Super Smash Bros. 4

Kirby (SSB4): Difference between revisions

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{{disambig2|Kirby's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''|the character in other contexts|Kirby}}
{{disambig2|Kirby's appearance in ''Super Smash Bros. 4''|the character in other contexts|Kirby}}
{{Infobox Character
{{Infobox Character
|name         = Kirby
|name = Kirby
|image       = [[Image:Kirby SSB4.png|250px|Kirby]]
|image = [[File:Kirby SSB4.png|250px]]
|game         = SSB4
|game = SSB4
|ssbgame1     = SSB
|ssbgame1 = SSB
|ssbgame2     = SSBM
|ssbgame2 = SSBM
|ssbgame3     = SSBB
|ssbgame3 = SSBB
|ssbgame4 = SSBU
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]]
|availability = [[Starter character|Starter]]
|tier = F
|ranking = 49
}}
}}
'''Kirby''' ({{ja|カービィ|Kābī}}, ''Kirby'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. In this game, Kirby has a brighter appearance, and his skin appears to have much more diffuse shading, with reduced difference in brightness between the lit and shadowed sides of his body.
'''Kirby''' ({{ja|カービィ|Kābī}}, ''Kirby'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. He was confirmed during the [[Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3]] [[Nintendo Direct]] on June 11th, 2013.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13D1I5s236o Nintendo Direct@E3 2013]</ref> Makiko Ōmoto returns as his voice actor with new voice clips, sounding more akin to his appearances from ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Return to Dream Land}}'' onward.


Kirby is again voiced by Makiko Ōmoto, whose new voice recordings give Kirby a much higher-pitched voice.
Kirby is ranked 49th out of 54 on the [[tier list]], thus going into the F tier. This is a significant drop from his placement in ''[[Brawl]]'', where he was ranked 20th out of 38 characters. Among his strengths are fast attacks for naturally-flowing [[combo]]s, including up tilt, forward throw, and down aerial – the latter of which is also a great KO set-up attack – and good [[edgeguard]]ing ability thanks to his versatile forward aerial and powerful back aerial. Kirby's multitude of [[jump]]s allow him to [[recovery|recover]] from long distances and mix up his landings. His small size also makes him difficult to hit, especially while [[crouch]]ing, and he can flexibly and efficiently [[KO]] opponents with his powerful [[smash attacks]] and back aerial.


==Changes from ''Brawl''==
However, this comes at the cost of poor endurance. Kirby is one of the [[weight|lightest]] and [[falling speed|floatiest]] characters in the game, and his recovery, despite its distance, is linear and predictable. Kirby's mobility and [[approach]] are very poor, as he is slow, floaty, and lacks an effective [[projectile]]. He also has poor [[reach]] in most of his attacks due to his small size and short limbs.
Kirby has recieved both [[buff]]s and [[nerf]]s in his transition from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4''; overall his attacks are faster and stronger, but have shorter range, deal less damage, and have lost much of their combo ability.
 
==Attributes==
Kirby is a small, short light[[weight]], tied for the fifth-lightest character in the game. Aside from his average [[dash]]ing speed, his mobility is poor: he [[walk]]s slowly and has low [[traction]], while having the fourth-slowest [[air speed]] and [[falling speed]], and the third-lowest [[gravity]], but high [[air acceleration]], being the 15th highest. His [[jump]]s are very low on their own, but he boasts six of them – tied with {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}} and {{SSB4|Meta Knight}} for the most jumps in the game.
 
Kirby is a simple character suitable for beginners, and this can be observed in the versatility of his moveset. Many of his attacks are characterized by speed and combo ability, with some outliers trading those strengths for raw power. His [[jab]] and [[forward tilt]] are both fast and effective close-quarter attacks, while [[up tilt]] is a highly versatile attack which [[combo]]s into itself cleanly. Down tilt is weak, but its speed and [[Sakurai angle]] allow it to [[trip]] opponents consistently. His [[smash attack]]s are notably strong without being particularly slow, making them excellent finishing moves.
 
Kirby's grab game is similarly effective, as he boasts a fast [[grab]], an effective [[pummel]], and a set of useful [[throw]]s. His [[forward throw]] can cleanly fit into any part of a combo and enables Kirby to set up long and highly [[damage|damaging]] follow-ups, even a [[down aerial]] into a regrab. [[Back throw]] can KO on the ledge at high [[percentage]]s, and [[up throw]] can KO even earlier off the top (especially if he lands on a [[platform]] with it. Lastly, [[down throw]], while not especially useful overall, can rack up damage when no other throw can yield better results.
 
Complementing his six jumps, Kirby has effective [[aerial attack]]s as well. [[Neutral aerial]]'s long duration and short [[landing lag]] allow him to protect himself when landing, while [[forward aerial]] is an excellent all-around attack for combos, [[edgeguarding]], and KOing at high percentages. His [[back aerial]] takes that principle even further, being his fastest and strongest aerial. [[Up aerial]] is a standard attack for juggling and low-damage combos, allowing for many potential followups. Finally, his [[down aerial]], while slow, is a multi-hitting [[spike]] with low landing lag and generally little risk, making it a great tool for both edgeguarding and setups on grounded opponents.
 
Kirby's special moveset has some interesting options. {{B|Inhale|Kirby}} allows him to either copy the [[neutral special]] of any character he Inhales, or spit them out as a weight-dependent [[projectile]]. The latter can be used to [[Kirbycide]] or put the opponent below the stage, almost eliminating their chances of recovering. Depending on what character he copies, the gained neutral special has the potential to greatly improve his kit – whether from an effective projectile like {{SSB4|Falco}}'s [[Blaster]] or {{SSB4|Luigi}}'s [[Fireball]], or a massively beneficial and versatile technique like [[Monado Arts]].
 
[[Hammer (move)|Hammer Flip]] is very powerful, especially when fully charged. Its slow speed, however, makes it very difficult to use outside of [[edge-guarding]] or after a [[shield break]]. [[Final Cutter]] is Kirby's [[recovery]] move and is decent at that, granting good vertical distance and decent horizontal distance, as well as decent protection during his ascent and descent. It also emits a shockwave upon landing, making it difficult to [[punish]] if not at point-blank range. Lastly, [[Stone]] causes Kirby to plummet straight down and ignore damage by any move that deals less than 30%. It is also very strong and can be canceled at any time, making it useful for playing [[mindgames]].
 
However, Kirby has noticeable flaws. His most prominent weakness is his endurance. Being light and floaty, Kirby cannot endure strong hits at high percents. He is also very vulnerable to [[juggling]], due to his aforementioned slow falling and air speeds. [[Rage]] further compounds these issues, as Kirby will be launched even earlier, while he will typically not endure long enough in order to take advantage of it.
 
Kirby's poor mobility not only makes it significantly difficult for him to [[approach]] and pressure opponents, but also makes him susceptible to fast characters like {{SSB4|Sonic}}, or those with [[disjointed hitbox]]es like {{SSB4|Marth}} and {{SSB4|Cloud}}. In addition, his very long-distanced recovery is very slow, making aggressive edge-guarding and [[gimp]]-oriented moves, such as [[F.L.U.D.D.]] or meteor smashes, detrimental to him. Kirby's range is also mediocre at best, and his strongest moves happen to be his slowest, making it difficult for him to KO opponents outside of edge-guarding or without a set-up.
 
Overall, Kirby tends to run hot and cold, similarly to {{SSB4|Luigi}}. He can inflict an impressive amount of damage if he gets close to his opponent thanks to his potent combo game, but doing so is difficult for him due to his poor mobility. As such, Kirby functions well with a bait and punish playstyle, although being unprepared for an opponent's approach can be hazardous due to his unimpressive survivability. Kirby has achieved average tournament representation and some degree of success: {{Sm|Poyo}}, {{Sm|Triple R}} and {{Sm|Prince Kirby}} have each won numerous local tournaments and continue to place very well at them in singles and [[doubles]] play, while {{Sm|MikeKirby}} and {{Sm|K.I.D.Goggles}} have collectively achieved a handful of notable results at regional and national tournaments.
 
==Changes from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''==
Kirby has received some rather significant nerfs in the transition from ''Brawl'' to ''SSB4''. Most of his issues in ''Brawl'' were not only retained but worsened and he also suffers from new weaknesses. Kirby's already mediocre range has been reduced further, with his feet becoming smaller and several general nerfs to hitbox sizes. This makes it even easier for opponents to wall out Kirby especially with the cast having greater range overall. Kirby's air mobility as also taken a hit as his [[air acceleration]] is lower, and unlike most returning veterans, his [[air speed]] has been decreased, which hindering both his recovery and ability to escape aerial pressure. As with his transition from each new Smash game as well as with most of the returning veterans, Kirby's damage output has been decreased. Some of Kirby's moves have also seen changes which greatly hinder their utility, with forward aerial having more ending lag and no longer autocanceling in a short hop due to a combination of its autocancel window being unchanged and Kirby's higher gravity and lower jumps, and dash attack and connecting less reliably due to its much shorter range, but the attacks that were affected the most were down throw and aerial [[Hammer Flip]], losing most of their previous utility:  the former has lost all of its followup potential due to its more unfavorable angle and increased knockback, while the latter has much more startup lag and has lost its recovery and edgeguarding potential, as to it's no longer being a semispike and now stalls Kirby's horizontal momentum instead of his vertical momentum.
 
''Smash 4''{{'}}s adjusted mechanics have both helped and hindered Kirby. The changes to [[hitstun canceling]] overall help Kirby, strengthening his ability to combo opponents. It does, however, make Kirby slightly easier to combo himself, especially due to his increased [[weight]], [[fall speed]] and [[gravity]]. Without the ability to [[momentum cancel]], Kirby's already poor endurance has been further reduced, although he had poor momentum canceling in ''Brawl'', and his higher weight somewhat compensates for it. The inclusion of [[rage]] further exacerbates this issue, and while it improves Kirby's own KO potential, his poor endurance combined with his lack of a ladder combo or early kill confirm prevents him from making great use of the mechanic. The changes to aerial [[grab release]]s, however, now make him much less vulnerable to those kinds of followups.
 
Kirby has seen some buffs, however. His considerably faster [[dash]]ing speed improves his approach, while some less reliable moves like Inhale and down aerial have been given new utility, with the former being faster and the latter connecting better due to using the autolink angle and its landing hit has less knockback and launches higher, making it better for combos, and forward and back throw are also more useful for combos due to the former's new angle and reduced ending lag, and the latter also has received KO potential thanks to its altered knockback, increasing its versatility overall. Other attacks, namely his up smash, down smash, back aerial, back throw and up throw, were given more KO power – and this can be better taken advantage of in the new environment of ''Smash 4'', in the absence of momentum cancelling and the presence of rage. His Hammer Flip now can be charged, has more range, no longer has sourspots and Kirby can move and jump while charging the attack.
 
Overall, while Kirby still retains most of the strengths he had in ''Brawl'' including his solid combo ability and KO potential for his character archetype, his weaknesses were amplified and he gained new weaknesses most notably, his reduced range and aerial mobility. While the changes to the game's mechanics benefit him overall, they do not aid him as much as some of the other returning veterans. As a result, Kirby fares overall worse than in ''Brawl''.
 
===Aesthetics===
*{{change|Due to the aesthetic used in ''SSB4'', Kirby's overall color scheme is more vibrant. His feet are also slightly smaller, and his skin appears to have significantly more diffused shading, with decreased difference in brightness between the lit and shaded sides of his body. Altogether, these changes make Kirby appear significantly more in line with his appearance as of ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Return to Dream Land}}''.}}
**{{change|Kirby's mouth is now, by default, a texture rather than a modeled part of his body.}}
*{{change|Kirby has received two new [[alternate costume]]s, one of which is based on an unmasked {{s|wikirby|Meta Knight}}.}}
*{{change|Kirby is significantly more expressive. He now sports a stern look when performing a number of moves, similarly to how he does in ''Return to Dream Land'', ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards}}'', and ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Triple Deluxe}}''. His facial expressions when being attacked are also more exaggerated, such as his [[screen KO]]s depicting him as {{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}}having teary eyes; his mouth closed; and the right side of his face pressed against the screen, or {{GameIcon|ssb4-u}}having wincing eyes; his mouth open; and his whole face pressed against the screen. Both of Kirby's screen KO expressions are based on his expression when an attack slams him against the screen in ''Triple Deluxe''.}}
*{{change|Kirby's face now faces the screen, regardless of whether he is facing left or right.}}
*{{change|Due to removal of the sound effects and [[crowd| cheers]] from the [[Sound Test]], Kirby's Sound Test section has now been re-merged into one section, with the voice clips used for the [[copy ability|copy abilities]] listed after his regular voice clips.}}


===Attributes===
===Attributes===
*{{change|Kirby is slightly lighter than in ''Brawl''.}}
*{{change|Kirby is smaller. This makes his hurtbox slightly smaller, but hinders his range.}}
*{{buff|Kirby is slightly smaller, which makes his hurtbox slighty smaller.}}
*{{buff|Due to the general change in size between small and large characters, Kirby's smaller size significantly improves his [[crouch]]'s defensive potential.}}
*{{nerf|His feet have become smaller. As a result, most moves involving his feet have had their reach reduced.}}
*{{nerf|However, Kirby's feet are smaller with many of his hitboxes being much smaller in order to match the new length of his feet. This significantly hinders his range.}}
*{{buff|Kirby [[walk]]s and [[dash]]es faster.}}
*{{nerf|Kirby [[walk]]s slightly slower (0.95 → 0.93).}}
*{{nerf|Kirby's air speed is slightly slower.}}
*{{buff|Kirby [[dash]]es significantly faster (1.371 → 1.57), especially compared to the cast, going from the 29th fastest out of 39 characters to the 31st fastest out of 58.}}
*{{buff|Kirby's [[weight]] was slightly increased (78 → 79). This slightly improves his endurance.}}
*{{nerf|Kirby's [[air speed]] is slower (0.85 → 0.8), going from the 11th worst out of 39 characters to the 4th worst out of 58.}}
*{{nerf|Kirby's [[air acceleration]] was decreased (0.11 → 0.095), going from the fifth highest in ''Brawl'' to being the 15th highest in ''SSB4''.}}
*{{change|Kirby's [[falling speed]] was slightly increased (1.2 → 1.23). This slightly improves Kirby's vertical endurance, but makes him slightly more susceptible to combos.}}
*{{buff|Kirby's [[fast falling]] speed was increased (1.9 → 1.968), although it is much lower relative to the rest of the cast, going from the 22nd fastest out of 39 characters to the 4th slowest out of 58.}}
*{{change|Kirby's [[gravity]] is higher (0.061 → 0.06405). This improves his aerial mobility, and somewhat alleviates the drawbacks of his [[Falling speed#Floaty|floatiness]] however, it slightly hinders his endurance and makes him more susceptible to combos as well as reducing the height of his jumps.}}
**{{nerf|As a consequence, [[double jump]]s are lower.}}
**{{change|This also reduces the duration of his short hop (SH air time: 39 frames).}}
*{{buff|[[Roll]]s have decreased ending lag (FAF 32 → 31).}}
*{{nerf|Rolls have decreased [[intangibility]] frames (frames 4-19 → 4-17).}}
*{{nerf|[[Spot dodge]] has decreased intangibility frames (frames 2-20 → 2-17) and has increased ending lag (FAF 26 → 27).}}
*{{buff|[[Air dodge]] has decreased start-up (frame 4 → 3) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 33).}}
*{{nerf|Air dodge's duration is shorter (frames 4-29 → 3-27).}}
*{{buff|Soft landing is faster (3 frames → 2).}}


===Ground attacks===
===Ground attacks===
*{{buff|Neutral infinite now transitions into a Smash Punch finisher. It also gives him a new projectile that is useful for edgeguarding.}}
*{{buff|The weakening of [[SDI]] makes rapid jab and dash attack significantly more difficult to escape from.}}
*{{nerf|Up tilt deals less damage.}}
*[[Neutral attack]]:
*{{buff|Down tilt has been sped up.}}
**{{change|The first hit's angle has been altered ([[Sakurai angle|361°]] → 55°). This allows it to connect better with the second hit, but removes its ability to [[lock]].}}
*{{nerf|Dash attack deals less damage.}}
**{{nerf|The first and second hits have smaller hitboxes (3.3u → 3u).}}
*{{buff|Forward smash comes out faster.}}
**{{nerf|The second hit has higher base knockback (8 → 15). This hinders its ability to lead into the rapid jab.}}
*{{nerf|Forward smash goes a shorter distance forward and has slightly weaker knockback.}}
**{{nerf|Neutral infinite now deals consistent damage (2% (near)/1% (far) → 1%).}}
*{{buff|Up smash is faster and deals more knockback, increasing its utility.}}
**{{buff|Rapid jab now has a finisher in the form of the Smash Punch from the {{s|wikirby|Fighter}} ability. This greatly improves its safety if it connects.}}
*{{change|Down smash now hits upwards on all hitboxes, instead of having semi-spike hitboxes at the toes.}}
*[[Forward tilt]]:
**{{nerf|Forward tilt has smaller hitboxes (5.1u/5.4u/4u → 3.1u/3.3u/3u).}}
*[[Up tilt]]:
**{{change|Up tilt deals less damage (7% (clean)/5% (late) → 5%/4%), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (102 (both) → 116 (clean)/110 (late)). This improves its combo potential, but hinders its damage racking and KO potential.}}
**{{change|Clean up tilt's angle has been altered (92° → 100°).}}
**{{nerf|It has a shorter duration and less intangibility (frames 4-10 → 4-9).}}
**{{nerf|It has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u (clean)/4.5u/5u (late) → 4u/4u (both)).}}
*[[Down tilt]]:
**{{buff|Down tilt no longer has a sourspot, causing it to deal consistent damage (5%/6% → 6%).}}
**{{nerf|It has smaller hitboxes and two of the previous hitboxes were removed due to Kirby's shorter feet (4.5u/4u/3.5u/3u → 3.7u/3.7u).}}
*[[Dash attack]]:
**{{nerf|Dash attack's looping hits deal less damage (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output (14% → 9%).}}
**{{nerf|Its last hit uses a single small hitbox instead three larger hitboxes(5u/5u/8u → 3u), connecting less reliably from the looping hits and significantly reducing its range.}}
**{{nerf|It has increased ending lag (FAF 50 → 54).}}
**{{buff|The last hit has higher base knockback (90 → 100) and no longer has a sourspot with set knockback.}}
**{{change|The last hit's [[hitlag]] has increased (1× → 2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}
*[[Forward smash]]:
**{{nerf|Forward smash has increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 12-16 → 13-15 (clean), frames 17-21 → 16-19 (late)).}}
**{{nerf|It has smaller hitboxes (6u/5.5u/(5u/4.5u) (clean/late) → 4.2u (clean)/3.5u (late)).}}
**{{nerf|The late hit deals less damage (13% → 12%/11%/10%), although its knockback was somewhat compensated (25 (base), 96/94 (scaling) → 90/69).}}
**{{buff|It is now interruptible, giving it less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).}}
*Non angled:
**{{change|Clean non angled forward smash's knockback (38 (base), 98 (scaling) → 30/102) has been altered.}}
**{{nerf|Its angle has been altered (38° → 361°) hindering its KO potential especially against aerial opponents.}}
**{{nerf|The late hit sends opponents lower (73° → 60°).}}
*Up angled:
**{{nerf|Clean up angled forward smash deals less knockback (38 (base), 100 (scaling) → 30/102).}}
**{{buff|Its angle has been altered (45° → 361°) improving its KO potential against grounded opponents.}}
**{{nerf|The late hit sends opponents lower (82° → 60°).}}
*Down angled:
**{{buff|Clean down angled forward smash deals more knockback (38 (base), 96 (scaling) → 30/102).}}
**{{nerf|Clean down angled forward smash no longer [[semi spike]]s (31° → 361°).}}
*[[Up smash]]:
**{{buff|Up smash's clean sweetspot deals more knockback (34 (base), 100 (scaling) → 33/104).}}
**{{buff|The late hit has increased knockback scaling (50 → 52).}}
**{{buff|It has a shorter total duration due to now being interruptible (FAF 50 → 48).}}
**{{nerf|It has less intangibility (frames 14-24 → 14-19).}}
**{{nerf|The clean sourspot has lower knockback scaling (100 → 99).}}
**{{nerf|The mid hit has lower knockback scaling (100 → 98).}}
**{{nerf|The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 17-24 → 17-19).}}
*[[Down smash]]:
**{{buff|Down smash is interruptible again, reducing its ending lag (FAF 56 → 54).}}
**{{buff|It has greatly increased knockback, especially on its far hitboxes (30/20 (base), 100/85 (scaling) → 25/(110/108).}}
**{{change|The late hit deals consistent damage (11%/9% → 10%).}}
**{{nerf|Its angles have been altered (76°/28° → 69°) losing its semi-spike hitbox and having a lower angle. This significantly hinders its edge-guarding potential while also making it susceptible to [[LSI]].}}


