Piston Hondo
Quick Tips
- The left-dodge is the only move that can evade both of Hondo's attacks (excluding the Hondo Rush).
- Star Punch Hondo anytime during his bow for an instant knockdown!
- When it comes to the Hondo Rush (his three-strike move), counter it for a one-punch-knockout instead of dodging all three strikes. Check our "One-Punch-Knockout" section for more. If you're having trouble with the timing, block each punch instead (remember to press "Up" again after each successful block to continue blocking!)
Walkthrough
Piston Hondo's a nice relief after the difficult King Hippo. Though he has one particularly nasty move, the rest are easy to dodge…plus he has some glaring weaknesses. Let's get started!
Okay, so Hondo has three main moves, in addition to the "Hondo Rush," which we'll touch on shortly. All three can be evaded with a left-dodge, so make that your primary defense mechanism. His first move is a jab, which is preceded by an eyebrow raise. If you have good timing, counter this with a jab the moment he flashes red (after raising his eyebrow) for an easy star. If you're having trouble countering, use a left-dodge instead sometime during his eyebrow twitch. His second move is a wind-up hook from the left--evade with a left-dodge (just after his wind-up) then immediately counter with a series of punches! His third move looks very similar to the second, except it's a bit higher and has no wind-up, so you'll want to dodge it sooner.
Periodically, Hondo will bow during battle, leaving him open to attack, which will yield a star if you strike him when he flashes gold (just as he completes his bow). However, if you already have a star, perform a Star Punch anytime during his bow for an instant KO. Note that Hondo will always bow early in the fight--specifically his fourth move. You have two chances to earn a star before then, so obtain one and nail him with it during his bow for an early KO!
Now Hondo's third move is also the trickiest: The Hondo Rush. You know it's coming when Hondo backs up and dances around briefly before stepping forward with a three-punch combo--it's brutal. For those with good timing, strike him just as he steps forward (right before he flashes red) for a One-Punch-Knockout! However, if that's giving you trouble, try blocking (and not dodging!) the trio of punches instead--just remember to re-block after each successful block, otherwise you'll be left open to attack!
- Health Boost!After knocking an opponent down, shake the Wiimote and Nunchuck or hammer on the 1+2 buttons simultaneously (depends on control scheme) as fast as you can to slowly regain energy before they get back up!
- Recover Health Before Rounds 2 or 3:Between rounds, when Doc gives you advice, press the - (minus) button to have Doc eat a candy bar, which will refill most of your life before the next round. You can only do this once per match, so save it for when you're low on energy.
- Extra Life! If you're in the process of being TKO'd (the animation just before Little Mac falls to the ground), immediately shake the Wiimote and Nunchuck or hammer on the 1+2 buttons (depending on control scheme) to have a chance at coming back one last time with a slight bit of health.
Star Opportunities
- Jab Hondo just after he twitches his "eyebrow" (just after the sound stops)--when he flashes red.
- Piston will sometimes take a moment to pay you respect with a Bow--punch him just as he completes the initial bow (when he flashes gold).
One-Punch-Knockdown
- Star Punch Hondo anytime during his bow for an instant knockdown!
- When Piston backs up and dances around in preparation of his the "Hondo Rush" (his three-strike move), punch him the moment he starts stepping forward to attack (before he flashes red).
Challenges
Defeat Piston Hondo and land EVERY punch thrown!
Don't miss a punch! As long as you follow our walkthrough above, this shouldn't give you any trouble. You can expedite things by making heavy use of the "One-Punch-Knockouts" to reduce the amount of punches you throw, thereby reducing the amount of chances to mess up.
Find both one-punch-knockdown weak spots
Check our "One-Punch-Knockdown" list just above and perform both within a match to finish this challenge.
Win the fight with 34 or more remaining Hearts!
Try to avoid taking too much damage or having your punches blocked. As long as you follow our walkthrough above, you should be good to go.
