GENERAL INFO
It seems that some very interesting properties of this move were overlooked. The giant punch actually has more knockback when it is not fully charged. The 9 punch (I will call partially charged punches # punch from now on with # being the # of wind-ups) KO's roughly 20-30% earlier on average (dependent on weight and DI) and also deals the same damage as a fully charged one (I will call this steaming from now on). A 6 punch has almost the same knockback as a steaming punch although a 6 punch does 6 less damage. Another interesting thing about the giant punch is that an aerial one (DK being in the air) has the same damage and knockback as a grounded one with 2 less wind-ups worth of charge. A 9 punch in the air will deal damage and knockback equal to a 7 punch on the ground.
The giant punch in the air has less range in front of DK than a grounded one but it has much more range behind him than a grounded one. In fact in the air the giant punch has a bit more range behind DK than in front of him. A steaming punch also has a teeny bit more range than an uncharged punch. Another good thing to know is that the hitbox for the giant punch comes out behind DK first so it hits one frame sooner behind him. Just something to put it into perspective, a steaming punch comes out a hair slower than his dair and an uncharged punch comes out a hair slower than his fair. However if you are facing away so that you will hit them behind DK (which is a more powerful hit for uncharged punches), an uncharged punch hits at the same time as his fair and the steaming punch comes out at the same time as his dair.
After pressing b (for # punches), DK starts charging his punch and cannot do anything in the beginning (7 frame charge lag). Afterwards DK goes into "charge state" where he can either punch, cancel, or roll (only on ground). A steaming punch skips charge state obviously and has no charge lag. To punch as soon as possible you double tap b 7 frames apart and if you do it right you won't see any white sparkles. Double tapping b too fast is bad because nothing will happen (it will be the same as pressing it once). Canceling makes DK stop at the end of the current wind up. Each wind takes 12 frames to complete and canceling has an 8 frame lag so depending on how close the wind is to completion when you press shield to cancel, it takes 8 to 20 frames to cancel. If DK is hit during the 8 frames of cancel lag you do not lose the charge. Rolling happens immediately and you do not get any charge from the wind you were on unless you rolled just before the next wind (right before the woosh sound). To wavebounce a # punch, you have to do it during charge state. That this means is that instead of pressing b then left/right then b, you double tap b then press right/left. To punch in the other direction without altering momentum, holding the other direction slightly during charge state and pressing b does a turnaround punch (in the air you do not need to do it slightly). DK has no aerial DI (meaning as soon as you punch it is like you let go of the control stick) during all states of the punch.
SWEETSPOT INFO
Another plus to not fully charging is that it gets a sweetspot. On the ground it is his shoulder to his elbow when the punch is still behind him (very hard to pull off on most characters since they are too short and the from the forearm to his fist there is, oddly enough, no hitbox...). In the air it is DK's elbow to his fist when it is still behind him. If they are too close in the air the sweetspot whiffs but they will get hit with the regular punch since its hitbox extends behind DK (the flashy green trail effects). A sweetspotted 9 punch deals 31-32 damage (30 in training mode) and has more vertical knockback than luigi's up b. Bowser is the easiest character to hit with this because you can hit him with it just by facing away from him (it will look like DK backhands Bowser's jaw), but anyone can be hit with the grounded version if the opponent jumps/lands into DK's elbow or shoulder. A lot of characters can also be hit by the sweetspot if they walk/run into DK's shoulder. If you jump into someone about Mario's height or taller doing a reverse giant punch so that you start the punch when you land into them, you will hit them with the sweetspot.
KO INFO
Below are some KO numbers without DI but with the character double jumping towards the stage done in group brawl on FD (9 punch/steaming). Note that being further away from the KO zone, being heavier, and the opponent using optimal DI makes the KO% difference bigger. Being closer, lighter, or the opponent DIing badly (like downwards) makes the KO% gap smaller. All numbers are rounded up since the game does not show fractional percentages and you cannot rely on it being say 55.3% for MK when it shows 55%. Credit to Nokonoko for arranging my data into a great looking and neat chart which is arranged from lowest KO% to highest KO%.