===Aerial attacks===
===Aerial attacks===
*{{nerf|Neutral aerial, up aerial, and down aerial deal less damage.}}
*[[Neutral aerial]]:
*{{buff|The hits of forward aerial link together better.}}
**{{change|Neutral aerial's angle has been altered (361° → 46°).}}
*{{buff|Back aerial deals slightly more damage, and has lower base knockback but more knockback scaling, making it more effective at all percentages.}}
***{{nerf|This removes its ability to lock.}}
*{{nerf|Back aerial's sourspot deals slightly less damage.}}
***{{buff|This improves its followup potential.}}
*{{buff|Down aerial is a stronger [[meteor smash]] and its hits link together better.}}
**{{nerf|It deals less damage (12% (clean)/10% (mid)/8% (mid-late)/6% (late) → 10%/8%/6%/4%).}}
**{{nerf|Its initial [[auto-cancel]] window has been reduced (frames 1-8 → 1-4).}}
**{{nerf|It has slightly higher [[landing lag]] (9 frames → 10 frames).}}
**{{buff|It deals more knockback (10 (base) 80 (scaling) → 30/90), slightly improving its KO potential despite its lower damage/altered angle.}}
*[[Forward aerial]]:
**{{buff|Forward aerial's first two hits are weight independent and their angles were altered to connect more consistently with the last hit (45° → 45°/80° (hit 1), 80° → [[Autolink angle|366°]] (hit 2)).}}
**{{buff|The last hit has increased knockback scaling (138 → 148), making it better for spacing  edgeguarding and improving its KO potential at very high percents.}}
**{{buff|It has less landing lag (15 frames → 13).}}
**{{change|The last hit's hitlag has increased (1× → 1.2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}
**{{nerf|It has smaller hitboxes (5u/4.5u (hits 1-2)/6.5u/6.5u (hit 3) → 4.3u/4.3u (hit 1)/4.5u (hit 2)/4.9u (hit 3)).}}
**{{nerf|It has more ending lag (FAF 44 → 48).}}
**{{nerf|It can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Kirby's lower short hop and higher gravity, causing its auto-cancel to fall short by one frame.}}
*[[Back aerial]]:
**{{nerf|Back aerial has smaller hitboxes (7u/6u (clean)/6u/6u (late) → 4u (clean)/3.4u (late)), now being more in line with Kirby's feet. This significantly reduces its range as it is less disjointed, it covers less of Kirby's body and doesn't fully cover his feet, especially the late hit.}}
**{{nerf|Its initial auto-cancel window is shorter (frames 1-4 → 1-2).}}
**{{nerf|The clean hit has a shorter duration (frames 6-8 → 6-7) with the late hit's duration being compensated (frames 9-14 → 8-14).}}
**{{buff|The clean hit deals more damage (12% → 13%) with its knockback scaling only minimally decreased (105 → 104), improving its KO potential.}}
**{{nerf|The late hit deals less damage (9% → 8%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (110 → 112).}}
**{{nerf|It auto-cancels later (frame 28 → 32), although it can still autocancel in a short hop.}}
**{{nerf|It has more landing lag (9 frames → 17).}}
*[[Up aerial]]:
**{{nerf|Up aerial deals less damage (10% → 9%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (98 → 100).}}
**{{nerf|It has lost its largest hitbox (5.5u/4.5u/4u → 4.5u/4u).}}
**{{nerf|It has more landing lag (9 frames → 12).}}
*[[Down aerial]]:
**{{nerf|Down aerial's looping hits deals less damage (2% → 1% (loop hits)/12% → 7% (total).}}
**{{nerf|The loop hits have a smaller hitbox (6u/6u → 5u).}}
**{{nerf|It has more landing lag (15 frames → 17).}}
**{{buff|The loop hits now utilize the auto-link angle (270° → 366°). When coupled with their lower damage and the weakening of SDI, this significantly improves its reliability.}}
**{{buff|The last hit has slightly higher knockback scaling (107 → 110) and a slightly larger hitbox (6u/6u → 6.2u).}}
**{{buff|The landing hit has an altered angle (30° → 60°) and lower set knockback (60 → 40), improving its combo potential.}}


===Throws/other attacks===
===Throws/other attacks===
*{{nerf|Grab range has been reduced slightly.}}
*{{buff|All grabs has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 28 (standing), FAF 40 → 39 (dash), FAF 36 → 33 (pivot)).}}
*{{buff|Dash grab comes out slightly faster.}}
*{{buff|Dash grab has less start-up lag (frame 10 → 8).}}
*{{buff|Pummel has been sped up, and deals slightly more damage.}}
*{{nerf|Standing and dash grab have less range.}}
*{{nerf|Forward throw deals slightly less damage and has increased base knockback, removing combo potential.}}
*[[Pummel]]:
*{{buff|Back throw is stronger.}}
**{{buff|Pummel deals more damage (1% → 1.55%) and has less hitlag, making it now the third fastest pummel in the game. This significantly improves its damage racking potential.}}
*{{nerf|Down throw has more base knockback, removing its guaranteed combo potential. It also deals half the damage it dealt in ''Brawl''.}}
*[[Forward throw]]:
**{{nerf|Forward throw deals 3% less damage (8% → 5%), with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 125).}}
**{{buff|It has less ending lag (FAF 62 → 59).}}
**{{buff|Its angle has been altered (65° → 75°). When coupled with the changes to [[hitstun canceling]], these changes grant it combo potential past low percents.}}
*[[Back throw]]:
**{{buff|Back throw has altered knockback (80 (base), 50 (scaling) → 30/120) and Kirby releases the opponent later (frame 33 → 41) with its duration unchanged, reducing its ending lag and improving its mix-up, combo and KO potential.}}
**{{change|Its angle has been altered (120° → 130°).}}
*[[Up throw]]:
**{{buff|Up throw has increased knockback (70 (base), 70 (scaling) → 75/74), improving its KO potential despite its less favorable angle (85° → 78°).}}
*[[Down throw]]:
**{{nerf|Down throw deals less damage on the first nine hits (1% (hits 1-10) → 0.8% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 12% → 10.2% (total)) and the throw has significantly increased knockback (40 (base), 140 (scaling) → 60/180). Combined with the change below, this removes its combo potential.}}
**{{nerf|It launches at a lower and more unfavorable angle (90° → 63°), and combined with the removal of [[chain grab]]bing and the loss of its combo potential as mentioned above, this hinders its damage racking potential.}}
**{{buff|However, the increased knockback allow it to KO middleweights around or below 200%.}}


===Special moves===
===Special moves===
*{{buff|[[Inhale]] now does more damage when used to copy abilities.}}
*{{b|Inhale|Kirby}}:
*{{nerf|Spitting out inhaled enemies deals less damage to them.}}
**{{change|Inhale's damage outputs have been reversed (6% (swallow)/10% (spit) → 10%/6%).}}
*{{nerf|Inhale can no longer be used to [[Kirbycide]] if the victim does not break free before reaching the blast zone, making Kirby KO first. However, there are a set number of characters, when Kirbycided from a certain angle, will cause a [[sudden death]] to occur.}}
**{{buff|Inhale has decreased start-up and ending lag. Inhaling non-explosive [[item]]s also now heals 1%.}}
*{{change|Inhale has a whirlwind-like cone which bears a likeness to what is seen from the move in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Triple Deluxe}}''. It also produces sound effects similar to Kirby's inhale and copy SFX from ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'' and ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'' respectively.}}
**{{nerf|The removal of grab armor hinders Inhale's safety, as it now results in Kirby getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.}}
*{{buff|[[Hammer]] can now charge up and release a much more powerful fiery attack known as the ''Hammer Flip''. Kirby can jump and move around while charging it, but keeping it at full charge will deal [[recoil damage]] to Kirby, similarly to {{SSB4|King Dedede}}'s [[Jet Hammer]].}}
**{{nerf|[[Kirbycide]] now KOs Kirby first and the opponent is released from Inhale when this occurs, significantly hindering its utility. However, there are certain characters that, when Kirbycided from a certain angle, will be KO'd as well and thus lead to a [[Sudden Death]].}}
*{{nerf|Hammer has more start-up even when entirely uncharged when airborne, and has reduced knockback and damage unless charged.}}
**{{change|Kirby's copy abilities now share the same hitbox data as their original counterparts as opposed to Kirby's versions having their own hitbox data. As a result, all of Kirby's copy abilities are now completely identical to their original counterparts in terms of their range, strength and hitbox durations (with a few exceptions) which benefits and/or hinders certain copy abilities.}}
*{{nerf|The blade of [[Final Cutter]] deals less damage and no longer meteor smashes after a while during descent and the beam produced goes around half the distance.}}
***{{change|This change however does not affect the copy ability's interruptibility or intangibility since they are now stored in Kirby's parameter file as opposed to the respective ability's hitbox data.}}
*{{change|The {{s|mariowiki|Thwomp}} of [[Stone]] now uses the design from ''{{s|mariowiki|New Super Mario Bros. Wii}}'' instead of ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}''.}}
**{{change|All of sound effects related to the move are now direct port of those from ''{{iw|wikirby|Kirby's Adventure}}''.}}
*{{change|Kirby's Final Smash is now the [[Ultra Sword]] from ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Return to Dream Land}}''. Compared to [[Cook Kirby]], it is a more reliable attack in general, but has a much smaller initial range and produces no items.}}
*[[Hammer (move)|Hammer Flip]]:
**{{change|Hammer Flip is now chargeable and Kirby can also move around while using it, regardless of its charge. However, fully charged Hammer Flip now deals [[recoil damage]] when held. Altogether, these changes make it function almost identically to [[Jet Hammer]].}}
**{{change|Due to consisting of a consistent hitbox instead of a sweetspot and a sourspot, uncharged Hammer Flip now deals consistent damage (23% (grounded sweetspot)/18% (grounded sourspot) → 19%, 17% (aerial hit 1 sweetspot)/13% (aerial hit 2 sweetspot)/15% (aerial hit 1 sourspot)/10% (aerial hit 2 sourspot) → 15% (both)).}}
**{{change|Hammer Flip has slightly increased knockback (65 (base), 72 (scaling) (grounded sweetspot), 50/70 (grounded/aerial hit 1 sourspot), 65/75 (aerial hit 1 sweetspot), 60/70 (aerial hit 2) → 60/78 (all)). This makes the previous sourspots and the second aerial hit stronger however, they do not compensate for the grounded and first aerial hit's sweetspots reduced damage hindering their KO potential.}}
**{{buff|Fully charged Hammer Flip deals more damage (23% (grounded sweetspot)/18% (grounded sourspot)/ → 35%/27%, 17% (aerial hit 1 sweetspot)/13% (aerial hit 2 sweetspot)/15% (aerial hit 1 sourspot)/10% (aerial hit 2 sourspot) → 27% (both)) significantly improving its KO potential. Hammer Flip also has larger hitboxes and no longer has sourspots.}}
**{{nerf|Due to its angle being altered (20° → 55°), aerial Hammer Flip's second hit is no longer a semi-spike, significantly hindering its edge-guarding potential. Aerial Hammer Flip also has greatly increased start-up lag regardless of its charge (frame 17 → 28), and can no longer be used for recovery as it now halts Kirby's horizontal momentum rather than his vertical momentum.}}
**{{nerf|Hammer Flip no longer has transcendent priority.}}
**{{buff|Fully charged Hammer Flip now grants [[armor]] during part of the swing.}}
**{{buff|Fully charged Hammer Flip deals significantly more shield damage due to its higher damage combined with the 19% damage increase to [[shield]]s and the increase to [[shieldstun]], significantly improving its shield pressuring potential.}}
*[[Final Cutter]]:
**{{nerf|Final Cutter's shockwave's range has decreased by half. The rising hit also deals less damage (8% → 5%).}}
*[[Stone]]:
**{{nerf|Stone has less HP (30 → 25).}}
***{{nerf|Additionally, if Kirby's stone is broken, he now takes half the amount of damage from the attack which broke the stone as opposed to no damage.}}
**{{nerf|Grounded Stone has less knockback scaling (45 → 40).}}
**{{buff|The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve Stone's shield pressuring potential.}}
**{{change|Stone's visual effects have changed. The {{s|mariowiki|Thwomp}} now uses its design from ''{{s|mariowiki|New Super Mario Bros. Wii}}'', instead of ''{{s|mariowiki|Super Mario 64}}''.}}
**{{change|Like in ''Melee'', Kirby vocalizes when exiting out of his Stone form.}}
**{{bugfix|The [[earthquake glitch]] has been removed.}}
*[[Ultra Sword]]:
**{{buff|Kirby has a new [[Final Smash]], Ultra Sword. Kirby uses the {{s|wikirby|Super Ability}} [[wikirby:Ultra Sword|of the same name]] in order to repeatedly slash the opponent before launching them with a final slash. Like [[Cook Kirby]], Ultra Sword is a trapping Final Smash. Compared to [[Cook Kirby]], it is purely offensive, instead of being both offensive and supplemental. Ultra Sword also deals 6% more damage (34% → 40%), has significantly more knockback, and is more reliable at trapping opponents, making it significantly more effective for KOing.}}
**{{change|Unlike Cook Kirby, Ultra Sword does not provide [[healing]] items. However, this is largely negligible, as Cook Kirby's items were consumable by characters other than Kirby, and would not be generated if item spawning was disabled via [[Item Switch]].}}
 
==Update history==
Kirby was initially perceived to be a low tier in the initial release of the game, owing to his poor range, mobility, approach option and endurance. Likely as a result, he has been buffed via game updates. Update [[1.0.6]] improved up and down smashes' KO potentials; re-purposed down throw into a viable damage racking option; and decreased [[Inhale]] and [[Hammer Flip]]'s ending lag. These changes were fairly minor however, with Inhale and Hammer only losing a couple of frames of ending lag, while down smash received a lower launch angle, which resulted in the move being worse at KOing with sufficient DI. Update [[1.1.0]] brought a few more buffs: neutral attack became more reliable, Inhale was made faster and forward throw received less ending lag and a more vertical launch angle, making it a much better combo starter. Kirby also slightly benefits from the new shield mechanics brought about by updates 1.1.0 and [[1.1.1]], as they make down aerial's multiple hits and [[Stone]]'s high damage output much more reliable at pressuring shields.
 
Update [[1.1.3]] brought about even more buffs for Kirby: his [[dash]]ing speed was slightly improved and various moves saw an increase to their KO potential. Up throw in particular saw a substantial increase in knockback, KOing over 30% earlier, although Kirby's other moves only saw minor improvements to their knockback. Update [[1.1.4]] gave Kirby a miniscule improvement with hard tripping now grants Kirby 5 frames of invincibility. Lastly, update [[1.1.5]], buffed Kirby's smash attacks and all variations of Hammer Flip by slightly increasing their knockback. As a result, Kirby is noticeably better than he was during ''Smash 4''{{'}}s initial release, having better KO potential, a stronger combo game and having safer specials. However, he is still considered fairly weak, as most of his changes were not substantial and his weaknesses were not properly addressed, resulting in him continuing to struggle against a majority of the cast, especially considering the more substantial improvements other initial low tiers received, along with the introduction of {{SSB4|Cloud}} and {{SSB4|Corrin}}, who both had strong matchups against Kirby.
 
