Hand Slap

Hand Slap is one of Donkey Kong's special moves throught the Super Smash Bros. series, starting with the first Super Smash Bros. game. It is executed by pressing the Control Stick or Circle Pad down, and then pressing the special move button.

On use, Donkey Kong will slap the ground, severely damaging any characters near him and knocking them back. The attack is very useful in the Multi-Man modes when Donkey Kong is surrounded by opponents, letting him launch all of them away, but it has no effect against aerial targets. The attack does takes a while to use, but once used, all the player must do is hold the Control Stick or Circle Pad down and continuously tap the special move button. Donkey Kong will keep using the attack until the special move button stops being tapped, or Donkey Kong is hit by an opponent. Until Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, the move couldn't be executed in mid-air. Though the move isn't as useful in the air, it can still serve as a Meteor Smash. Additionally, the move can now break shields quite effectively, being able to break a full shield in 3 hits.

While the move has a set knockback in Super Smash Bros. Melee, in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, it can send opponents with low damage high into the air, but the move's low knockback scaling at higher percentages prevents it from being an effective KO move.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U also introduces two custom variants of Hand Slap:

Focused Slap sacrifices attack range, but the shockwaves can stun and deal greater damage to opponents who are hit.

Hot Slap creates a series of flame pillars in front of Donkey Kong, which can damage even airborne targets, but it has less range, and does not cover Donkey Kong's back. The attack deals more damage and knockback, and sends opponents flying sideways instead of upwards.

The attack originates from Donkey Kong Country, in which Donkey Kong is capable of pounding the ground (originally to get items hidden in the ground), and the move reappears in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.