Hand Slap

The Hand Slap, also called Ground Pound, is one of Donkey Kong's attacks in the Donkey Kong Country games as well as in the Super Smash Bros. series.

Donkey Kong Country
In Donkey Kong Country, the Hand Slap is a move unique to Donkey Kong. The move can defeat most regular enemies, and even reward a free Banana for it. In the Japanese version of the game, a banana bunch is rewarded for every third enemy hand slapped, including Krushas (despite them being immune damage-wise). The move can also unearth secret items in certain spots on the ground or on tree tops, which may give banana bunches or Extra Life Balloons.

Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Hand Slap reappears in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, though it is performed differently from other games. This time, the Hand Slap is done by shaking the Wii Remote, or pressing the X button on the Nintendo 3DS. It can open Item Containers, crack blocks, push trapdoors and stun enemies. Diddy Kong can also use this move in multiplayer mode; his version is called the Popgun Pound, and he can additionally use it to stun or distract enemies from afar. Hand Slapping is also possible when clinging onto grass ceilings and walls.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Once again, the Hand Slap reappears in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, acting the same way as in Donkey Kong Country Returns. This time, Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong can use it as well. Dixie's version involves her pounding the ground with her ponytail and Cranky with his cane. Unlike the other Kongs, Dixie's Hand Slap covers both sides.

Super Smash Bros. series
Hand Slap is Donkey Kong's down special move throughout the Super Smash Bros. series, starting with the first Super Smash Bros. game. It is executed by pressing the special move button while pressing the Control Stick or Circle Pad down.

On use, Donkey Kong will slap the ground, severely damaging any opponents near him and knocking them upwards. 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, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, 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.