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} [[1.0.4]]'''
{{UpdateList/1.0.4|char=Kirby}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4-3ds}} 1.0.5'''
*{{bugfix|Fixed a glitch where Kirby could hover after using [[Silver Bow]].}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.0.6]]'''
*{{nerf|Sourspotted upward angled forward smash deals less damage (13% → 12%).}}
*{{buff|Up smash's clean hit's sweetspots have higher knockback scaling (96 → 102), improving its KO potential.}}
*{{buff|Down smash has higher knockback scaling (102 → 108), improving its KO potential.}}
*{{nerf|Down smash launches opponents at a lower angle (76° → 69°). This makes the move susceptible to [[LSI]], hindering its KO potential with optimal DI.}}
*{{buff|Down throw deals more damage (0.4% (hits 1-9)/6.6% (total) → 0.8%/10.2%).}}
*{{buff|{{b|Inhale|Kirby}} has less ending lag (FAF 80 → 78).}}
*{{buff|Opponent's are launched higher when swallowed (2.8 → 3), making Kirby less punishable when copying an ability.}}
*{{change|Inhale's visual effects slightly changed. Fiery effects now emit from Kirby after he Inhales explosive items.}}
*{{buff|[[Hammer (move)|Hammer Flip]] has less ending lag.}}
*{{buff|Kirby moves faster on the ground while charging Hammer Flip.}}
*{{change|Final Cutter has improved visual effects.}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.0]]'''
*{{buff|Neutral attack's second hit has increased base knockback (8 → 15), making it connect more reliably into the infinite. Neutral infinite's finisher's start-up lag also decreased.}}
*{{nerf|Forward throw deals less damage (7% → 5%) with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 125).}}
*{{buff|Forward throw has less ending lag (FAF 62 → 59) and it launches opponents at a higher angle (65° → 75°), improving its combo potential.}}
*{{buff|Inhale's start-up (frame 18 → 14) and ending lag decreased (FAF 78 → 73).}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.1]]'''
*{{buff|[[Inhale (Kirby)#Customization|Ice Breath]]'s hitboxes moved forward; its farthest hitbox's size increased|7u|7.5u; and its angle altered: 40° → [[Semi-spike|30°]]. Altogether, these changes improve its range and spacing potential.}}
*{{buff|Aerial [[Hammer (move)#Customization|Hammer Bash]]'s weight-based knockback increased|20|50.}}
*{{nerf|Hammer Bash's sourspot now takes priority over the sweetspot.}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.3]]'''
{{UpdateList/1.1.3|char=Kirby}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.4]]'''
{{UpdateList/1.1.4|char=Kirby}}
'''{{GameIcon|ssb4}} [[1.1.5]]'''
{{UpdateList/1.1.5|char=Kirby}}


==Moveset==
==Moveset==
''For a gallery of Kirby's hitboxes, see [[/Hitboxes|here]].''
{{MovesetTable
{{MovesetTable
|game=ssb4
|game=ssb4
|neutralcount=2
|neutralcount=2
|neutralinf=y
|neutralinf=y
|neutralname=&nbsp;
|neutralname=Vulcan Jab ({{ja|バルカンジャブ|Barukan Jabu}}) / Smash Punch ({{ja|スマッシュパンチ|Sumasshupanchi}})
|neutral1dmg=2%
|neutral1dmg=2%
|neutral2dmg=3%
|neutral2dmg=3%
|neutralinfdmg=1% (loop), 2% (last)
|neutralinfdmg=1% (loop), 2% (last)
|neutraldesc=Two quick jabs followed by a flurry of punches. Turns into a smash punch when ended.
|neutraldesc=A {{s|wikipedia|one-two combo}}. When button mashed, Kirby performs the Vulcan Jab from the {{s|wikirby|Fighter}} ability before concluding with the Smash Punch, also from the Fighter ability. It is very quick due to coming out on frame 3, and its first two hits have very minimal ending lag. These traits make it effective for [[jab cancel]]ing or as an [[out of shield]] option.
|ftiltname=&nbsp;
|ftiltname=&nbsp;
|ftiltdmg=8% (base), 7% (tip)
|ftiltdmg=8% (base), 7% (tip)
|ftiltdesc=Kirby does a spinning forward kick. Can be angled upwards or downwards.
|ftiltdesc=A spinning roundhouse kick. It is quick, due to coming out on frame 5, and can be angled.
|utiltname=&nbsp;
|utiltname=&nbsp;
|utiltdmg=5% (clean), 4% (late)
|utiltdmg=5% (clean), 4% (late)
|utiltdesc=Kirby quickly raises one leg vertically from behind. Disjointed range but low damage.
|utiltdesc=Throws a scorpion kick. Although its damage output is low, it is a very useful combo starter at low percents, especially on fast-fallers, due to it coming out on frame 4 and having both minimal ending lag and disjointed range which slightly reaches behind him. It also renders Kirby's foot [[Intangibility|intangible]] throughout its duration.
|dtiltname=&nbsp;
|dtiltname=&nbsp;
|dtiltdmg=6%
|dtiltdmg=6%
|dtiltdesc=Kirby does a crouching low kick.
|dtiltdesc=A crouching shin kick. It is fairly spammable due to coming out on frame 4 and having minimal ending lag. When coupled with its [[trip]]ping potential, it can be a very useful set-up option.
|dashname=&nbsp;
|dashname=&nbsp;
|dashdmg=1% (hits 1-5), 4% (hit 6)
|dashdmg=1% (hits 1-5), 4% (hit 6)
|dashdesc=Kirby spins on his hands, while kicking with his feet. Hits multiple times.
|dashdesc=The Break Spin from the {{s|wikirby|Yo-yo}} ability. It is difficult to SDI out of, while its last hit can easily ward off opponents due to it dealing very high base knockback. However, it is punishable due to it coming out on frame 12 and having noticeable ending lag.
|fsmashangles=3
|fsmashangles=3
|fsmashname=&nbsp;
|fsmashname=Smash Kick ({{ja|スマッシュキック|Sumasshu Kikku}})
|fsmashupdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|16}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|13}} (late)
|fsmashupdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|16}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|12}} (late)
|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|11}} (late)
|fsmashsidedmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|11}} (late)
|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|10}} (late)
|fsmashdowndmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|10}} (late)
|fsmashdesc=Kirby lunges forward and delivers a very long range jump kick that moves him forward. Can be angled upwards or downwards.
|fsmashdesc=The Spin Kick from the Fighter ability. It slightly moves Kirby forward and can be angled. Its clean hitbox also deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth, which makes it a potent KOing option. While near the edge of {{SSB4|Final Destination}} in {{for3ds}} and {{forwiiu}}, it KOs middleweights at 86% and 77%, respectively, while angled upward; at 93% and 83%, respectively, while not angled; and at 100% and 91%, respectively, while angled downward. However, its late hitbox lacks KO potential.
|usmashname=&nbsp;
|usmashname=&nbsp;
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|12}} (mid), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|12}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|11}} (late)
|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|15}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|12}} (mid), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|12}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|11}} (late)
|usmashdesc=Does a backflip while doing an upward kick very similar to Fox's.
|usmashdesc=A bicycle kick. It can hit behind Kirby, while its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth like forward smash. It clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 102% from anywhere on Final Destination in the ''3DS'' version, and at 96% in the ''Wii U'' version. Kirby's feet are also rendered intangible throughout its duration, albeit only during its clean hitbox. However, its mid and late hitboxes lack KO potential.
|dsmashname=&nbsp;
|dsmashname=&nbsp;
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|10}} (late)
|dsmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSB4|10}} (late)
|dsmashdesc=Kirby does a split and spins around rapidly.
|dsmashdesc=A spinning split kick. It hits in front of and behind Kirby, and its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth like his forward and up smashes. Its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 113% from anywhere on Final Destination in the ''3DS'' version and at 106% in the ''Wii U'' version. It also renders Kirby's feet intangible albeit only during its clean hitbox. However, its late hitbox has significantly lower KO potential.
|nairname=&nbsp;
|nairname=Twinkle Star ({{ja|ティンクルスター|Tinkuru Sutā}})
|nairdmg=10% (clean), 8% (mid), 6% (mid-late), 4% (late)
|nairdmg=10% (clean), 8% (mid), 6% (mid-to-late), 4% (late)
|nairdesc=Kirby spins around in the air.
|nairdesc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Smash}} ability. Its very low landing lag makes it a decent set-up option at low percents when short hopped, while its high knockback growth makes it a decent anti-pressure and out of shield option. However, it has the highest amount of ending lag out of Kirby's aerials. Despite having [[sex kick]] properties, it also has high startup lag.
|fairname=&nbsp;
|fairname=&nbsp;
|fairdmg=4% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2), 5% (hit 3)
|fairdmg=4% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2), 5% (hit 3)
|fairdesc=Kirby does three quick spinning kicks.
|fairdesc=A series of multiple forward kicks. The first two hits have low knockback, which allows them to connect reliably with the third hit. Its low landing lag also allows the first or second hit to be used as set-up options into other moves. Can connect into itself for a [[Wall of Pain]] in certain instances.
|bairname=&nbsp;
|bairname=&nbsp;
|bairdmg=13% (clean), 8% (late)
|bairdmg=13% (clean), 8% (late)
|bairdesc=Quickly crouches in midair then kicks his legs behind him.
|bairdesc=A double-footed back kick. It functions as a sex kick, but also has the lowest amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials, due to it coming out on frame 6. Its clean hitbox also deals the most damage out of his aerials, and possesses very high knockback growth, which make it a viable KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination, its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 115% in the ''3DS'' version, and at 105% in the ''Wii U'' version. It also boasts good range due to its slightly disjointed hitbox, which makes it a viable edge-guarding option, and allows it to partake in a wall of pain. However, the late hit has a blindspot, as its hitbox doesn't fully cover Kirby's feet.
|uairname=&nbsp;
|uairname=&nbsp;
|uairdmg=9%
|uairdmg=9%
|uairdesc=Does a flip kick in midair, similar to his up smash.
|uairdesc=An aerial bicycle kick similar to his up smash. A very useful juggling option, it can also be used for continuing a combo due to its low landing lag.
|dairname=&nbsp;
|dairname=&nbsp;
|dairdmg=1% (hits 1-5), 2% (hit 6), 2% (landing)
|dairdmg=1% (hits 1-5), 2% (hit 6), 2% (landing)
|dairdesc=Kirby's spins while [[drill|drill kicking]] downward. Each hit has a weak meteor smash effect.
|dairdesc=A diagonal corkscrew dropkick. An effective combo starter on grounded opponents and, due to the last hit being a weak meteor smash, it is a useful edge-guarding option, especially since its low ending lag makes it relatively safe to use off-stage. It can even lead into a [[footstool jump]] on fast-fallers and heavyweights. While it has the highest amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials due to coming out on frame 18, it can be auto-canceled on landing, giving Kirby a very large window to safely land while tumbling.
|grabname=&nbsp;
|grabname=&nbsp;
|grabdesc=Kirby's grab range is average.
|grabdesc=Reaches out with one hand. One of the fastest grabs among the cast, though its range is merely average. Kirby's throws are based on attacks used by the {{s|wikirby|Backdrop}}, {{s|wikirby|Suplex}} and {{s|wikirby|Ninja}} abilities.
|pummelname=&nbsp;
|pummelname=&nbsp;
|pummeldmg=1.55%
|pummeldmg=1.55%
|pummeldesc=Punches enemy. Moderate speed.
|pummeldesc=A series of multiple punches. While its damage output is unimpressive, this is offset by its excellent speed, as it is tied with {{SSB4|Lucas}}, {{SSB4|Ness}}, and {{SSB4|Fox}}'s pummels for the third fastest in the game.
|fthrowname=&nbsp;
|fthrowname=&nbsp;
|fthrowdmg=7%
|fthrowdmg=5%
|fthrowdesc=Kirby flips and slams the opponent onto the ground.
|fthrowdesc=The Rock Drop from the Suplex ability. Unlike the majority of forward throws, it possesses combo potential. Its most reliable follow-ups are neutral, forward and down aerials at low percents, and up aerial and [[Final Cutter]] at medium percents.
|bthrowname=&nbsp;
|bthrowname=&nbsp;
|bthrowdmg=8%
|bthrowdmg=8%
|bthrowdesc=Quickly flips backwards and slams opponent head-first into the ground.
|bthrowdesc=A backwards dive from the Backdrop ability. Despite having an average damage output and very low base knockback, it has very high knockback growth. As a result, it has KO potential, yet can also combo into back aerial on certain characters at very low percents. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 160% in the ''3DS'' version, and at 150% in the ''Wii U'' version.
|uthrowname=&nbsp;
|uthrowname=Air Drop ({{ja|いずな落とし|Izuna Otoshi}}, ''Izuna Drop'')
|uthrowdmg=10%
|uthrowdmg=10%
|uthrowdesc=Jumps offscreen and comes down in an explosion. High vertical knockback, being Kirby's strongest throw.
|uthrowdesc=The attack of the same name from the Ninja ability. As of update 1.1.3, it is Kirby's strongest throw, and thus his most reliable one for KOing. It KOs middleweights at 158% from anywhere on Final Destination in the ''3DS'' version, and at 150% in the ''Wii U'' version. Because Kirby jumps up to perform it, he can land onto platforms above him upon descending, which enables it to KO even earlier.
|dthrowname=&nbsp;
|dthrowname=&nbsp;
|dthrowdmg=0.4% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 2% (throw)
|dthrowdmg=0.8% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 2% (throw)
|dthrowdesc=Kirby throws his victim into the ground, and then stomps on them several times quickly. The stomps also damage nearby opponents.
|dthrowdesc=The Fury Stomp from the Suplex ability. Its high damage and low knockback makes it useful for damage racking. It can also damage nearby opponents.
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfname=&nbsp;
|floorfdmg=7%
|floorfdmg=7%
|floorfdesc=Kirby gets up and does a spin kick.
|floorfdesc=Performs a spin kick before getting up.
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbname=&nbsp;
|floorbdmg=7%
|floorbdmg=7%
|floorbdesc=Kirby gets up, then kicks on one side, then the other.
|floorbdesc=Kicks on one side and then the other before getting up.
|floortname=&nbsp;
|floortname=&nbsp;
|floortdmg=5%
|floortdmg=5%
|floortdesc=Kirby gets up then spins around, kicking.
|floortdesc=The Break Spin from the Yo-yo ability.
|edgename=&nbsp;
|edgename=&nbsp;
|edgedmg=7%
|edgedmg=7%
|edgedesc=Kirby flips over the edge and kicks.
|edgedesc=Performs a cartwheeling kick while climbing up. It has surprisingly good range compared to many other characters' edge attacks.
|nsdefname=Inhale
|nsdefname=Inhale
|nsdefdmg=6% (spit), 10% (swallow)
|nspage=Inhale (Kirby)
|nsdefdesc=Kirby sucks up his opponent. He can exhale them as a star to deal damage, or copy their neutral special attack. Some characters will give him an alternative special move due to mechanics that wouldn't work properly when copied over, like Olimar's Pikmin Pluck.
|nsdefdmg=10% (swallow), 6% (spit)
|nsdefdesc={{s|wikirby|Inhale}}s the opponent. It has a [[grab]]box and can be held indefinitely. Upon Inhaling an opponent, Kirby can spit them out as a star to deal damage to them and any nearby opponents (star damage varies based on the inhaled character’s weight), copy their neutral special move, or walk around slowly and/or perform a short hop. However, the opponent can escape from Kirby's mouth via button mashing. Kirby must wait roughly a second before he can inhale the same person again. Some characters will give Kirby a slight variation of their neutral special due to mechanics that would not work properly when copied, such as [[Luma Shot]] and [[Pikmin Pluck]].
|nsc1name=Ice Breath
|nsc1name=Ice Breath
|nsc1dmg=2.4% (nearest), 1.2% (near), 2.4% (far), 6% (farthest)
|nsc1dmg=2.4% (nearest), 1.2% (near), 2.4% (far), 6% (farthest)
|nsc1desc=Kirby exhales cold air, which freezes his opponent. He cannot suck anything in with this move. This move hits multiple times.
|nsc1desc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Ice}} ability. It hits multiple times and can briefly [[Frozen|freeze]] the opponent, which makes it very useful spacing and edge-guarding. However, Kirby cannot Inhale anything.
|nsc2name=Jumping Inhale
|nsc2name=Jumping Inhale
|nsc2dmg=5% (spit), 8% (swallow)
|nsc2dmg=8% (swallow), 13% (spit)
|nsc2desc=Kirby jumps forwards before inhaling. If Kirby spits out his opponent, the star won't deal damage.
|nsc2desc=Jumps forward before Inhaling the opponent, which can allow it to function as a horizontal recovery option, similarly to [[Egg Lay#Customization|Lick]]. Its spit also deals more damage. However, its swallow deals less damage, the spit will not deal damage to nearby opponents (but will knock them away), and using it to [[Kirbycide]] will always cause a [[Sudden Death]]. It also lacks the vacuum hitboxes outside of Kirby's mouth.
|ssdefname=Hammer Flip
|ssdefname=Hammer Flip
|ssdefdmg=19% (ground uncharged), 15% (air uncharged), 35% (ground fully charged), 27% (air fully charged)
|ssdefdmg=19% (grounded uncharged), 15% (aerial uncharged), 35% (grounded fully charged), 27% (aerial fully charged)
|ssdefdesc=Kirby swings his hammer forwards in an arc, which increases in power the longer it charges. He can move around and jump while charging this move.
|ssdefdesc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Hammer}} ability. It is chargeable and, when fully charged, Kirby's hammer will ignite and deal [[recoil damage]]. He can also slowly walk and jump while charging it, while a fully charged Hammer Flip briefly grants him 6% [[armor]] during part of the swing. When it is used in midair, Kirby will swing his hammer twice. While near the edge of Final Destination, uncharged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at 92% and 82% in the ''3DS'' and ''Wii U'' versions, respectively. Fully charged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at 17% and 10% in the ''3DS'' and ''Wii U'' versions, respectively. Although weaker, aerial Hammer Flip nevertheless possesses KO potential. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 128% and 115% in the ''3DS'' and ''Wii U'' versions, respectively. Its fully charged version KOs them at 44% and 36% in the ''3DS'' and ''Wii U'' versions, respectively.
|ssc1name=Hammer Bash
|ssc1name=Hammer Bash
|ssc1dmg=21% (ground head), 18% (ground handle), 4% (air hit 1), 17% (air hit 2 head), 15% (air hit 2 handle)
|ssc1dmg=21% (grounded head), 18% (grounded handle), 4% (aerial hit 1), 17% (aerial hit 2 head), 15% (aerial hit 2 handle)
|ssc1desc=Kirby swings his hammer forwards in an arc, which sends his opponents skyward on contact. He cannot charge this move. Using this move in midair cause Kirby to rise slightly.
|ssc1desc=The hammer deals slightly more damage, launching foes at somewhat lower percents and at a more vertical angle, but it cannot be charged, which makes it function almost exactly like it did in ''Brawl'' or when grounded in ''Melee''. The first aerial swing is much weaker, but can combo into the second swing easier. While near the edge of Final Destination in the ''3DS'' version, grounded Hammer Bash's head hitbox KOs middleweights at 87%, whereas its aerial version's head hitbox KOs them at 105%. Using it in midair also causes Kirby to slightly stall his descent, which improves his recovery. This quirk can also allow Kirby [https://youtu.be/n08pWllI6ZU?t=5s to reach the top of [[Palutena's Temple]] from its bottom platform after copying [[Monado Arts]] and activating Jump.] However, the hammer has a sweetspot and a sourspot, which makes its KO potential slightly less consistent.
|ssc2name=Giant Hammer
|ssc2name=Giant Hammer
|ssc2dmg=22% (ground uncharged), 20% (air uncharged), 40% (ground fully charged), 32% (air fully charged)
|ssc2dmg=22% (grounded uncharged), 20% (aerial uncharged), 40% (grounded fully charged), 32% (aerial fully charged)
|ssc2desc=Kirby swings a massive hammer, which is slower but stronger than his normal one. Kirby has [[super armor]] while charging the hammer.
|ssc2desc=Wields a massive hammer that is slightly stronger and grants unbreakable armor while charging once the hammer starts to glow, but has much higher start-up and ending lag. While near the edge of Final Destination in the ''3DS'' version, uncharged grounded Giant Hammer KOs middleweights at 76%, whereas its uncharged aerial version KOs them at 90%. Fully charged grounded Giant Hammer KOs middleweights at 7%, whereas its fully charged aerial version KOs them at 29%.
|usdefname=Final Cutter
|usdefname=Final Cutter
|usdefdmg=5% (rise), 2% (drop), 5% (landing), 6% (wave)
|usdefdmg=5% (ascent), 2% (descent), 5% (landing), 6% (shockwave)
|usdefdesc=Kirby jumps straight up and falls straight down, cutting anyone he comes in contact with on the way up and meteor smashing anyone he comes in contact with on the way down. When landing, Kirby creates a shockwave projectile that moves forwards quickly.
|usdefdesc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Cutter}} ability. It can meteor smash any opponents he comes into contact with upon descending. The sword also emits a shockwave upon hitting a solid surface, which is Kirby's only projectile aside from [[Inhale (Kirby)#Spitting characters|spitting out an Inhaled opponent]]. It does cover a decent amount of vertical distance. However, it is extremely predictable due to its high startup lag. Kirby also has poor horizontal mobility while using the move, there's a decent period of time where Kirby is rising without a hitbox and Kirby cannot [[sweetspot]] the edge until he starts to descend, all of which make it a rather exploitable recovery move. It can be used for edgeguarding but its slow speed limits its use in this area, as well as limiting its utility in other scenarios. If a platform beneath Kirby disappears or if he is pushed off while he is still in the landing animation, he will be rendered [[helpless]].
|usc1name=Wave Cutter
|usc1name=Wave Cutter
|usc1dmg=15% (blade), 10% (projectile), 5% (Kirby)
|usc1dmg=15% (blade), 10% (projectile), 5% (Kirby)
|usc1desc=Kirby jumps straight up and falls straight down, creating a shockwave that sends rocks flying outwards. The move only deals damage when Kirby lands on the ground.
|usc1desc=When Kirby lands, he produces a shockwave with rocks flying outward. Kirby ascends faster and he stays in the air for longer before dropping, making it a better recovery move. The move does not have any hitboxes until Kirby lands however, although the landing hit and the rock shockwave are fairly strong. The rock shovewave is very large and its power overall makes it more effective than Final Cutter's wave, although the move does have more landing lag.
|usc2name=Upper Cutter
|usc2name=Upper Cutter
|usc2dmg=10%
|usc2dmg=10%
|usc2desc=Kirby jumps straight up, cutting anyone he comes in contact with. Stronger than his regular blade and goes higher, but cannot hit anything on the way down.
|usc2desc=Kirby only performs an ascending upwards slash and then enters free-fall. Kirby ascends very quickly, Kirby can grab ledges during the ascent if he is facing the ledge and he keeps his horizontal momentum once he enters free-fall. This makes the move a much better recovery move than Final Cutter. The move also has a very effective hitbox. The move comes out on frame 6 and it has great range. The move is also fairly strong, being capable of KOing Mario under 160% in the middle of Final Destination (without DI). The move does start off with a 60° angle, making it quite susceptible to DI however, the move gains a more vertical angle as Kirby ascends, with the move having a very favorable 80° angle at the top of the ascent, making it stronger and less susceptible to DI. The very fast startup, the great range and the solid power give Upper Cutter a lot of utility which Kirby lacks without it, giving him a better Out of Shield game as well as giving him an additional combo ender that can even lead into KO confirms he lacks without Upper Cutter.
 