To get a general idea of how much longer they live with DI (without actually doing much grunt work hehe) I tested to see just how strong each were numerically in mph using the end game stats. The numbers you will see are Mario's numbers. The initial knockback is more or less constant for each character (MrSilver's weight guide has this in more detail and how to compensate for this) but the power growth is divided by the character's relative weight to Mario. When you add initial with power growth times the damage percentage (after hit) you get the knockback done. Both punches do ~ 29.4 damage when fresh. Depending on how floaty each character is, DI becomes more or less effective at preventing KO's. Floatier chars cannot aim as high without being star KO'ed at the same knockback values so it becomes less effective (gravity counteracts vertical launches). At 7000-7650 mph is the death zone from the middle of FD with DI and pulling out all the stops to survive. Jiggs would be 7000 and D3 would be 7650. The floatier the character is, the less knockback needed for KO's with DI from the middle of FD.
Steaming- Initial knockback is 786mph. Power growth is 57.21333333 per %. Deals 7600mph when you punch Mario at 90%.
9 Punch- Initial knockback is 1063mph and c= 103. Power growth is 71.51666667 per %. Deals 7600mph when you punch Mario at 62%.
Basically the equation is [(desired knockback - initial knockback- cx)/(power growth/relative weight to Mario) - damage done by punch]= % needed. For Mario the numbers you plug in for a 9 punch would be (7600-1063- 0)/(71.51666667/1)-29.4] and you would get 62%. This formula is extremely accurate for the 9 punch only. Better formula for steaming punch coming later. Below are MrSilver's relative weight values for each character and the x coefficient.
Bowser 1.111 x= .91
Donkey Kong 1.091 x= .20
Snake 1.076 x= .16
Dedede 1.071 x= .29
Charizard 1.061 x= .33
Ganondorf 1.056 x= .91
Samus 1.051 x= -.54
Yoshi 1.045 x= -.05
Wario 1.045 x= .30
R.O.B. 1.040 x= -.32
Ike 1.035 x= .28
Captain Falcon 1.030 x= .92
Link 1.030 x= .46
Wolf 1.020 x= 1.84
Lucario 1.010 x= -.40
Ivysaur 1.010 x= -.16
Mario 1 x= 0
Luigi 0.995 x= -.32
Sonic 0.985 x= .33
Ness 0.980 x= -.12
Pit 0.980 x= 0
Lucas 0.980 x= .49
Diddy Kong 0.975 x= .55
Toon Link 0.970 x= -.16
Ice Climber 0.970 x= .07
Peach 0.960 x= -.37
Marth 0.944 x= -.25
Sheik 0.935 x= 2.21
Zelda 0.935 x= -.26
Falco 0.919 x= 1.23
Olimar 0.919 x= -.47
Zero Suit Samus 0.914 x= .44
Fox 0.910 x= 3.41
Pikachu 0.904 x= .40
Meta Knight 0.904 x= .68
Kirby 0.899 x= -.44
Squirtle 0.884 x= 1.05
Mr. Game & Watch 0.884 x=.01
Jigglypuff 0.849 x= -.78
FRAME DATA
I did some frame tests to see when the super armor is on the steaming punch and to see the difference between a steaming punch and a 9 punch. The steaming punch attacks behind DK on frame 18, in front of DK on frames 19-22, has super armor from frames 17-20, and is finished frame 45 (meaning you can block as soon as frame 46). A 9 punch attacks as soon as (if you double-tap perfectly) frame 25 behind DK, on frames 26-29 in front of DK, and ends on frame 59. Hitlag for both the 9 punch and steaming punch is 14 frames which means that punching an obstacle makes the attacking hitbox last 14 frames longer (good for spotdodgers and bad for whiffing). If blocked a steaming punch has a -17 frame advantage while a 9 punch has a -24 frame advantage (not including shield drop for both). Keep in mind though that the recoil from the punch (DK is pushed backwards) and pushback to the blocker mean most characters cannot punish it on block even when they are in your face and it takes 7 extra frames after shieldhitstun to drop their shield. So basically it takes 7 extra frames to start and finish # punches (14 total) and the super armor does not last for the whole punch.
