ChatGPT Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Ken becomes terrifying once he reaches point-blank range, but Banjo & Kazooie can interrupt that walk-in much earlier with egg timing and grenade placement.
What matters here is not simply landing a projectile. It is planting grenade where Focus and dash-ins want to start, then covering the jump-out with Bair or grab so Ken never gets a clean entry.
The table shows that Jab 2, Jab 3, Jab (1), Forward Tilt (1), Forward Tilt (3), and Up Tilt (2) all leave room for Grab, OOS Bair, OOS Nair, and OOS Uair, which means even defensive holds at close range can still shove Ken back out.
Stocks come more reliably from ledge grenade pressure and anti-jump coverage than from gambling on a raw Shoryuken read in the middle of the stage.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Banjo & Kazooie OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -10 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 8 | -21 |
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| Jab (1) | 7 | -19 |
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| Jab (2) | 9/16 | -10/-6 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 3 | -20 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -8 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 10 | -18/-14 |
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| Up Tilt (1) | 3 | -8 |
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| Up Tilt (2) | 7 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 2 | -9 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 6 | -15 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -22 |
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| Forward Smash | 13 | -24/-21 |
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| Up Smash | 9 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 5 | -25 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -2/-2, -1/-2 |
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| Forward Air | 8 | -7/-6, -7/-6 |
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| Back Air | 8 | -4/-5 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -8 |
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| Down Air | 8 | -10 |
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| Neutral B | 13 | -35/-34 |
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| Side B (1) | 8/13—38 | -25 to -30 |
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| Side B (2) | 8/13/18/23/28/33/38 | -36 |
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| Up B (1) | 6 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | 5/6/9 | ** | ||
| Down B | 12 (+21), 12(+31), 12(+59) | -32, -33, unblockable |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Change your grenade placement often so Focus cannot absorb the same lane for free every time.
- After stopping Jab 2, Jab 3, Jab (1), Forward Tilt (1), Forward Tilt (3), or Up Tilt (2), keep pushing toward the corner instead of retreating to reset.
- On Jab (2), Forward Tilt (2), and Up Tilt (1), wait for the landing point or dash restart instead of mashing where Ken expects it.
- Keep Wonderwing for a guaranteed burst or a clean kill confirm, not as a lazy way to bulldoze through neutral.
Actions to Avoid
- Showing egg pressure and then jumping at the same height, which hands Ken the anti-air Shoryuken he wanted.
- Holding grenade too long at point blank and dragging yourself into the jab string.
- Trying to crack Focus with a single obvious hit and eating the full reversal afterward.
- Respecting the ledge jump so much that you give Ken the whole center stage back.