While it does lack the falling hit Final Cutter has, Upper Cutter is overall a far superior move, being a much better recovery move and having a lot more utility in other areas, filling up holes Kirby had in his game plan with his default moveset. It is overall a clear replacement for Final Cutter and it is most likely Kirby's most valuable custom move.
|dsdefname=Stone
|dsdefname=Stone
|dsdefdmg=14% (shockwave), 18% (impact)
|dsdefdmg=18% (impact), 14% (shockwave)
|dsdefdesc=Kirby turns into a heavy object and plummets straight down. Enemies are sent flying on contact. Kirby cannot be damaged in this form, but can be grabbed.
|dsdefdesc=The Stone Change (while Kirby is on the ground) and the Stone Smash (while Kirby is in the air) from the {{s|wikirby|Stone}} ability. Thanks to its high damage output, Stone Smash KOs middleweights at 108% and deals considerable [[shield damage]]. It can also be canceled in midair by pressing the special button, which can be used for [[mindgame]]s. Although Stone Change only emits the shockwave and is thus slightly weaker, it is a [[semi-spike]]. Kirby cannot be damaged while he is transformed, although should he absorb ~25% total damage (slightly more in mid-air), the deciding hit will launch him out of his Stone form, inflicting half its normal damage. He can also be grabbed while transformed.
|dsc1name=Grounding Stone
|dsc1name=Grounding Stone
|dsc1dmg=6% (shockwave), 10% (impact on grounded opponents), 12% (impact on airborne opponents)
|dsc1dmg=10% (impact on grounded opponents), 12% (impact on aerial opponents), 6% (shockwave)
|dsc1desc=Kirby turns into a heavy object and plummets straight down. Kirby takes longer to transform, but grounded enemies are buried on contact.
|dsc1desc=Takes less time to revert to normal and [[Bury|buries]] grounded opponents on contact. However, it deals less damage, takes longer to transform, Stone Smash cannot KO grounded opponents, and Stone Change's semi-spike is much weaker. Can absorb ~14% damage.
|dsc2name=Meteor Stone
|dsc2name=Meteor Stone
|dsc2dmg=12% (clean), 10% (mid), 8% (late)
|dsc2dmg=12% (clean), 10% (mid), 8% (late)
|dsc2desc=Kirby turns into a heavy object and plummets straight down. Kirby takes longer to transform back, but he will meteor smash any enemies he hits while falling.
|dsc2desc=Takes less time to transform and meteor smashes opponents. However, it deals less damage and takes longer to revert to normal, which makes it much riskier to use off-stage. If used on the ground, Kirby will be popped upward a small distance. Can absorb ~18%.
|fsname=Ultra Sword
|fsname=Ultra Sword
|fsdmg=3% (stun), 5% (hit 1), 2% (hits 2-9), 16% (hit 10)
|fsdmg=3% (stun), 5% (hit 1), 2% (hits 2-9), 16% (hit 10)
|fsdesc=Kirby takes out his Ultra Sword and slashes at the opponent. If the move connects, he will teleport around them while slashing at them multiple times. He finishes the move with a powerful hit from a further enlarged sword. This move is similar to Great Aether.
|fsdesc=The {{s|wikirby|Super Ability}} of the same name. Kirby wields a gigantic sword to repeatedly slash the opponent before enlarging the sword and then concluding with a powerful downward slash. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 31% in the ''3DS'' version.
}}
}}


===Taunts===
===Stats===
*A "Kirby Dance" similar to his victory dances and in the Kirby games.
{{Attributes
*Spins around, then stops, sticking out his left leg and saying "Eeu!". Almost identical to the "preview" animation shown when he is chosen in the original Super Smash Bros.
|cast = 58
*Faces the screen and says his signature elongated "Hi".
|weight = 79
|rweight = 51-54
|dash = 1.5
|rdash = 25-41
|run = 1.57
|rrun = 31
|walk = 0.93
|rwalk = 43
|trac = 0.0493
|rtrac = 41
|airfric = 0.015
|rairfric = 6-19
|air = 0.8
|rair = 55
|baseaccel = 0.03
|rbaseaccel = 6-7
|addaccel = 0.065
|raddaccel = 30-34
|gravity = 0.06405
|rgravity = 56
|fall = 1.23
|rfall = 55
|ff = 1.968
|rff = 55
|jumpsquat = 4
|rjumpsquat = 1-13
|jumpheight = 25.368114
|rjumpheight = 57
|shorthop = 12.241816
|rshorthop = 56
|djump = 21.04669712, 18.50584782, 15.9203607, 13.3388484, 10.81397463
|rdjump = 57
|ellag = 4
|rellag = 1-46
}}
 
===[[Announcer]] call===
{{audio|Needs announcer calls from other languages.}}
<gallery>
Kirby English Announcer SSB4-SSBU.wav|English/Japanese/Chinese
</gallery>
 
===[[On-screen appearance]]===
{{appearance
|desc=Rides on a {{s|wikirby|Warp Star}} and crashes it onto the stage.
|char=Kirby
|game=SSB4}}


====On-Screen Appearance====
===[[Taunt]]s===
Kirby rides in on a [[Warp Star]] and crashes down.
{{Taunt/SSB4
|char=Kirby
|desc-up=Shuffles to one side, then shuffles to the opposite side before spinning and then holding his arm up. It is almost identical to one of his victory dances in [[Kirby (universe)|his home series]].
|desc-side=Spins repeatedly, then stops to balance on one leg and extend one arm and say "Eeu!" It is almost identical to his "character selection" animation in ''SSB''.
|desc-down=Leans inward to face the screen and wave his arms while saying "Hi!"}}


====Victory Fanfare====
===[[Idle pose]]s===
A flourished remix directly from ''Brawl''. It is a remix of the short recurring theme that plays when Kirby completes a stage or defeats a boss, debuting in Kirby's Dream Land. It is shared with {{SSB4|King Dedede}}.
{{Idle
|desc-1=Hops to look off-screen, then hops back into his default position.
|desc-2=Briefly nods off, then shakes his head and wakes up.
|image-1=KirbyIdlePose1SSB4.jpg
|image-2=KirbyIdlePose2SSB4.jpg}}


==[[Alternate costume (SSB4)#Kirby|Alternate costumes]]==
===[[Crowd cheer]]===
{|style="margin:1em auto 1em auto;text-align:center"
{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"
|-
!{{{name|}}}
!Cheer (English)
!Cheer (Japanese)
!Cheer (Spanish)
|-
! scope="row"|Cheer
|[[File:Kirby Cheer English SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Kirby Cheer Japanese SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]||{{NTSC}} [[File:Kirby Cheer Spanish NTSC SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Kirby Cheer Spanish PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]
|-
! scope="row"|Description
|Kir - by! || Ka - a - bii! || Kir - by!
|-
!{{{name|}}}
!Cheer (French)
!Cheer (German)
!Cheer (Italian)
|-
|-
|colspan=8|[[File:Kirby Palette (SSB4).png]]
! scope="row"|Cheer
|{{NTSC}} [[File:Kirby Cheer French NTSC SSB4.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Kirby Cheer French PAL SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:Kirby Cheer German SSB4.ogg|center]]||[[File:Kirby Cheer Italian SSB4 SSBU.ogg|center]]
|-
|-
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px}}
! scope="row"|Description
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Yellow}}
|Kir - by ! || Kir - by! || Kir - by!
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Red}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Green}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=White}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Orange}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4-3|s=50px|cl=Purple}}
|}
|}


==Trophies==
===[[Victory pose]]s===
==={{for3ds}} trophy descriptions===
{{Victory/SSB4
Kirby's regular trophy can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]] and his alternative trophy can be obtained by completing [[All-Star mode]].
|victory-theme=KirbyUniverseTheme.ogg
|victory-desc=A flourished remix of the short, recurring theme that debuted in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby's Dream Land}}'' and which plays when [[Kirby]] completes a stage or defeats a boss.
|desc-1=Spins to turn his back to the screen and then briefly wiggles, does a front flip to face the screen, and then holds his arm up.
|desc-2=Skids to the right, spins and then holds his arm up.
|desc-3=Brings his arms down twice, does a cartwheel, and then holds his arm up.
|char=Kirby}}
 
==In [[competitive play]]==
===[[Official Custom Moveset Project]]===
{{OfficialCustomMoves
|char=Kirby
|set1=3231
|set2=3232
|set3=3233
|set4=1231
|set5=1131
|set6=3133
|set7=3131
|set8=2231
|set9=3221
|set10=3331
}}
 
===Most historically significant players===
<!--This character has a ten player limit for this section. Before adding and/or removing a player, read these guidelines: https://www.ssbwiki.com/SmashWiki:Notability#%22Most_historically_significant_players%22_guidelines.-->
 
''See also: [[:Category:Kirby players (SSB4)]]''
 
*{{Sm|Jesuischoq|France}} - The best Kirby player in Europe. He made strong placements as a solo-Kirby main at some of the most populated ''Smash 4'' tournaments in Europe, placing 13th at {{Trn|talent.io}}, as well as 25th at {{Trn|Deflagration}} and {{Trn|Respawn 6}}.
*{{Sm|Komota|USA}} - The best Kirby player in the world, although seldomly competed in tournaments. Despite his inconsistent activity, he performed one of the best low-tier upsets by defeating {{Sm|Ally}} at {{Trn|Frostbite 2017}} and placing 33rd overall. He also placed 25th at {{Trn|The Big House 8}}, which is the best solo-Kirby placement at a ''Smash 4'' major.
*{{Sm|MikeKirby|USA}} - Considered to be the best Kirby player in the world during 2015 to 2016. He placed top 16 at many early Tri-state events such as 5th at {{Trn|KTAR XIV}} and 9th at {{Trn|KTAR XII}} defeating {{Sm|Salem}}. He also performed decently at some larger tournaments, such as 13th at {{Trn|Glitch}} and 49th at {{Trn|Apex 2015}}.
*{{Sm|Poyo|USA}} - One of the best Kirby players in the world. While some of her results were mixed with {{SSB4|Luigi}}, she was one of the few Kirby players to hold multiple top 64s at major/supermajors, placing 33rd at {{Trn|The Big House 7}} and 49th at {{Trn|Shine 2017}}.
 
===Tier placement and history===
Due to the considerable nerfs Kirby received in his transition from ''Brawl'', he has always been considered a non-viable character within the ''SSB4'' metagame, even in spite of game updates noticeably buffing him. This has been due to his only success occurring at local tournaments, whereas his results at regional and national tournaments have been very sparse. Many smashers also took note of Kirby's overall poor matchup spread as characters like with large disjoints, and strong good kill power ({{SSB4|Cloud}} being a primary example) as well as zoning characters with effective projectiles ({{SSB4|Pac-Man}}, {{SSB4|Mega Man}}, {{SSB4|Toon Link}} and {{SSB4|Villager}} being good examples) do very well against him. These aspects culminated with Kirby being placed at 33rd on the first [[tier list]] as the 2nd highest low tier character.
 
Kirby did not fare well after the next updates as characters like {{SSB4|Marth}}, {{SSB4|Lucina}}, {{SSB4|Duck Hunt}}, {{SSB4|Shulk}}, {{SSB4|Link}} and {{SSB4|Mewtwo}} who were initially considered to be worse than Kirby proved to not only become better than him, but proved to be very troublesome matchups as well due to them having excellent tools to prevent Kirby from approaching. The release of {{SSB4|Cloud}} and {{SSB4|Corrin}} also hurt him since they too proved to be tough matchups for Kirby. This resulted in Kirby's already scarce results to become even worse than before.
 
Kirby would then drop to 41st on the second tier list, and eventually to 47th on the third tier list, with the latter drop being tied with {{SSB4|Pit}} and {{SSB4|Yoshi}}'s for the second largest between the second and third tier lists. However, {{Sm|Komota}} later scored an upset by defeating {{Sm|Ally}} at [[Frostbite 2017]] and placing 33rd at said tournament. Due to this, his tier placement has been widely debated, with some players believing he should be placed slightly higher due to niche matchups against much higher tiered characters, such as {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and {{SSB4|Fox}}. However, due to his continually sparse results after Frostbite 2017, Kirby has since dropped to 49th on the fourth and final tier list.
 
Since then, Kirby has failed to make a significant impact at tournaments as he hardly has any tournament representation outside of {{Sm|Komota}} who never places high at supermajors. Meanwhile, characters lower than Kirby have all performed much higher with {{Sm|ZAKI}} getting 17th at [[Smash 'N' Splash 4]] and [[2GG: Hyrule Saga]] while defeating {{Sm|MKLeo}} and {{Sm|Rags}}; {{Sm|Onpu}} and {{Sm|Rizeasu}} performing very well in Japan with the former taking {{Sm|WaDi}} to game 3 as {{SSB4|Zelda}}; {{Sm|Pon}}, {{Sm|Gungnir}} and {{Sm|Rickles}} doing work with {{SSB4|Ganondorf}} in their regions with {{Sm|Pon}} beating {{Sm|Ally}}, {{Sm|Gungnir}} getting 17th at [[Umebura Japan Major 2017]] while defeating {{Sm|Taiheita}} and {{Sm|Earth}}; and {{Sm|Captain L}} using {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}} as an effective secondary taking sets off of {{Sm|Larry Lurr}}, {{Sm|BestNess}}, {{Sm|John Numbers}} {{Sm|Blank}}, {{Sm|Strike}}, {{Sm|Pandarian}} and even took {{Sm|ESAM}} to game 5 with the character.


:'''Kirby'''
Due to Kirby's meager tournament results and his glaring weaknesses some smashers claim that he should be even lower due to his overwhelming weaknesses with {{Sm|ESAM}} ranking him as the 3rd worst character in the game, putting him below {{SSB4|King Dedede}}, {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}, {{SSB4|Zelda}} and even below {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}}, who is widely considered to be the worst character in the game, as well as {{Sm|Raito}} and {{Sm|Dabuz}} claiming that he's the absolute worst character in the game. Others, however, think that he is underrated and that he should be ranked relatively higher due to his excellent combo game, good kill power and great edgeguarding.
::'''NA:''' ''Round little Kirby lives on the peaceful Planet Popstar, in Dream Land. He can inhale things with his big mouth, either copying their abilities or spitting them out again. In Smash Bros., Kirby can inhale opponents and copy their standard specials. He gets launched easily but recovers well.''
::'''PAL:''' ''A roly-poly little fella from Dream Land on Planet Popstar. He can inhale pretty much anyone or anything with that big gob of his, then spit them out or copy their abilities. He can copy opponents' standard specials in this game, too! His light weight means he gets launched easily, but with a series of mid-air jumps, recovering's not too tricky.''