It seems that some very interesting properties of this move were overlooked. The giant punch actually has more knockback when it is not fully charged. The 9 punch (I will call partially charged punches # punch from now on with # being the # of wind-ups) KO's roughly 20-30% earlier on average (dependent on weight and DI) and also deals the same damage as a fully charged one (I will call this steaming from now on). A 6 punch has almost the same knockback as a steaming punch although a 6 punch does 6 less damage. Another interesting thing about the giant punch is that an aerial one (DK being in the air) has the same damage and knockback as a grounded one with 2 less wind-ups worth of charge. A 9 punch in the air will deal damage and knockback equal to a 7 punch on the ground.
The giant punch in the air has less range in front of DK than a grounded one but it has much more range behind him than a grounded one. In fact in the air the giant punch has a bit more range behind DK than in front of him. A steaming punch also has a teeny bit more range than an uncharged punch. Another good thing to know is that the hitbox for the giant punch comes out behind DK first so it hits one frame sooner behind him. Just something to put it into perspective, a steaming punch comes out a hair slower than his dair and an uncharged punch comes out a hair slower than his fair. However if you are facing away so that you will hit them behind DK (which is a more powerful hit for uncharged punches), an uncharged punch hits at the same time as his fair and the steaming punch comes out at the same time as his dair.
After pressing b (for # punches), DK starts charging his punch and cannot do anything in the beginning (7 frame charge lag). Afterwards DK goes into "charge state" where he can either punch, cancel, or roll (only on ground). A steaming punch skips charge state obviously and has no charge lag. To punch as soon as possible you double tap b 7 frames apart and if you do it right you won't see any white sparkles. Double tapping b too fast is bad because nothing will happen (it will be the same as pressing it once). Canceling makes DK stop at the end of the current wind up. Each wind takes 12 frames to complete and canceling has an 8 frame lag so depending on how close the wind is to completion when you press shield to cancel, it takes 8 to 20 frames to cancel. If DK is hit during the 8 frames of cancel lag you do not lose the charge. Rolling happens immediately and you do not get any charge from the wind you were on unless you rolled just before the next wind (right before the woosh sound). To wavebounce a # punch, you have to do it during charge state. That this means is that instead of pressing b then left/right then b, you double tap b then press right/left. To punch in the other direction without altering momentum, holding the other direction slightly during charge state and pressing b does a turnaround punch (in the air you do not need to do it slightly). DK has no aerial DI (meaning as soon as you punch it is like you let go of the control stick) during all states of the punch.
SWEETSPOT INFO
Another plus to not fully charging is that it gets a sweetspot. On the ground it is his shoulder to his elbow when the punch is still behind him (very hard to pull off on most characters since they are too short and the from the forearm to his fist there is, oddly enough, no hitbox...). In the air it is DK's elbow to his fist when it is still behind him. If they are too close in the air the sweetspot whiffs but they will get hit with the regular punch since its hitbox extends behind DK (the flashy green trail effects). A sweetspotted 9 punch deals 31-32 damage (30 in training mode) and has more vertical knockback than luigi's up b. Bowser is the easiest character to hit with this because you can hit him with it just by facing away from him (it will look like DK backhands Bowser's jaw), but anyone can be hit with the grounded version if the opponent jumps/lands into DK's elbow or shoulder. A lot of characters can also be hit by the sweetspot if they walk/run into DK's shoulder. If you jump into someone about Mario's height or taller doing a reverse giant punch so that you start the punch when you land into them, you will hit them with the sweetspot.
KO INFO
Below are some KO numbers without DI but with the character double jumping towards the stage done in group brawl on FD (9 punch/steaming). Note that being further away from the KO zone, being heavier, and the opponent using optimal DI makes the KO% difference bigger. Being closer, lighter, or the opponent DIing badly (like downwards) makes the KO% gap smaller. All numbers are rounded up since the game does not show fractional percentages and you cannot rely on it being say 55.3% for MK when it shows 55%. Credit to Nokonoko for arranging my data into a great looking and neat chart which is arranged from lowest KO% to highest KO%.
