fly. And his hammer attack is no joke. But every fighter has a weakness. For example, when King Dedede throws a spiky Gordo, you can hit it right back at him. If you can eliminate him by reflecting the Gordo, that will count as your KO.
 * Pit: Uh... what's a KO?
 * Palutena: ...Good luck, Pit.

amiibo

 * Every hero needs an arch frenemy, and King Dedede is Kirby’s! He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn’t have a lot of interest in ruling. His hobbies include eating, stirring up trouble, and yelling orders at his loyal Waddle Dees while bashing things with his huge hammer.