:'''Kirby (Alt.)'''
==In Solo Modes==
::'''NA:''' ''Holding the special button and left or right will charge up Kirby's Hammer Flip attack. Charging too long hurts Kirby! The hammer strikes twice in the air, but landing the single blow on the ground is more powerful. Kirby's up special Final Cutter slices up and down, firing a shock wave upon landing.''
===[[All-Star Mode]]===
::'''PAL:''' ''Charge up Kirby's Hammer side special to unleash Hammer Flip, a move with serious launch power. Charge it too much, though, and you'll get hurt! The move hits twice in mid-air, but does more damage on the ground. Final Cutter slices up and down before sending out an energy wave. Move Kirby mid-jump to change where he lands.''
In All-Star Mode, Kirby is fought in Stage 4 in both versions alongside {{SSB4|Fox}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}, {{SSB4|Wario}}, {{SSB4|Sonic}}, and {{SSB4|King Dedede}}.


==={{GameIcon|SSB4-U}}[[Event Match]]es===
====Solo Events====
* '''[[All-Star Battle: Regulars]]''': Kirby is among the opponents fought in this event. All of the opponents are the eight starter characters of the [[List of Super Smash Bros. series characters#"Perfect-attendance crew"|"perfect-attendance crew"]] from ''SSB''.
* '''[[Kirby's Crazy Appetite]]''': Kirby must heal by eating [[food]] on the stage while three {{SSB4|King Dedede}}s try to hinder his progress. After some time, two more King Dededes will appear. Kirby will be at 100% on Easy, 125% on Normal and 140% on Hard, while the King Dededes will be at 50% on Easy/Normal and 0% on Hard.
====Co-op Events====
* '''[[A Fairy Nice Trip]]''': {{SSB4|Link}} and {{SSB4|Pac-Man}} must survive against four Kirbys until reaching [[Pac-Land|Fairy Land]].
* '''[[Food Fight]]''': A damaged Kirby and King Dedede must defeat {{SSB4|Wario}}, {{SSB4|Yoshi}}, and Pac-Man.
* '''[[Getting Healthy]]''': {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} and {{SSB4|Little Mac}} must defeat Kirby and Pac-Man.
* '''[[The Ultimate Battle]]''': Two players select a character and must defeat the entire roster.
* '''[[Viral Visitors]]''': {{SSB4|Dr. Mario}} and {{SSB4|Peach}} must defeat four Kirbys.
* '''[[Visiting Onett]]''': {{SSB4|Ness}} and {{SSB4|Villager}} must defeat Kirby, {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}, {{SSB4|Fox}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, {{SSB4|Olimar}} and {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}. All opponents are outer space-based characters.
===[[Congratulations screen]]s===
<center>
<center>
====3DS====
<gallery>
<gallery>
KirbyTrophy3DS.png|Classic
SSB4-3DS Congratulations Classic Kirby.png|Classic Mode
KirbyAllStarTrophy3DS.png|Alt.
SSB4-3DS Congratulations All-Star Kirby.png|All-Star Mode
</gallery>
-===Wii U====
<gallery>
SSB4-Wii U Congratulations Classic Kirby.png|Classic Mode
SSB4-Wii U Congratulations All-Star Kirby.png|All-Star Mode
</gallery>
</gallery>
</center>
</center>
==[[Trophies]]==
Kirby's default trophy is obtained by clearing Classic Mode as Kirby. His alternate trophy is obtained by clearing All-Star Mode as Kirby in the 3DS version or purchasing it in the Trophy Shop for 1000G in the Wii U version (the latter can only appear after clearing Classic or All-Star as Kirby). The Ultra Sword trophy is obtained only in the Wii U version by clearing All-Star Mode as Kirby.
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Kirby
|image-3ds=KirbyTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=KirbyTrophyWiiU.png
|mode=Classic
|desc-3ds-ntsc=Round little Kirby lives on the peaceful Planet Popstar, in Dream Land. He can inhale things with his big mouth, either copying their abilities or spitting them out again. In Smash Bros., Kirby can inhale opponents and copy their standard specials. He gets launched easily but recovers well.
|desc-wiiu-ntsc=Pudgy, little Kirby lives in the peaceful hills of Dream Land on the Planet Popstar. He can inhale things with his big mouth, either copying their abilities or spitting them out again. In Smash Bros., Kirby can inhale opponents and copy their standard specials. He gets launched easily but recovers well.
|desc-pal=A roly-poly little fella from Dream Land on Planet Popstar. He can inhale pretty much anyone or anything with that big gob of his, then spit them out or copy their abilities. He can copy opponents' standard specials in this game, too! His light weight means he gets launched easily, but with a series of mid-air jumps, recovering's not too tricky.
|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=SNES|game2=Kirby Super Star|release2=08/1996}}
|gamelist-pal={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=SNES|game2=Kirby's Fun Pak|release2=01/1997}}
}}
{{clrl}}
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Kirby (Alt.)
|image-3ds=KirbyAltTrophy3DS.png
|image-wiiu=KirbyAltTrophyWiiU.png
|mode=Alt
|desc-ntsc=Holding the special button and left or right will charge up Kirby's Hammer Flip attack. Charging too long hurts Kirby! The hammer strikes twice in the air, but landing the single blow on the ground is more powerful. Kirby's up special Final Cutter slices up and down, firing a shock wave upon landing.
|desc-pal=Charge up Kirby's Hammer side special to unleash Hammer Flip, a move with serious launch power. Charge it too much, though, and you'll get hurt! The move hits twice in mid-air, but does more damage on the ground. Final Cutter slices up and down before sending out an energy wave. Move Kirby mid-jump to change where he lands.
|gamelist-ntsc={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=SNES|game2=Kirby Super Star|release2=08/1996}}
|gamelist-pal={{Trophy games|console1=GB|game1=Kirby's Dream Land|release1=08/1992|console2=SNES|game2=Kirby's Fun Pak|release2=01/1997}}
}}
{{clrl}}
{{Trophy/Fighter
|name=Ultra Sword
|image=UltraSwordTrophyWiiU.png
|desc-ntsc=For Kirby's Final Smash, he swings a sword that's waaay bigger than he is. If the first swing hits, he'll keep going with a combo of lightning-fast slices, dealing tons of damage. For the last swing, the sword grows even larger and launches any victims. Make sure that first swing hits, though, or nothing else will happen!
|desc-pal=For Kirby's Final Smash, he swings around a sword that's waaay bigger than he is. If the first swing hits, he'll keep going with a combo of lightning-fast slices, dealing tons of damage. For the last swing, the sword grows even larger and launches its target. It's great, so make sure that first swing hits, or none of the rest will happen!
|game=ssb4-wiiu
}}
{{clrl}}
==[[Alternate costume (SSB4)#Kirby|Alternate costumes]]==
{|style="margin:1em auto 1em auto;text-align:center"
|-
|colspan=8|[[File:Kirby Palette (SSB4).png]]
|-
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Yellow}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Blue}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Red}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Green}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=White}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Orange}}
|{{Head|Kirby|g=SSB4|s=50px|cl=Purple}}
|}
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
Kirby Direct.png|Kirby in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.
Kirby Direct.png|Kirby in the Nintendo Direct from April 8th, 2014.
Kirby amiibo.png|Kirby's amiibo.
Kirby amiibo.png|Kirby's [[Amiibo]].
Kirby Wii U SSB4 E3 2013.png|Kirby's appearance during [[E3]] 2013.
Kirby Wii U SSB4 E3 2013.png|Kirby's appearance during [[E3]] 2013.
Kirby3DS.jpg|Kirby's appearance in the 3DS version of the game.
Kirby3DS.jpg|Kirby [[teeter]]ing in {{for3ds}}.
KirbyFinalCutter3DS.jpg|Kirby using [[Final Cutter]] in the 3DS version of the game.
KirbyFinalCutter3DS.jpg|Using [[Final Cutter]].
KirbyHammer3DS.jpg|Kirby using {{b|Hammer|move}} in the 3DS version of the game with {{SSB4|Bowser}} on [[Battlefield (SSB4)|Battlefield ]].
KirbyHammer3DS.jpg|Using [[Hammer (move)|Hammer Flip]] on {{SSB4|Bowser}}.
KirbydairSSB4.jpg|Kirby using his [[down aerial]] on {{SSB4|Fox}} in the Wii U version of the game.
KirbydairSSB4.jpg|Using his [[down aerial]] on {{SSB4|Fox}} in {{forwiiu}}.
KirbyFinalCutterWiiU.png|Kirby using [[Final Cutter]] on {{SSB4|Mario}} in the Wii U version of the game in [[Town and City]].
KirbyFinalCutterWiiU.png|Using Final Cutter on {{SSB4|Mario}}.
Kirby Jab Wii U SSB4.png|Kirby using his neutral attack in the Wii U version of the game.
Kirby Jab Wii U SSB4.png|Using his neutral infinite on Mario.
Kirby Air Hammer SSB4 Wii U.jpg|Kirby using Hammer while airborne in the Wii U version of the game.
Kirby Air Hammer SSB4 Wii U.jpg|Using Hammer Flip while in midair.
Mario Fair Meteor Smashes Kirby SSB4.jpg|Kirby getting [[meteor smash]]ed by {{SSB4|Mario}}'s [[forward aerial]].
Mario Fair Meteor Smashes Kirby SSB4.jpg|Kirby getting [[meteor smash]]ed by Mario's [[forward aerial]].
SSB4 Toon Link Screen-5.jpg|Kirby with {{SSB4|Toon Link}} and {{SSB4|Pikachu}}.
SSB4 Toon Link Screen-5.jpg|Kirby taunting alongside {{SSB4|Toon Link}} and {{SSB4|Pikachu}}.
Sonic Forward Tilt SSB4.jpg|{{SSB4|Sonic}} kicking {{SSB4|Fox}} and Kirby on the [[Spirit Train]].
Sonic Forward Tilt SSB4.jpg|[[Crouch]]ing while {{SSB4|Sonic}} uses his neutral attack on Fox.
Mario Kirby Samus Toon Link Battlefield SSB4.jpg|Kirby fighting {{SSB4|Mario}}, {{SSB4|Samus}} and {{SSB4|Toon Link}}.
Mario Kirby Samus Toon Link Battlefield SSB4.jpg|Kirby fighting Mario, {{SSB4|Samus}} and Toon Link.
Luigi and mario copying kirby.jpg|[[Taunt]]ing with Mario and {{SSB4|Luigi}}.
Luigi and mario copying kirby.jpg|[[Taunt]]ing alongside Mario and {{SSB4|Luigi}}.
Pikachu3DS.jpg|On the [[Spirit Train]] stage with Pikachu.
Pikachu3DS.jpg|Alongside Pikachu.
MissileSSB4.jpg|[[Duck]]ing under Samus' [[Missile]] with Mario.
MissileSSB4.jpg|[[Crouching]] under Samus' [[Missile]] alongside Mario.
Villager Turnip.png|Being hit by {{SSB4|Villager}}'s [[down aerial]].
Villager Turnip.png|Kirby being hit by {{SSB4|Villager}}'s down aerial.
Boxing Ring PO Design.jpg|In the [[Boxing Ring]] with {{SSB4|King Dedede}}.
Boxing Ring PO Design.jpg|With {{SSB4|King Dedede}} on [[Boxing Ring]].
Wii Fit Kirby.jpg|With the {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}} on [[Wii Fit Studio]].
Wii Fit Kirby.jpg|Using his side taunt alongside {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}'s forward tilt.
SSB4 Smash Ball.jpg|Forward aerial with Luigi and a [[Smash Ball]] on [[Pyrosphere]].
SSB4 Smash Ball.jpg|Jumping above Luigi's [[Green Missile]] while near a [[Smash Ball]].
SSB4WiiU-Charizard8.jpg|Kirby wearing an [[Copy Ability (disambiguation)|Ability Hat]] with {{SSB4|Charizard}}.
SSB4WiiU-Charizard8.jpg|Kirby wearing an [[List of Copy Abilities|Ability Hat]] he copied from {{SSB4|Charizard}}.
SSB4-U Hammer Flip.png|Kirby charging Hammer Flip.
SSB4-U Hammer Flip.png|Charging Hammer Flip.
SSB4 - Dragoon.jpg|Kirby riding [[Dragoon]].
SSB4 - Dragoon.jpg|Riding [[Dragoon]].
Kirby new palette swap.jpg|Kirby with a new palette swap with {{SSB4|Charizard}} and {{SSB4|Meta Knight}} on [[Halberd]].
Kirby new palette swap.jpg|One of Kirby's new alternate costumes alongside Charizard and {{SSB4|Meta Knight}}.
File:SSB4 Kirby Ending.png
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*The ability to charge Kirby's Hammer was actually intended for ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', as shown through unused animations found via hacking.
*Kirby cannot copy [[Character customization|custom moves]]. However, his side custom move affects his {{SSB4|Olimar}} [[List of Copy Abilities|Copy Ability]], as the attack changes to match the variant of [[Pikmin Throw]].
*Kirby cannot copy [[custom special moves]], even if he swallows a character that has them equipped.
*Based on unused animations discovered via hacking, the ability to charge Kirby's Hammer appears to have originally been intended for ''Brawl''.
** Despite this, he has voice clips for all of Palutena's available neutral specials, suggesting that either he was able to copy customs at one point in development, or that it was not yet decided which of Palutena's moves would be the defaults.
*Kirby has unused voice clips for all of {{SSB4|Palutena}}'s neutral specials, suggesting that at one point in development he was planned to be able to copy Palutena's custom moves, or that Palutena's default neutral special move was undecided.
*''Super Smash Bros. 4'' is the first game in the series in which Kirby does not have a different [[dash attack]], as he retains his dash attack from Brawl.
*''SSB4'' is the only game in the series where Kirby's dash attack hasn't been changed, as his break spin attack from ''Brawl'' was retained. (In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]],'' it would revert back to his prior burning attack from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.)
*Kirby's alternate trophy in {{for3ds}} shows his gray alternate color as having blue eyes, but it has gray eyes in-game.
*At a total of 80, Kirby has the most sound clips of any character, with his amount of clips being rivaled only by the [[Announcer]].
*Kirby's alt. trophy in {{for3ds}} has his gray [[alternate costume]] with blue eyes instead of gray eyes.
*Kirby's blue alternate costume depicts the interior of mouth as retaining its normal coloration on the character selection screen and during his normal expressions. However, it appears blue while Inhaling.
*Kirby's [[screen KO]] resembles his screen KO in ''Kirby: Triple Deluxe''. His pose in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' more closely resembles his face's position in that game, whereas his facial expression in ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' more closely resembles his expression in that game.
*A glitch existed where if Kirby [[Inhale (Kirby)|copied]] either {{SSB4|Mr. Game & Watch}}, {{SSB4|Donkey Kong}}, {{SSB4|Falco}}, or {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}, broke the [[Smash Ball]], and performed a [[taunt|down taunt]] while in standby, his eyes would [[:File:NoGlowingEyesKirby.JPG|no longer glow]]. Interestingly, if Kirby copied the ability again after using the Final Smash or [[self-destruct]]ing (excluding Mr. Game & Watch), his eyes [[:File:GlowingEyesKirby.JPG|would be glowing]]. This was fixed in update [[1.1.4]].
*During the development of ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'', Kirby didn't emote in any way at all.
*[http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/kirby/images/6/65/KPR_Kirby_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20160417172728&path-prefix=en One] of Kirby's official artwork poses in ''{{s|wikirby|Kirby: Planet Robobot}}'' is almost identical to his official artwork pose from ''SSB4'', with the only differences being his {{s|wikirby|Robobot Armor}} helmet and a closed smile.
*When Kirby uses any of his side special moves off-screen and is shown in the [[Hoop damage|magnifying glass]], Kirby's normal motion will be seen, but his hammer will not.
 
==References==
{{reflist}}


{{SSB4Characters}}
{{SSB4Characters}}
{{Kirby universe}}
{{Kirby universe}}
[[Category:Kirby (SSB4)]]
[[Category:Kirby (SSB4)| ]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-3DS)]]
[[Category:Trophies (SSB4-Wii U)]]
[[es:Kirby (SSB4)]]

Latest revision as of 21:58, December 18, 2024

This article is about Kirby's appearance in Super Smash Bros. 4. For the character in other contexts, see Kirby.
Kirby
in Super Smash Bros. 4
Kirby SSB4.png
KirbySymbol.svg
Universe Kirby
Other playable appearances in SSB
in Melee
in Brawl
in Ultimate
Availability Starter
Final Smash Ultra Sword
Tier F (49)
Kirby (SSB4)

Kirby (カービィ, Kirby) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. He was confirmed during the E3 Nintendo Direct on June 11th, 2013.[1] Makiko Ōmoto returns as his voice actor with new voice clips, sounding more akin to his appearances from Kirby's Return to Dream Land onward.

Kirby is ranked 49th out of 54 on the tier list, thus going into the F tier. This is a significant drop from his placement in Brawl, where he was ranked 20th out of 38 characters. Among his strengths are fast attacks for naturally-flowing combos, including up tilt, forward throw, and down aerial – the latter of which is also a great KO set-up attack – and good edgeguarding ability thanks to his versatile forward aerial and powerful back aerial. Kirby's multitude of jumps allow him to recover from long distances and mix up his landings. His small size also makes him difficult to hit, especially while crouching, and he can flexibly and efficiently KO opponents with his powerful smash attacks and back aerial.

However, this comes at the cost of poor endurance. Kirby is one of the lightest and floatiest characters in the game, and his recovery, despite its distance, is linear and predictable. Kirby's mobility and approach are very poor, as he is slow, floaty, and lacks an effective projectile. He also has poor reach in most of his attacks due to his small size and short limbs.

Attributes[edit]

Kirby is a small, short lightweight, tied for the fifth-lightest character in the game. Aside from his average dashing speed, his mobility is poor: he walks slowly and has low traction, while having the fourth-slowest air speed and falling speed, and the third-lowest gravity, but high air acceleration, being the 15th highest. His jumps are very low on their own, but he boasts six of them – tied with Jigglypuff and Meta Knight for the most jumps in the game.

Kirby is a simple character suitable for beginners, and this can be observed in the versatility of his moveset. Many of his attacks are characterized by speed and combo ability, with some outliers trading those strengths for raw power. His jab and forward tilt are both fast and effective close-quarter attacks, while up tilt is a highly versatile attack which combos into itself cleanly. Down tilt is weak, but its speed and Sakurai angle allow it to trip opponents consistently. His smash attacks are notably strong without being particularly slow, making them excellent finishing moves.