To get a general idea of how much longer they live with DI (without actually doing much grunt work hehe) I tested to see just how strong each were numerically in mph using the end game stats. The numbers you will see are Mario's numbers. The initial knockback is more or less constant for each character (MrSilver's weight guide has this in more detail and how to compensate for this) but the power growth is divided by the character's relative weight to Mario. When you add initial with power growth times the damage percentage (after hit) you get the knockback done. Both punches do ~ 29.4 damage when fresh. Depending on how floaty each character is, DI becomes more or less effective at preventing KO's. Floatier chars cannot aim as high without being star KO'ed at the same knockback values so it becomes less effective (gravity counteracts vertical launches). At 7000-7650 mph is the death zone from the middle of FD with DI and pulling out all the stops to survive. Jiggs would be 7000 and D3 would be 7650. The floatier the character is, the less knockback needed for KO's with DI from the middle of FD.
Steaming- Initial knockback is 786mph. Power growth is 57.21333333 per %. Deals 7600mph when you punch Mario at 90%.
9 Punch- Initial knockback is 1063mph and c= 103. Power growth is 71.51666667 per %. Deals 7600mph when you punch Mario at 62%.
Basically the equation is [(desired knockback - initial knockback- cx)/(power growth/relative weight to Mario) - damage done by punch]= % needed. For Mario the numbers you plug in for a 9 punch would be (7600-1063- 0)/(71.51666667/1)-29.4] and you would get 62%. This formula is extremely accurate for the 9 punch only. Better formula for steaming punch coming later. Below are MrSilver's relative weight values for each character and the x coefficient.
Bowser 1.111 x= .91
Donkey Kong 1.091 x= .20
Snake 1.076 x= .16
Dedede 1.071 x= .29
Charizard 1.061 x= .33
Ganondorf 1.056 x= .91
Samus 1.051 x= -.54
Yoshi 1.045 x= -.05
Wario 1.045 x= .30
R.O.B. 1.040 x= -.32
Ike 1.035 x= .28
Captain Falcon 1.030 x= .92
Link 1.030 x= .46
Wolf 1.020 x= 1.84
Lucario 1.010 x= -.40
Ivysaur 1.010 x= -.16
Mario 1 x= 0
Luigi 0.995 x= -.32
Sonic 0.985 x= .33
Ness 0.980 x= -.12
Pit 0.980 x= 0
Lucas 0.980 x= .49
Diddy Kong 0.975 x= .55
Toon Link 0.970 x= -.16
Ice Climber 0.970 x= .07
Peach 0.960 x= -.37
Marth 0.944 x= -.25
Sheik 0.935 x= 2.21
Zelda 0.935 x= -.26
Falco 0.919 x= 1.23
Olimar 0.919 x= -.47
Zero Suit Samus 0.914 x= .44
Fox 0.910 x= 3.41
Pikachu 0.904 x= .40
Meta Knight 0.904 x= .68
Kirby 0.899 x= -.44
Squirtle 0.884 x= 1.05
Mr. Game & Watch 0.884 x=.01
Jigglypuff 0.849 x= -.78
FRAME DATA
I did some frame tests to see when the super armor is on the steaming punch and to see the difference between a steaming punch and a 9 punch. The steaming punch attacks behind DK on frame 18, in front of DK on frames 19-22, has super armor from frames 17-20, and is finished frame 45 (meaning you can block as soon as frame 46). A 9 punch attacks as soon as (if you double-tap perfectly) frame 25 behind DK, on frames 26-29 in front of DK, and ends on frame 59. Hitlag for both the 9 punch and steaming punch is 14 frames which means that punching an obstacle makes the attacking hitbox last 14 frames longer (good for spotdodgers and bad for whiffing). If blocked a steaming punch has a -17 frame advantage while a 9 punch has a -24 frame advantage (not including shield drop for both). Keep in mind though that the recoil from the punch (DK is pushed backwards) and pushback to the blocker mean most characters cannot punish it on block even when they are in your face and it takes 7 extra frames after shieldhitstun to drop their shield. So basically it takes 7 extra frames to start and finish # punches (14 total) and the super armor does not last for the whole punch.
