Dixie BBCode - 3/13/21

[I][COLOR=#FFB6C1]"Don't try to argue — if you're going, I'm going with you."[/COLOR][/I]

[CENTER][URL='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQBqcu0dR8'][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#FF69B4][B][SIZE=7]DIXIE KONG[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR][/FONT]

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/hfL84NV.png[/IMG][/URL][/CENTER]

[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Here's a heroine that needs little to no introduction. Dixie Kong is the long-running tritagonist of the Donkey Kong series, a solid case for the most valuable protagonist of the (banana) bunch and a prominent fixture in what the fanbase largely agrees are the best three of five Country titles to date. Debuting as Diddy's headstrong girlfriend in DKC2, Dixie ventures to the peak of Crocodile Isle to rescue DK after Kaptain K. Rool successfully kidnaps and holds him for ransom. The next year, in DKC3, she steps up as leading lady, rollicking through the Northern Kremisphere and uncovering Baron K. Roolenstein's conspiracy to rule the world as puppeteer for a robot harnessing DK and Diddy as living batteries. Though Dixie largely was relegated to spinoffs and sports titles over the next 18 years, she transcended back into the spotlight with Tropical Freeze. In this latest core title, she undertakes a homecoming journey back to DK Island and wrests control back from the Snowmad army that had evicted the Kongs in the first place.

Dixie represents a moveset-making departure for me personally, beyond her status as (f**king finally) my first set for a female character so far. As the guy who wrote [/COLOR][URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/make-your-move-3-0-its-over-its-done-moving-on.189523/page-55#post-5243253'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]five[/COLOR][/URL] [URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/make-your-move-6-nothing-gold-can-stay.240753/page-34#post-8427936'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]of[/COLOR][/URL] [URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/make-your-move-9-now-defunct.292871/page-6#post-11832934'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]MYM's[/COLOR][/URL] [URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/make-your-move-x-congratulations-winners-mymxi-start-date-october-10th.303173/page-11#post-12950722'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]current[/COLOR][/URL] [URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/make-your-move-11-its-over-duder.312410/#post-13499116'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]nine[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#FFB6C1] K. Rool sets and then headed a [/COLOR][URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/k-rools-kremling-kutthroats-pm-bkupa666-for-an-invite-to-the-new-k-rool-thread.324259/'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]six-year fan movement[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#FFB6C1] to bring the Kremling King back from the figurative dead, I spent my fair share of time back in the day downplaying her unique attributes and making the case as to why she ought to be a lesser priority. Though I'm glad I did what I could to help get K. Rool off of Nintendo's quality assurance trash heap — where he would have stayed had the company not been [/COLOR][URL='https://smashboards.com/threads/news-how-fans-brought-back-k-rool.457451/'][COLOR=#FFB6C1]blindsided by his ballot performance[/COLOR][/URL][COLOR=#FFB6C1] — in hindsight I regret not doing more to sing Dixie's praises in the process.

Dixie's prominence in one of Nintendo's oldest and best-selling series, not to mention status as one of very few starring female characters never to have played the damsel, renders her perhaps the most eminently qualified first-party newcomer yet to appear in Smash. Unfortunately, the series' thirst to grab headlines with gimmicky third-parties for the past two-plus years has left her seemingly destined to fall by the wayside once again. After all, how could Nintendo's paid brand ambassadors stage foaming-at-the-mouth reaction videos for a DLC newcomer Nintendo actually owns? [S]The answer: have them be very subtle uwu fanart fodder.[/S] There's the off-chance Nintendo could request Dixie's addition to advertise the EPD-developed Donkey Kong Switch title likely releasing later this year, but even that assumes she'll be featured in a prominent playable role, no guarantee after the backseat she took in multiple previous mainline console debuts for her series.

All that being said, though it's somewhat bittersweet, I'm excited to sit down now and (hopefully) convey one standout playstyle Dixie could offer, putting the character's best foot forward regardless of what future lies in store for her this year and beyond.[/COLOR]

[CENTER][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#FF69B4][B][SIZE=6]STATISTICS[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR][/FONT][/CENTER]

[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Jumps [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]9[/COLOR][/B] (comparable to Greninja)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Ground Movement [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]7 / 1.88 units[/COLOR][/B] (26th, between Pichu and Donkey Kong)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Size [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]3.5[/COLOR][/B][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Weight [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]2.5 / 84 units[/COLOR][/B] (63rd, between Zelda and Rosalina)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Aerial Movement [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]2 / 0.924 units[/COLOR][/B] (68th, tied with Link and Diddy Kong)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Fall Speed [B][COLOR=#FF69B4]n[/COLOR][COLOR=#FFD700]~~[/COLOR] [COLOR=#D2691E]1.5 / 1.27 units[/COLOR][/B] (72nd, between Yoshi and Game & Watch)[/COLOR]

[COLOR=#FFB6C1]Much like Diddy and K. Rool before her, Dixie's idle stance modernizes her classic DKC sprite animations in glorious HD, leaving her to blow a small gum bubble or sit down to sip a soft drink if left undisturbed. Size-wise, she's similar to her simian boyfriend, with the lower half of her ponytail not included as part of her hurtbox. Dixie is no slouch movement-wise on the ground, though her horizontal aerial control leaves a bit to be desired, at least in regular circumstances. For better or worse, Dixie has a relatively large gulf between her regular and fast fall speeds, descending airily down at first but able to commit to a fast landing if need be.

That's not to say Dixie doesn't take her air game sky-high in other respects. She supplements a solid initial jump with one of the best midair jumps in the game, just a hair (no pun intended) shorter than Yoshi's flutter kicking, as she twirls her ponytail like a rotor for added oomph. What's more, holding the jump input has Dixie continue rotating her hair, not actually hovering in the traditional sense but exerting a degree of control over her descent — an understated gameplay mechanic she gains in Tropical Freeze.

In essence, Dixie can slow her fall speed to be almost minimal for up to two seconds per aerial stint, whether all at once, split after both of her jumps or in multiple fall-stalling bursts after her midair jump. Though not amazing for side-to-side movement, Dixie gains significant leeway to carefully time landings, including to space attacks on- or offstage, dodge enemy attacks from below or snap to the ledge at just the right moment against would-be ledge-guarders.[/COLOR]

[CENTER][FONT=Arial][COLOR=#FF69B4][B][SIZE=6]SPECIALS[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR][/FONT][/CENTER]

[SIZE=5][COLOR=#FFD700][B]NEUTRAL SPECIAL - BANANA HOARD[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]