Kirby's grab game is similarly effective, as he boasts a fast grab, an effective pummel, and a set of useful throws. His forward throw can cleanly fit into any part of a combo and enables Kirby to set up long and highly damaging follow-ups, even a down aerial into a regrab. Back throw can KO on the ledge at high percentages, and up throw can KO even earlier off the top (especially if he lands on a platform with it. Lastly, down throw, while not especially useful overall, can rack up damage when no other throw can yield better results.

Complementing his six jumps, Kirby has effective aerial attacks as well. Neutral aerial's long duration and short landing lag allow him to protect himself when landing, while forward aerial is an excellent all-around attack for combos, edgeguarding, and KOing at high percentages. His back aerial takes that principle even further, being his fastest and strongest aerial. Up aerial is a standard attack for juggling and low-damage combos, allowing for many potential followups. Finally, his down aerial, while slow, is a multi-hitting spike with low landing lag and generally little risk, making it a great tool for both edgeguarding and setups on grounded opponents.

Kirby's special moveset has some interesting options. Inhale allows him to either copy the neutral special of any character he Inhales, or spit them out as a weight-dependent projectile. The latter can be used to Kirbycide or put the opponent below the stage, almost eliminating their chances of recovering. Depending on what character he copies, the gained neutral special has the potential to greatly improve his kit – whether from an effective projectile like Falco's Blaster or Luigi's Fireball, or a massively beneficial and versatile technique like Monado Arts.

Hammer Flip is very powerful, especially when fully charged. Its slow speed, however, makes it very difficult to use outside of edge-guarding or after a shield break. Final Cutter is Kirby's recovery move and is decent at that, granting good vertical distance and decent horizontal distance, as well as decent protection during his ascent and descent. It also emits a shockwave upon landing, making it difficult to punish if not at point-blank range. Lastly, Stone causes Kirby to plummet straight down and ignore damage by any move that deals less than 30%. It is also very strong and can be canceled at any time, making it useful for playing mindgames.

However, Kirby has noticeable flaws. His most prominent weakness is his endurance. Being light and floaty, Kirby cannot endure strong hits at high percents. He is also very vulnerable to juggling, due to his aforementioned slow falling and air speeds. Rage further compounds these issues, as Kirby will be launched even earlier, while he will typically not endure long enough in order to take advantage of it.

Kirby's poor mobility not only makes it significantly difficult for him to approach and pressure opponents, but also makes him susceptible to fast characters like Sonic, or those with disjointed hitboxes like Marth and Cloud. In addition, his very long-distanced recovery is very slow, making aggressive edge-guarding and gimp-oriented moves, such as F.L.U.D.D. or meteor smashes, detrimental to him. Kirby's range is also mediocre at best, and his strongest moves happen to be his slowest, making it difficult for him to KO opponents outside of edge-guarding or without a set-up.

Overall, Kirby tends to run hot and cold, similarly to Luigi. He can inflict an impressive amount of damage if he gets close to his opponent thanks to his potent combo game, but doing so is difficult for him due to his poor mobility. As such, Kirby functions well with a bait and punish playstyle, although being unprepared for an opponent's approach can be hazardous due to his unimpressive survivability. Kirby has achieved average tournament representation and some degree of success: Poyo, Triple R and Prince Kirby have each won numerous local tournaments and continue to place very well at them in singles and doubles play, while MikeKirby and K.I.D.Goggles have collectively achieved a handful of notable results at regional and national tournaments.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]

Kirby has received some rather significant nerfs in the transition from Brawl to SSB4. Most of his issues in Brawl were not only retained but worsened and he also suffers from new weaknesses. Kirby's already mediocre range has been reduced further, with his feet becoming smaller and several general nerfs to hitbox sizes. This makes it even easier for opponents to wall out Kirby especially with the cast having greater range overall. Kirby's air mobility as also taken a hit as his air acceleration is lower, and unlike most returning veterans, his air speed has been decreased, which hindering both his recovery and ability to escape aerial pressure. As with his transition from each new Smash game as well as with most of the returning veterans, Kirby's damage output has been decreased. Some of Kirby's moves have also seen changes which greatly hinder their utility, with forward aerial having more ending lag and no longer autocanceling in a short hop due to a combination of its autocancel window being unchanged and Kirby's higher gravity and lower jumps, and dash attack and connecting less reliably due to its much shorter range, but the attacks that were affected the most were down throw and aerial Hammer Flip, losing most of their previous utility: the former has lost all of its followup potential due to its more unfavorable angle and increased knockback, while the latter has much more startup lag and has lost its recovery and edgeguarding potential, as to it's no longer being a semispike and now stalls Kirby's horizontal momentum instead of his vertical momentum.

Smash 4's adjusted mechanics have both helped and hindered Kirby. The changes to hitstun canceling overall help Kirby, strengthening his ability to combo opponents. It does, however, make Kirby slightly easier to combo himself, especially due to his increased weight, fall speed and gravity. Without the ability to momentum cancel, Kirby's already poor endurance has been further reduced, although he had poor momentum canceling in Brawl, and his higher weight somewhat compensates for it. The inclusion of rage further exacerbates this issue, and while it improves Kirby's own KO potential, his poor endurance combined with his lack of a ladder combo or early kill confirm prevents him from making great use of the mechanic. The changes to aerial grab releases, however, now make him much less vulnerable to those kinds of followups.

Kirby has seen some buffs, however. His considerably faster dashing speed improves his approach, while some less reliable moves like Inhale and down aerial have been given new utility, with the former being faster and the latter connecting better due to using the autolink angle and its landing hit has less knockback and launches higher, making it better for combos, and forward and back throw are also more useful for combos due to the former's new angle and reduced ending lag, and the latter also has received KO potential thanks to its altered knockback, increasing its versatility overall. Other attacks, namely his up smash, down smash, back aerial, back throw and up throw, were given more KO power – and this can be better taken advantage of in the new environment of Smash 4, in the absence of momentum cancelling and the presence of rage. His Hammer Flip now can be charged, has more range, no longer has sourspots and Kirby can move and jump while charging the attack.

Overall, while Kirby still retains most of the strengths he had in Brawl including his solid combo ability and KO potential for his character archetype, his weaknesses were amplified and he gained new weaknesses most notably, his reduced range and aerial mobility. While the changes to the game's mechanics benefit him overall, they do not aid him as much as some of the other returning veterans. As a result, Kirby fares overall worse than in Brawl.

Aesthetics[edit]

  • Change Due to the aesthetic used in SSB4, Kirby's overall color scheme is more vibrant. His feet are also slightly smaller, and his skin appears to have significantly more diffused shading, with decreased difference in brightness between the lit and shaded sides of his body. Altogether, these changes make Kirby appear significantly more in line with his appearance as of Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
    • Change Kirby's mouth is now, by default, a texture rather than a modeled part of his body.
  • Change Kirby has received two new alternate costumes, one of which is based on an unmasked Meta Knight.
  • Change Kirby is significantly more expressive. He now sports a stern look when performing a number of moves, similarly to how he does in Return to Dream Land, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and Kirby: Triple Deluxe. His facial expressions when being attacked are also more exaggerated, such as his screen KOs depicting him as Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DShaving teary eyes; his mouth closed; and the right side of his face pressed against the screen, or Super Smash Bros. for Wii Uhaving wincing eyes; his mouth open; and his whole face pressed against the screen. Both of Kirby's screen KO expressions are based on his expression when an attack slams him against the screen in Triple Deluxe.
  • Change Kirby's face now faces the screen, regardless of whether he is facing left or right.
  • Change Due to removal of the sound effects and cheers from the Sound Test, Kirby's Sound Test section has now been re-merged into one section, with the voice clips used for the copy abilities listed after his regular voice clips.

Attributes[edit]

  • Change Kirby is smaller. This makes his hurtbox slightly smaller, but hinders his range.
  • Buff Due to the general change in size between small and large characters, Kirby's smaller size significantly improves his crouch's defensive potential.
  • Nerf However, Kirby's feet are smaller with many of his hitboxes being much smaller in order to match the new length of his feet. This significantly hinders his range.
  • Nerf Kirby walks slightly slower (0.95 → 0.93).
  • Buff Kirby dashes significantly faster (1.371 → 1.57), especially compared to the cast, going from the 29th fastest out of 39 characters to the 31st fastest out of 58.
  • Buff Kirby's weight was slightly increased (78 → 79). This slightly improves his endurance.
  • Nerf Kirby's air speed is slower (0.85 → 0.8), going from the 11th worst out of 39 characters to the 4th worst out of 58.
  • Nerf Kirby's air acceleration was decreased (0.11 → 0.095), going from the fifth highest in Brawl to being the 15th highest in SSB4.
  • Change Kirby's falling speed was slightly increased (1.2 → 1.23). This slightly improves Kirby's vertical endurance, but makes him slightly more susceptible to combos.
  • Buff Kirby's fast falling speed was increased (1.9 → 1.968), although it is much lower relative to the rest of the cast, going from the 22nd fastest out of 39 characters to the 4th slowest out of 58.
  • Change Kirby's gravity is higher (0.061 → 0.06405). This improves his aerial mobility, and somewhat alleviates the drawbacks of his floatiness however, it slightly hinders his endurance and makes him more susceptible to combos as well as reducing the height of his jumps.
    • Nerf As a consequence, double jumps are lower.
    • Change This also reduces the duration of his short hop (SH air time: 39 frames).
  • Buff Rolls have decreased ending lag (FAF 32 → 31).
  • Nerf Rolls have decreased intangibility frames (frames 4-19 → 4-17).
  • Nerf Spot dodge has decreased intangibility frames (frames 2-20 → 2-17) and has increased ending lag (FAF 26 → 27).
  • Buff Air dodge has decreased start-up (frame 4 → 3) and ending lag (FAF 50 → 33).
  • Nerf Air dodge's duration is shorter (frames 4-29 → 3-27).
  • Buff Soft landing is faster (3 frames → 2).

Ground attacks[edit]

  • Buff The weakening of SDI makes rapid jab and dash attack significantly more difficult to escape from.
  • Neutral attack:
    • Change The first hit's angle has been altered (361° → 55°). This allows it to connect better with the second hit, but removes its ability to lock.
    • Nerf The first and second hits have smaller hitboxes (3.3u → 3u).
    • Nerf The second hit has higher base knockback (8 → 15). This hinders its ability to lead into the rapid jab.
    • Nerf Neutral infinite now deals consistent damage (2% (near)/1% (far) → 1%).
    • Buff Rapid jab now has a finisher in the form of the Smash Punch from the Fighter ability. This greatly improves its safety if it connects.
  • Forward tilt:
    • Nerf Forward tilt has smaller hitboxes (5.1u/5.4u/4u → 3.1u/3.3u/3u).
  • Up tilt:
    • Change Up tilt deals less damage (7% (clean)/5% (late) → 5%/4%), without full compensation on its knockback scaling (102 (both) → 116 (clean)/110 (late)). This improves its combo potential, but hinders its damage racking and KO potential.
    • Change Clean up tilt's angle has been altered (92° → 100°).
    • Nerf It has a shorter duration and less intangibility (frames 4-10 → 4-9).
    • Nerf It has smaller hitboxes (5.5u/5u (clean)/4.5u/5u (late) → 4u/4u (both)).
  • Down tilt:
    • Buff Down tilt no longer has a sourspot, causing it to deal consistent damage (5%/6% → 6%).
    • Nerf It has smaller hitboxes and two of the previous hitboxes were removed due to Kirby's shorter feet (4.5u/4u/3.5u/3u → 3.7u/3.7u).
  • Dash attack:
    • Nerf Dash attack's looping hits deal less damage (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output (14% → 9%).
    • Nerf Its last hit uses a single small hitbox instead three larger hitboxes(5u/5u/8u → 3u), connecting less reliably from the looping hits and significantly reducing its range.
    • Nerf It has increased ending lag (FAF 50 → 54).
    • Buff The last hit has higher base knockback (90 → 100) and no longer has a sourspot with set knockback.
    • Change The last hit's hitlag has increased (1× → 2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
  • Forward smash:
    • Nerf Forward smash has increased startup lag with a shorter duration (frames 12-16 → 13-15 (clean), frames 17-21 → 16-19 (late)).
    • Nerf It has smaller hitboxes (6u/5.5u/(5u/4.5u) (clean/late) → 4.2u (clean)/3.5u (late)).
    • Nerf The late hit deals less damage (13% → 12%/11%/10%), although its knockback was somewhat compensated (25 (base), 96/94 (scaling) → 90/69).
    • Buff It is now interruptible, giving it less ending lag (FAF 50 → 48).
  • Non angled:
    • Change Clean non angled forward smash's knockback (38 (base), 98 (scaling) → 30/102) has been altered.
    • Nerf Its angle has been altered (38° → 361°) hindering its KO potential especially against aerial opponents.
    • Nerf The late hit sends opponents lower (73° → 60°).
  • Up angled:
    • Nerf Clean up angled forward smash deals less knockback (38 (base), 100 (scaling) → 30/102).
    • Buff Its angle has been altered (45° → 361°) improving its KO potential against grounded opponents.
    • Nerf The late hit sends opponents lower (82° → 60°).
  • Down angled:
    • Buff Clean down angled forward smash deals more knockback (38 (base), 96 (scaling) → 30/102).
    • Nerf Clean down angled forward smash no longer semi spikes (31° → 361°).
  • Up smash:
    • Buff Up smash's clean sweetspot deals more knockback (34 (base), 100 (scaling) → 33/104).
    • Buff The late hit has increased knockback scaling (50 → 52).
    • Buff It has a shorter total duration due to now being interruptible (FAF 50 → 48).
    • Nerf It has less intangibility (frames 14-24 → 14-19).
    • Nerf The clean sourspot has lower knockback scaling (100 → 99).
    • Nerf The mid hit has lower knockback scaling (100 → 98).
    • Nerf The late hit has a shorter duration (frames 17-24 → 17-19).
  • Down smash:
    • Buff Down smash is interruptible again, reducing its ending lag (FAF 56 → 54).
    • Buff It has greatly increased knockback, especially on its far hitboxes (30/20 (base), 100/85 (scaling) → 25/(110/108).
    • Change The late hit deals consistent damage (11%/9% → 10%).
    • Nerf Its angles have been altered (76°/28° → 69°) losing its semi-spike hitbox and having a lower angle. This significantly hinders its edge-guarding potential while also making it susceptible to LSI.

Aerial attacks[edit]

  • Neutral aerial:
    • Change Neutral aerial's angle has been altered (361° → 46°).
      • Nerf This removes its ability to lock.
      • Buff This improves its followup potential.
    • Nerf It deals less damage (12% (clean)/10% (mid)/8% (mid-late)/6% (late) → 10%/8%/6%/4%).
    • Nerf Its initial auto-cancel window has been reduced (frames 1-8 → 1-4).
    • Nerf It has slightly higher landing lag (9 frames → 10 frames).
    • Buff It deals more knockback (10 (base) 80 (scaling) → 30/90), slightly improving its KO potential despite its lower damage/altered angle.
  • Forward aerial:
    • Buff Forward aerial's first two hits are weight independent and their angles were altered to connect more consistently with the last hit (45° → 45°/80° (hit 1), 80° → 366° (hit 2)).
    • Buff The last hit has increased knockback scaling (138 → 148), making it better for spacing edgeguarding and improving its KO potential at very high percents.
    • Buff It has less landing lag (15 frames → 13).
    • Change The last hit's hitlag has increased (1× → 1.2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.
    • Nerf It has smaller hitboxes (5u/4.5u (hits 1-2)/6.5u/6.5u (hit 3) → 4.3u/4.3u (hit 1)/4.5u (hit 2)/4.9u (hit 3)).
    • Nerf It has more ending lag (FAF 44 → 48).
    • Nerf It can no longer auto-cancel in a short hop due to Kirby's lower short hop and higher gravity, causing its auto-cancel to fall short by one frame.
  • Back aerial:
    • Nerf Back aerial has smaller hitboxes (7u/6u (clean)/6u/6u (late) → 4u (clean)/3.4u (late)), now being more in line with Kirby's feet. This significantly reduces its range as it is less disjointed, it covers less of Kirby's body and doesn't fully cover his feet, especially the late hit.
    • Nerf Its initial auto-cancel window is shorter (frames 1-4 → 1-2).
    • Nerf The clean hit has a shorter duration (frames 6-8 → 6-7) with the late hit's duration being compensated (frames 9-14 → 8-14).
    • Buff The clean hit deals more damage (12% → 13%) with its knockback scaling only minimally decreased (105 → 104), improving its KO potential.
    • Nerf The late hit deals less damage (9% → 8%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (110 → 112).
    • Nerf It auto-cancels later (frame 28 → 32), although it can still autocancel in a short hop.
    • Nerf It has more landing lag (9 frames → 17).
  • Up aerial:
    • Nerf Up aerial deals less damage (10% → 9%) without full compensation on its knockback scaling (98 → 100).
    • Nerf It has lost its largest hitbox (5.5u/4.5u/4u → 4.5u/4u).
    • Nerf It has more landing lag (9 frames → 12).
  • Down aerial:
    • Nerf Down aerial's looping hits deals less damage (2% → 1% (loop hits)/12% → 7% (total).
    • Nerf The loop hits have a smaller hitbox (6u/6u → 5u).
    • Nerf It has more landing lag (15 frames → 17).
    • Buff The loop hits now utilize the auto-link angle (270° → 366°). When coupled with their lower damage and the weakening of SDI, this significantly improves its reliability.
    • Buff The last hit has slightly higher knockback scaling (107 → 110) and a slightly larger hitbox (6u/6u → 6.2u).
    • Buff The landing hit has an altered angle (30° → 60°) and lower set knockback (60 → 40), improving its combo potential.

Throws/other attacks[edit]

  • Buff All grabs has less ending lag (FAF 30 → 28 (standing), FAF 40 → 39 (dash), FAF 36 → 33 (pivot)).
  • Buff Dash grab has less start-up lag (frame 10 → 8).
  • Nerf Standing and dash grab have less range.
  • Pummel:
    • Buff Pummel deals more damage (1% → 1.55%) and has less hitlag, making it now the third fastest pummel in the game. This significantly improves its damage racking potential.
  • Forward throw:
    • Nerf Forward throw deals 3% less damage (8% → 5%), with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 125).
    • Buff It has less ending lag (FAF 62 → 59).
    • Buff Its angle has been altered (65° → 75°). When coupled with the changes to hitstun canceling, these changes grant it combo potential past low percents.
  • Back throw:
    • Buff Back throw has altered knockback (80 (base), 50 (scaling) → 30/120) and Kirby releases the opponent later (frame 33 → 41) with its duration unchanged, reducing its ending lag and improving its mix-up, combo and KO potential.
    • Change Its angle has been altered (120° → 130°).
  • Up throw:
    • Buff Up throw has increased knockback (70 (base), 70 (scaling) → 75/74), improving its KO potential despite its less favorable angle (85° → 78°).
  • Down throw:
    • Nerf Down throw deals less damage on the first nine hits (1% (hits 1-10) → 0.8% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 12% → 10.2% (total)) and the throw has significantly increased knockback (40 (base), 140 (scaling) → 60/180). Combined with the change below, this removes its combo potential.
    • Nerf It launches at a lower and more unfavorable angle (90° → 63°), and combined with the removal of chain grabbing and the loss of its combo potential as mentioned above, this hinders its damage racking potential.
    • Buff However, the increased knockback allow it to KO middleweights around or below 200%.

Special moves[edit]

  • Inhale:
    • Change Inhale's damage outputs have been reversed (6% (swallow)/10% (spit) → 10%/6%).
    • Buff Inhale has decreased start-up and ending lag. Inhaling non-explosive items also now heals 1%.
    • Nerf The removal of grab armor hinders Inhale's safety, as it now results in Kirby getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.
    • Nerf Kirbycide now KOs Kirby first and the opponent is released from Inhale when this occurs, significantly hindering its utility. However, there are certain characters that, when Kirbycided from a certain angle, will be KO'd as well and thus lead to a Sudden Death.
    • Change Kirby's copy abilities now share the same hitbox data as their original counterparts as opposed to Kirby's versions having their own hitbox data. As a result, all of Kirby's copy abilities are now completely identical to their original counterparts in terms of their range, strength and hitbox durations (with a few exceptions) which benefits and/or hinders certain copy abilities.
      • Change This change however does not affect the copy ability's interruptibility or intangibility since they are now stored in Kirby's parameter file as opposed to the respective ability's hitbox data.
    • Change All of sound effects related to the move are now direct port of those from Kirby's Adventure.
  • Hammer Flip:
    • Change Hammer Flip is now chargeable and Kirby can also move around while using it, regardless of its charge. However, fully charged Hammer Flip now deals recoil damage when held. Altogether, these changes make it function almost identically to Jet Hammer.
    • Change Due to consisting of a consistent hitbox instead of a sweetspot and a sourspot, uncharged Hammer Flip now deals consistent damage (23% (grounded sweetspot)/18% (grounded sourspot) → 19%, 17% (aerial hit 1 sweetspot)/13% (aerial hit 2 sweetspot)/15% (aerial hit 1 sourspot)/10% (aerial hit 2 sourspot) → 15% (both)).
    • Change Hammer Flip has slightly increased knockback (65 (base), 72 (scaling) (grounded sweetspot), 50/70 (grounded/aerial hit 1 sourspot), 65/75 (aerial hit 1 sweetspot), 60/70 (aerial hit 2) → 60/78 (all)). This makes the previous sourspots and the second aerial hit stronger however, they do not compensate for the grounded and first aerial hit's sweetspots reduced damage hindering their KO potential.
    • Buff Fully charged Hammer Flip deals more damage (23% (grounded sweetspot)/18% (grounded sourspot)/ → 35%/27%, 17% (aerial hit 1 sweetspot)/13% (aerial hit 2 sweetspot)/15% (aerial hit 1 sourspot)/10% (aerial hit 2 sourspot) → 27% (both)) significantly improving its KO potential. Hammer Flip also has larger hitboxes and no longer has sourspots.
    • Nerf Due to its angle being altered (20° → 55°), aerial Hammer Flip's second hit is no longer a semi-spike, significantly hindering its edge-guarding potential. Aerial Hammer Flip also has greatly increased start-up lag regardless of its charge (frame 17 → 28), and can no longer be used for recovery as it now halts Kirby's horizontal momentum rather than his vertical momentum.
    • Nerf Hammer Flip no longer has transcendent priority.
    • Buff Fully charged Hammer Flip now grants armor during part of the swing.
    • Buff Fully charged Hammer Flip deals significantly more shield damage due to its higher damage combined with the 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun, significantly improving its shield pressuring potential.
  • Final Cutter:
    • Nerf Final Cutter's shockwave's range has decreased by half. The rising hit also deals less damage (8% → 5%).
  • Stone:
    • Nerf Stone has less HP (30 → 25).
      • Nerf Additionally, if Kirby's stone is broken, he now takes half the amount of damage from the attack which broke the stone as opposed to no damage.
    • Nerf Grounded Stone has less knockback scaling (45 → 40).
    • Buff The 19% damage increase to shields and the increase to shieldstun significantly improve Stone's shield pressuring potential.
    • Change Stone's visual effects have changed. The Thwomp now uses its design from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, instead of Super Mario 64.
    • Change Like in Melee, Kirby vocalizes when exiting out of his Stone form.
    • Bug fix The earthquake glitch has been removed.
  • Ultra Sword:
    • Buff Kirby has a new Final Smash, Ultra Sword. Kirby uses the Super Ability of the same name in order to repeatedly slash the opponent before launching them with a final slash. Like Cook Kirby, Ultra Sword is a trapping Final Smash. Compared to Cook Kirby, it is purely offensive, instead of being both offensive and supplemental. Ultra Sword also deals 6% more damage (34% → 40%), has significantly more knockback, and is more reliable at trapping opponents, making it significantly more effective for KOing.
    • Change Unlike Cook Kirby, Ultra Sword does not provide healing items. However, this is largely negligible, as Cook Kirby's items were consumable by characters other than Kirby, and would not be generated if item spawning was disabled via Item Switch.

Update history[edit]

Kirby was initially perceived to be a low tier in the initial release of the game, owing to his poor range, mobility, approach option and endurance. Likely as a result, he has been buffed via game updates. Update 1.0.6 improved up and down smashes' KO potentials; re-purposed down throw into a viable damage racking option; and decreased Inhale and Hammer Flip's ending lag. These changes were fairly minor however, with Inhale and Hammer only losing a couple of frames of ending lag, while down smash received a lower launch angle, which resulted in the move being worse at KOing with sufficient DI. Update 1.1.0 brought a few more buffs: neutral attack became more reliable, Inhale was made faster and forward throw received less ending lag and a more vertical launch angle, making it a much better combo starter. Kirby also slightly benefits from the new shield mechanics brought about by updates 1.1.0 and 1.1.1, as they make down aerial's multiple hits and Stone's high damage output much more reliable at pressuring shields.

Update 1.1.3 brought about even more buffs for Kirby: his dashing speed was slightly improved and various moves saw an increase to their KO potential. Up throw in particular saw a substantial increase in knockback, KOing over 30% earlier, although Kirby's other moves only saw minor improvements to their knockback. Update 1.1.4 gave Kirby a miniscule improvement with hard tripping now grants Kirby 5 frames of invincibility. Lastly, update 1.1.5, buffed Kirby's smash attacks and all variations of Hammer Flip by slightly increasing their knockback. As a result, Kirby is noticeably better than he was during Smash 4's initial release, having better KO potential, a stronger combo game and having safer specials. However, he is still considered fairly weak, as most of his changes were not substantial and his weaknesses were not properly addressed, resulting in him continuing to struggle against a majority of the cast, especially considering the more substantial improvements other initial low tiers received, along with the introduction of Cloud and Corrin, who both had strong matchups against Kirby.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.4

  • Change Copy abilities whose base character's neutral special was altered by the patch have been altered in the same way.
  • Change Many behaviors, such as Stone and its custom variants and Final Cutter, have been adjusted.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS 1.0.5

  • Bug fix Fixed a glitch where Kirby could hover after using Silver Bow.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.0.6

  • Nerf Sourspotted upward angled forward smash deals less damage (13% → 12%).
  • Buff Up smash's clean hit's sweetspots have higher knockback scaling (96 → 102), improving its KO potential.
  • Buff Down smash has higher knockback scaling (102 → 108), improving its KO potential.
  • Nerf Down smash launches opponents at a lower angle (76° → 69°). This makes the move susceptible to LSI, hindering its KO potential with optimal DI.
  • Buff Down throw deals more damage (0.4% (hits 1-9)/6.6% (total) → 0.8%/10.2%).
  • Buff Inhale has less ending lag (FAF 80 → 78).
  • Buff Opponent's are launched higher when swallowed (2.8 → 3), making Kirby less punishable when copying an ability.
  • Change Inhale's visual effects slightly changed. Fiery effects now emit from Kirby after he Inhales explosive items.
  • Buff Hammer Flip has less ending lag.
  • Buff Kirby moves faster on the ground while charging Hammer Flip.
  • Change Final Cutter has improved visual effects.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.0

  • Buff Neutral attack's second hit has increased base knockback (8 → 15), making it connect more reliably into the infinite. Neutral infinite's finisher's start-up lag also decreased.
  • Nerf Forward throw deals less damage (7% → 5%) with its knockback scaling compensated (100 → 125).
  • Buff Forward throw has less ending lag (FAF 62 → 59) and it launches opponents at a higher angle (65° → 75°), improving its combo potential.
  • Buff Inhale's start-up (frame 18 → 14) and ending lag decreased (FAF 78 → 73).

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.1

  • Buff Ice Breath's hitboxes moved forward; its farthest hitbox's size increased: 7u → 7.5u; and its angle altered: 40° → 30°. Altogether, these changes improve its range and spacing potential.
  • Buff Aerial Hammer Bash's weight-based knockback increased: 20 → 50.
  • Nerf Hammer Bash's sourspot now takes priority over the sweetspot.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.3

  • Buff Kirby dash speed: 1.50 → 1.57.
  • Buff Forward smash clean hit knockback growth: 99 → 100.
  • Buff Forward smash late hit knockback growth: 66 → 67.
  • Buff Up smash clean hit knockback growth: 102 → 103.
  • Buff Up smash mid hit knockback growth: 96 → 97.
  • Buff Up smash late hit knockback growth: 50 → 51.
  • Buff Down smash knockback growth: 108 → 109.
  • Buff Forward aerial knockback growth: 145 → 148.
  • Change Forward aerial hitlag modifier increased: 1.0x → 1.2x, making it safer on shield but easier to DI on the final hit.
  • Buff Back aerial clean hit knockback growth: 102 → 104.
  • Buff Back aerial late hit knockback growth: 110 → 112.
  • Buff Up throw knockback growth: 63 → 74.
  • Buff Various knockback growth, hitbox size, and duration increases for Hammer Flip and all of its variants.
  • Buff Kirby is slightly heavier: 77 → 79.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.4

  • Buff Hard tripping now grants 5 frames of invincibility.
  • Bug fix Fixed the glowing eyes glitch.

Super Smash Bros. 4 1.1.5

  • Buff Forward smash knockback growth: 100 → 102 (clean), 67 → 69 (late).
  • Buff Up smash knockback growth: 103/103/97 → 104/104/99 (early), 97 → 98, 51 → 52 (late).
  • Buff Down smash knockback growth: 109 → 110 (early).
  • Buff All variations of Hammer Flip knockback growth: 76 → 78.


Moveset[edit]

For a gallery of Kirby's hitboxes, see here.

  Name Damage Description
Neutral attack Vulcan Jab (バルカンジャブ) / Smash Punch (スマッシュパンチ) 2% A one-two combo. When button mashed, Kirby performs the Vulcan Jab from the Fighter ability before concluding with the Smash Punch, also from the Fighter ability. It is very quick due to coming out on frame 3, and its first two hits have very minimal ending lag. These traits make it effective for jab canceling or as an out of shield option.
3%
1% (loop), 2% (last)
Forward tilt   8% (base), 7% (tip) A spinning roundhouse kick. It is quick, due to coming out on frame 5, and can be angled.
Up tilt   5% (clean), 4% (late) Throws a scorpion kick. Although its damage output is low, it is a very useful combo starter at low percents, especially on fast-fallers, due to it coming out on frame 4 and having both minimal ending lag and disjointed range which slightly reaches behind him. It also renders Kirby's foot intangible throughout its duration.
Down tilt   6% A crouching shin kick. It is fairly spammable due to coming out on frame 4 and having minimal ending lag. When coupled with its tripping potential, it can be a very useful set-up option.
Dash attack   1% (hits 1-5), 4% (hit 6) The Break Spin from the Yo-yo ability. It is difficult to SDI out of, while its last hit can easily ward off opponents due to it dealing very high base knockback. However, it is punishable due to it coming out on frame 12 and having noticeable ending lag.
Forward smash Smash Kick (スマッシュキック) 16% (clean), 12% (late) The Spin Kick from the Fighter ability. It slightly moves Kirby forward and can be angled. Its clean hitbox also deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth, which makes it a potent KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, it KOs middleweights at 86% and 77%, respectively, while angled upward; at 93% and 83%, respectively, while not angled; and at 100% and 91%, respectively, while angled downward. However, its late hitbox lacks KO potential.
15% (clean), 11% (late)
14% (clean), 10% (late)
Up smash   15%/14% (clean), 14%/12% (mid), 12%/11% (late) A bicycle kick. It can hit behind Kirby, while its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth like forward smash. It clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 102% from anywhere on Final Destination in the 3DS version, and at 96% in the Wii U version. Kirby's feet are also rendered intangible throughout its duration, albeit only during its clean hitbox. However, its mid and late hitboxes lack KO potential.
Down smash   14% (clean), 10% (late) A spinning split kick. It hits in front of and behind Kirby, and its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth like his forward and up smashes. Its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 113% from anywhere on Final Destination in the 3DS version and at 106% in the Wii U version. It also renders Kirby's feet intangible albeit only during its clean hitbox. However, its late hitbox has significantly lower KO potential.
Neutral aerial Twinkle Star (ティンクルスター) 10% (clean), 8% (mid), 6% (mid-to-late), 4% (late) The attack of the same name from the Smash ability. Its very low landing lag makes it a decent set-up option at low percents when short hopped, while its high knockback growth makes it a decent anti-pressure and out of shield option. However, it has the highest amount of ending lag out of Kirby's aerials. Despite having sex kick properties, it also has high startup lag.
Forward aerial   4% (hit 1), 3% (hit 2), 5% (hit 3) A series of multiple forward kicks. The first two hits have low knockback, which allows them to connect reliably with the third hit. Its low landing lag also allows the first or second hit to be used as set-up options into other moves. Can connect into itself for a Wall of Pain in certain instances.
Back aerial   13% (clean), 8% (late) A double-footed back kick. It functions as a sex kick, but also has the lowest amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials, due to it coming out on frame 6. Its clean hitbox also deals the most damage out of his aerials, and possesses very high knockback growth, which make it a viable KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination, its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 115% in the 3DS version, and at 105% in the Wii U version. It also boasts good range due to its slightly disjointed hitbox, which makes it a viable edge-guarding option, and allows it to partake in a wall of pain. However, the late hit has a blindspot, as its hitbox doesn't fully cover Kirby's feet.
Up aerial   9% An aerial bicycle kick similar to his up smash. A very useful juggling option, it can also be used for continuing a combo due to its low landing lag.
Down aerial   1% (hits 1-5), 2% (hit 6), 2% (landing) A diagonal corkscrew dropkick. An effective combo starter on grounded opponents and, due to the last hit being a weak meteor smash, it is a useful edge-guarding option, especially since its low ending lag makes it relatively safe to use off-stage. It can even lead into a footstool jump on fast-fallers and heavyweights. While it has the highest amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials due to coming out on frame 18, it can be auto-canceled on landing, giving Kirby a very large window to safely land while tumbling.
Grab   Reaches out with one hand. One of the fastest grabs among the cast, though its range is merely average. Kirby's throws are based on attacks used by the Backdrop, Suplex and Ninja abilities.
Pummel   1.55% A series of multiple punches. While its damage output is unimpressive, this is offset by its excellent speed, as it is tied with Lucas, Ness, and Fox's pummels for the third fastest in the game.
Forward throw   5% The Rock Drop from the Suplex ability. Unlike the majority of forward throws, it possesses combo potential. Its most reliable follow-ups are neutral, forward and down aerials at low percents, and up aerial and Final Cutter at medium percents.
Back throw   8% A backwards dive from the Backdrop ability. Despite having an average damage output and very low base knockback, it has very high knockback growth. As a result, it has KO potential, yet can also combo into back aerial on certain characters at very low percents. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 160% in the 3DS version, and at 150% in the Wii U version.
Up throw Air Drop (いずな落とし, Izuna Drop) 10% The attack of the same name from the Ninja ability. As of update 1.1.3, it is Kirby's strongest throw, and thus his most reliable one for KOing. It KOs middleweights at 158% from anywhere on Final Destination in the 3DS version, and at 150% in the Wii U version. Because Kirby jumps up to perform it, he can land onto platforms above him upon descending, which enables it to KO even earlier.
Down throw   0.8% (hits 1-9), 1% (hit 10), 2% (throw) The Fury Stomp from the Suplex ability. Its high damage and low knockback makes it useful for damage racking. It can also damage nearby opponents.
Forward roll
Back roll
Spot dodge
Air dodge
Techs
Floor attack (front)
Floor getups (front)
  7% Performs a spin kick before getting up.
Floor attack (back)
Floor getups (back)
  7% Kicks on one side and then the other before getting up.
Floor attack (trip)
Floor getups (trip)
  5% The Break Spin from the Yo-yo ability.
Edge attack
Edge getups
  7% Performs a cartwheeling kick while climbing up. It has surprisingly good range compared to many other characters' edge attacks.
Neutral special Default Inhale 10% (swallow), 6% (spit) Inhales the opponent. It has a grabbox and can be held indefinitely. Upon Inhaling an opponent, Kirby can spit them out as a star to deal damage to them and any nearby opponents (star damage varies based on the inhaled character’s weight), copy their neutral special move, or walk around slowly and/or perform a short hop. However, the opponent can escape from Kirby's mouth via button mashing. Kirby must wait roughly a second before he can inhale the same person again. Some characters will give Kirby a slight variation of their neutral special due to mechanics that would not work properly when copied, such as Luma Shot and Pikmin Pluck.
Custom 1 Ice Breath 2.4% (nearest), 1.2% (near), 2.4% (far), 6% (farthest) The attack of the same name from the Ice ability. It hits multiple times and can briefly freeze the opponent, which makes it very useful spacing and edge-guarding. However, Kirby cannot Inhale anything.
Custom 2 Jumping Inhale 8% (swallow), 13% (spit) Jumps forward before Inhaling the opponent, which can allow it to function as a horizontal recovery option, similarly to Lick. Its spit also deals more damage. However, its swallow deals less damage, the spit will not deal damage to nearby opponents (but will knock them away), and using it to Kirbycide will always cause a Sudden Death. It also lacks the vacuum hitboxes outside of Kirby's mouth.
Side special Default Hammer Flip 19% (grounded uncharged), 15% (aerial uncharged), 35% (grounded fully charged), 27% (aerial fully charged) The attack of the same name from the Hammer ability. It is chargeable and, when fully charged, Kirby's hammer will ignite and deal recoil damage. He can also slowly walk and jump while charging it, while a fully charged Hammer Flip briefly grants him 6% armor during part of the swing. When it is used in midair, Kirby will swing his hammer twice. While near the edge of Final Destination, uncharged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at 92% and 82% in the 3DS and Wii U versions, respectively. Fully charged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at 17% and 10% in the 3DS and Wii U versions, respectively. Although weaker, aerial Hammer Flip nevertheless possesses KO potential. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 128% and 115% in the 3DS and Wii U versions, respectively. Its fully charged version KOs them at 44% and 36% in the 3DS and Wii U versions, respectively.
Custom 1 Hammer Bash 21% (grounded head), 18% (grounded handle), 4% (aerial hit 1), 17% (aerial hit 2 head), 15% (aerial hit 2 handle) The hammer deals slightly more damage, launching foes at somewhat lower percents and at a more vertical angle, but it cannot be charged, which makes it function almost exactly like it did in Brawl or when grounded in Melee. The first aerial swing is much weaker, but can combo into the second swing easier. While near the edge of Final Destination in the 3DS version, grounded Hammer Bash's head hitbox KOs middleweights at 87%, whereas its aerial version's head hitbox KOs them at 105%. Using it in midair also causes Kirby to slightly stall his descent, which improves his recovery. This quirk can also allow Kirby to reach the top of Palutena's Temple from its bottom platform after copying Monado Arts and activating Jump. However, the hammer has a sweetspot and a sourspot, which makes its KO potential slightly less consistent.
Custom 2 Giant Hammer 22% (grounded uncharged), 20% (aerial uncharged), 40% (grounded fully charged), 32% (aerial fully charged) Wields a massive hammer that is slightly stronger and grants unbreakable armor while charging once the hammer starts to glow, but has much higher start-up and ending lag. While near the edge of Final Destination in the 3DS version, uncharged grounded Giant Hammer KOs middleweights at 76%, whereas its uncharged aerial version KOs them at 90%. Fully charged grounded Giant Hammer KOs middleweights at 7%, whereas its fully charged aerial version KOs them at 29%.
Up special Default Final Cutter 5% (ascent), 2% (descent), 5% (landing), 6% (shockwave) The attack of the same name from the Cutter ability. It can meteor smash any opponents he comes into contact with upon descending. The sword also emits a shockwave upon hitting a solid surface, which is Kirby's only projectile aside from spitting out an Inhaled opponent. It does cover a decent amount of vertical distance. However, it is extremely predictable due to its high startup lag. Kirby also has poor horizontal mobility while using the move, there's a decent period of time where Kirby is rising without a hitbox and Kirby cannot sweetspot the edge until he starts to descend, all of which make it a rather exploitable recovery move. It can be used for edgeguarding but its slow speed limits its use in this area, as well as limiting its utility in other scenarios. If a platform beneath Kirby disappears or if he is pushed off while he is still in the landing animation, he will be rendered helpless.
Custom 1 Wave Cutter 15% (blade), 10% (projectile), 5% (Kirby) When Kirby lands, he produces a shockwave with rocks flying outward. Kirby ascends faster and he stays in the air for longer before dropping, making it a better recovery move. The move does not have any hitboxes until Kirby lands however, although the landing hit and the rock shockwave are fairly strong. The rock shovewave is very large and its power overall makes it more effective than Final Cutter's wave, although the move does have more landing lag.
Custom 2 Upper Cutter 10% Kirby only performs an ascending upwards slash and then enters free-fall. Kirby ascends very quickly, Kirby can grab ledges during the ascent if he is facing the ledge and he keeps his horizontal momentum once he enters free-fall. This makes the move a much better recovery move than Final Cutter. The move also has a very effective hitbox. The move comes out on frame 6 and it has great range. The move is also fairly strong, being capable of KOing Mario under 160% in the middle of Final Destination (without DI). The move does start off with a 60° angle, making it quite susceptible to DI however, the move gains a more vertical angle as Kirby ascends, with the move having a very favorable 80° angle at the top of the ascent, making it stronger and less susceptible to DI. The very fast startup, the great range and the solid power give Upper Cutter a lot of utility which Kirby lacks without it, giving him a better Out of Shield game as well as giving him an additional combo ender that can even lead into KO confirms he lacks without Upper Cutter.

While it does lack the falling hit Final Cutter has, Upper Cutter is overall a far superior move, being a much better recovery move and having a lot more utility in other areas, filling up holes Kirby had in his game plan with his default moveset. It is overall a clear replacement for Final Cutter and it is most likely Kirby's most valuable custom move.

Down special Default Stone 18% (impact), 14% (shockwave) The Stone Change (while Kirby is on the ground) and the Stone Smash (while Kirby is in the air) from the Stone ability. Thanks to its high damage output, Stone Smash KOs middleweights at 108% and deals considerable shield damage. It can also be canceled in midair by pressing the special button, which can be used for mindgames. Although Stone Change only emits the shockwave and is thus slightly weaker, it is a semi-spike. Kirby cannot be damaged while he is transformed, although should he absorb ~25% total damage (slightly more in mid-air), the deciding hit will launch him out of his Stone form, inflicting half its normal damage. He can also be grabbed while transformed.
Custom 1 Grounding Stone 10% (impact on grounded opponents), 12% (impact on aerial opponents), 6% (shockwave) Takes less time to revert to normal and buries grounded opponents on contact. However, it deals less damage, takes longer to transform, Stone Smash cannot KO grounded opponents, and Stone Change's semi-spike is much weaker. Can absorb ~14% damage.
Custom 2 Meteor Stone 12% (clean), 10% (mid), 8% (late) Takes less time to transform and meteor smashes opponents. However, it deals less damage and takes longer to revert to normal, which makes it much riskier to use off-stage. If used on the ground, Kirby will be popped upward a small distance. Can absorb ~18%.
Final Smash Ultra Sword 3% (stun), 5% (hit 1), 2% (hits 2-9), 16% (hit 10) The Super Ability of the same name. Kirby wields a gigantic sword to repeatedly slash the opponent before enlarging the sword and then concluding with a powerful downward slash. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at 31% in the 3DS version.

Stats[edit]

Stats Weight Dash speed Walk speed Traction Air friction Air speed Air acceleration Gravity Falling speed Jumpsquat Jump height Double jump height Empty landing Lag
Value 79 1.5 – Initial dash
1.57 – Run
0.93 0.0493 0.015 0.8 0.03 – Base
0.065 – Additional
0.06405 1.23 – Base
1.968Fast-fall
4 25.368114 - Base
12.241816 - Short hop
21.04669712, 18.50584782, 15.9203607, 13.3388484, 10.81397463 4

Announcer call[edit]

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On-screen appearance[edit]

  • Rides on a Warp Star and crashes it onto the stage.
KirbyOnScreenAppearanceSSB4.gif

Taunts[edit]

  • Up taunt: Shuffles to one side, then shuffles to the opposite side before spinning and then holding his arm up. It is almost identical to one of his victory dances in his home series.
  • Side taunt: Spins repeatedly, then stops to balance on one leg and extend one arm and say "Eeu!" It is almost identical to his "character selection" animation in SSB.
  • Down taunt: Leans inward to face the screen and wave his arms while saying "Hi!"
Up taunt Side taunt Down taunt
KirbyUpTauntSSB4.gif KirbySideTauntSSB4.gif KirbyDownTauntSSB4.gif

Idle poses[edit]

  • Hops to look off-screen, then hops back into his default position.
  • Briefly nods off, then shakes his head and wakes up.
KirbyIdlePose1SSB4.jpg KirbyIdlePose2SSB4.jpg

Crowd cheer[edit]

Cheer (English) Cheer (Japanese) Cheer (Spanish)
Cheer
NTSC

PAL
Description Kir - by! Ka - a - bii! Kir - by!
Cheer (French) Cheer (German) Cheer (Italian)
Cheer NTSC

PAL
Description Kir - by ! Kir - by! Kir - by!

Victory poses[edit]

A flourished remix of the short, recurring theme that debuted in Kirby's Dream Land and which plays when Kirby completes a stage or defeats a boss.
  • Spins to turn his back to the screen and then briefly wiggles, does a front flip to face the screen, and then holds his arm up.
  • Skids to the right, spins and then holds his arm up.
  • Brings his arms down twice, does a cartwheel, and then holds his arm up.
KirbyPose1WiiU.gif KirbyPose2WiiU.gif KirbyPose3WiiU.gif

In competitive play[edit]

Official Custom Moveset Project[edit]

Character Custom sets available
Kirby (SSB4) Kirby 3231 3232 3233 1231 1131
3133 3131 2231 3221 3331

Most historically significant players[edit]

See also: Category:Kirby players (SSB4)

  • France Jesuischoq - The best Kirby player in Europe. He made strong placements as a solo-Kirby main at some of the most populated Smash 4 tournaments in Europe, placing 13th at talent.io, as well as 25th at Deflagration and Respawn 6.
  • USA Komota - The best Kirby player in the world, although seldomly competed in tournaments. Despite his inconsistent activity, he performed one of the best low-tier upsets by defeating Ally at Frostbite 2017 and placing 33rd overall. He also placed 25th at The Big House 8, which is the best solo-Kirby placement at a Smash 4 major.
  • USA MikeKirby - Considered to be the best Kirby player in the world during 2015 to 2016. He placed top 16 at many early Tri-state events such as 5th at KTAR XIV and 9th at KTAR XII defeating Salem. He also performed decently at some larger tournaments, such as 13th at Glitch and 49th at Apex 2015.
  • USA Poyo - One of the best Kirby players in the world. While some of her results were mixed with Luigi, she was one of the few Kirby players to hold multiple top 64s at major/supermajors, placing 33rd at The Big House 7 and 49th at Shine 2017.

Tier placement and history[edit]

Due to the considerable nerfs Kirby received in his transition from Brawl, he has always been considered a non-viable character within the SSB4 metagame, even in spite of game updates noticeably buffing him. This has been due to his only success occurring at local tournaments, whereas his results at regional and national tournaments have been very sparse. Many smashers also took note of Kirby's overall poor matchup spread as characters like with large disjoints, and strong good kill power (Cloud being a primary example) as well as zoning characters with effective projectiles (Pac-Man, Mega Man, Toon Link and Villager being good examples) do very well against him. These aspects culminated with Kirby being placed at 33rd on the first tier list as the 2nd highest low tier character.

Kirby did not fare well after the next updates as characters like Marth, Lucina, Duck Hunt, Shulk, Link and Mewtwo who were initially considered to be worse than Kirby proved to not only become better than him, but proved to be very troublesome matchups as well due to them having excellent tools to prevent Kirby from approaching. The release of Cloud and Corrin also hurt him since they too proved to be tough matchups for Kirby. This resulted in Kirby's already scarce results to become even worse than before.

Kirby would then drop to 41st on the second tier list, and eventually to 47th on the third tier list, with the latter drop being tied with Pit and Yoshi's for the second largest between the second and third tier lists. However, Komota later scored an upset by defeating Ally at Frostbite 2017 and placing 33rd at said tournament. Due to this, his tier placement has been widely debated, with some players believing he should be placed slightly higher due to niche matchups against much higher tiered characters, such as Zero Suit Samus and Fox. However, due to his continually sparse results after Frostbite 2017, Kirby has since dropped to 49th on the fourth and final tier list.

Since then, Kirby has failed to make a significant impact at tournaments as he hardly has any tournament representation outside of Komota who never places high at supermajors. Meanwhile, characters lower than Kirby have all performed much higher with ZAKI getting 17th at Smash 'N' Splash 4 and 2GG: Hyrule Saga while defeating MKLeo and Rags; Onpu and Rizeasu performing very well in Japan with the former taking WaDi to game 3 as Zelda; Pon, Gungnir and Rickles doing work with Ganondorf in their regions with Pon beating Ally, Gungnir getting 17th at Umebura Japan Major 2017 while defeating Taiheita and Earth; and Captain L using Jigglypuff as an effective secondary taking sets off of Larry Lurr, BestNess, John Numbers Blank, Strike, Pandarian and even took ESAM to game 5 with the character.

Due to Kirby's meager tournament results and his glaring weaknesses some smashers claim that he should be even lower due to his overwhelming weaknesses with ESAM ranking him as the 3rd worst character in the game, putting him below King Dedede, Wii Fit Trainer, Zelda and even below Jigglypuff, who is widely considered to be the worst character in the game, as well as Raito and Dabuz claiming that he's the absolute worst character in the game. Others, however, think that he is underrated and that he should be ranked relatively higher due to his excellent combo game, good kill power and great edgeguarding.

In Solo Modes[edit]

All-Star Mode[edit]

In All-Star Mode, Kirby is fought in Stage 4 in both versions alongside Fox, Falco, Meta Knight, Wario, Sonic, and King Dedede.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii UEvent Matches[edit]

Solo Events[edit]

  • All-Star Battle: Regulars: Kirby is among the opponents fought in this event. All of the opponents are the eight starter characters of the "perfect-attendance crew" from SSB.
  • Kirby's Crazy Appetite: Kirby must heal by eating food on the stage while three King Dededes try to hinder his progress. After some time, two more King Dededes will appear. Kirby will be at 100% on Easy, 125% on Normal and 140% on Hard, while the King Dededes will be at 50% on Easy/Normal and 0% on Hard.

Co-op Events[edit]

Congratulations screens[edit]

3DS[edit]

-===Wii U====

Trophies[edit]

Kirby's default trophy is obtained by clearing Classic Mode as Kirby. His alternate trophy is obtained by clearing All-Star Mode as Kirby in the 3DS version or purchasing it in the Trophy Shop for 1000G in the Wii U version (the latter can only appear after clearing Classic or All-Star as Kirby). The Ultra Sword trophy is obtained only in the Wii U version by clearing All-Star Mode as Kirby.

3DS Classic Mode trophy
Wii U Classic Mode trophy
Kirby
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Round little Kirby lives on the peaceful Planet Popstar, in Dream Land. He can inhale things with his big mouth, either copying their abilities or spitting them out again. In Smash Bros., Kirby can inhale opponents and copy their standard specials. He gets launched easily but recovers well.
NTSCSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U Pudgy, little Kirby lives in the peaceful hills of Dream Land on the Planet Popstar. He can inhale things with his big mouth, either copying their abilities or spitting them out again. In Smash Bros., Kirby can inhale opponents and copy their standard specials. He gets launched easily but recovers well.
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
SNES: Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
PAL A roly-poly little fella from Dream Land on Planet Popstar. He can inhale pretty much anyone or anything with that big gob of his, then spit them out or copy their abilities. He can copy opponents' standard specials in this game, too! His light weight means he gets launched easily, but with a series of mid-air jumps, recovering's not too tricky.
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
SNES: Kirby's Fun Pak (01/1997)
3DS All-Star Mode trophy
Wii U alternate trophy
Kirby (Alt.)
NTSC Holding the special button and left or right will charge up Kirby's Hammer Flip attack. Charging too long hurts Kirby! The hammer strikes twice in the air, but landing the single blow on the ground is more powerful. Kirby's up special Final Cutter slices up and down, firing a shock wave upon landing.
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
SNES: Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
PAL Charge up Kirby's Hammer side special to unleash Hammer Flip, a move with serious launch power. Charge it too much, though, and you'll get hurt! The move hits twice in mid-air, but does more damage on the ground. Final Cutter slices up and down before sending out an energy wave. Move Kirby mid-jump to change where he lands.
Game Boy: Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
SNES: Kirby's Fun Pak (01/1997)
Ultra Sword trophy
Ultra Sword
NTSC For Kirby's Final Smash, he swings a sword that's waaay bigger than he is. If the first swing hits, he'll keep going with a combo of lightning-fast slices, dealing tons of damage. For the last swing, the sword grows even larger and launches any victims. Make sure that first swing hits, though, or nothing else will happen!
PAL For Kirby's Final Smash, he swings around a sword that's waaay bigger than he is. If the first swing hits, he'll keep going with a combo of lightning-fast slices, dealing tons of damage. For the last swing, the sword grows even larger and launches its target. It's great, so make sure that first swing hits, or none of the rest will happen!

Alternate costumes[edit]

Kirby Palette (SSB4).png
Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4) Kirby (SSB4)

Gallery[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • Kirby cannot copy custom moves. However, his side custom move affects his Olimar Copy Ability, as the attack changes to match the variant of Pikmin Throw.
  • Based on unused animations discovered via hacking, the ability to charge Kirby's Hammer appears to have originally been intended for Brawl.
  • Kirby has unused voice clips for all of Palutena's neutral specials, suggesting that at one point in development he was planned to be able to copy Palutena's custom moves, or that Palutena's default neutral special move was undecided.
  • SSB4 is the only game in the series where Kirby's dash attack hasn't been changed, as his break spin attack from Brawl was retained. (In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, it would revert back to his prior burning attack from Super Smash Bros. Melee.)
  • At a total of 80, Kirby has the most sound clips of any character, with his amount of clips being rivaled only by the Announcer.
  • Kirby's alt. trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has his gray alternate costume with blue eyes instead of gray eyes.
  • Kirby's blue alternate costume depicts the interior of mouth as retaining its normal coloration on the character selection screen and during his normal expressions. However, it appears blue while Inhaling.
  • Kirby's screen KO resembles his screen KO in Kirby: Triple Deluxe. His pose in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS more closely resembles his face's position in that game, whereas his facial expression in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U more closely resembles his expression in that game.
  • A glitch existed where if Kirby copied either Mr. Game & Watch, Donkey Kong, Falco, or Wii Fit Trainer, broke the Smash Ball, and performed a down taunt while in standby, his eyes would no longer glow. Interestingly, if Kirby copied the ability again after using the Final Smash or self-destructing (excluding Mr. Game & Watch), his eyes would be glowing. This was fixed in update 1.1.4.
  • During the development of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Kirby didn't emote in any way at all.
  • One of Kirby's official artwork poses in Kirby: Planet Robobot is almost identical to his official artwork pose from SSB4, with the only differences being his Robobot Armor helmet and a closed smile.
  • When Kirby uses any of his side special moves off-screen and is shown in the magnifying glass, Kirby's normal motion will be seen, but his hammer will not.

References[edit]