Kirby (SSB4): Difference between revisions

Kirby is currently ranked 50th out of 55 on the [[tier list]], placing him in the F tier. This is a significant drop from his mid-tier placement in ''Brawl'', where he was ranked 20th out of 38. Kirby possesses a great combo game: his up tilt, forward throw and down aerial are very good combo starters, with the latter also boasting guaranteed KO set-ups that are effective even against floaty characters. In addition to complimenting his combo game, his forward and up aerials are also useful for partaking in a [[wall of pain]] and juggling, respectively. Despite his size, Kirby also has great KO potential, thanks to his smash attacks, back aerial, and up and back throws each boasting impressive power. The majority of his frame data is also respectably fast, while his [[crouch]] has become very useful, as it now allows him to avoid many moves from a variety of characters, such as projectiles that are not affected by gravity, or even grabs from taller characters.

However, Kirby retains many of his flaws from ''Brawl'', the most notable of which is his poor survivability due to both his very light weight and his floatiness, alongside the addition of [[rage]] in ''SSB4''. When this is coupled with his predictable [[recovery]], Kirby is left prone to either getting KO'd early either while near the blast zones or due to being [[edge-guard]]ed. His mobility is also poor overall, which leaves him prone to being zoned out by many characters with better ranges or with projectiles that are affected by gravity. Lastly, Kirby's range has been shortened due to his feet becoming smaller.

Kirby's greatest strength is the versatility of his moveset. The majority of Kirby's moveset is characterized by speed, while his slower moves instead boast very high power as a trade-off. Neutral attack and forward tilt are fast and have decent range, allowing Kirby to quickly fend off opponents. Up tilt is notorious for its combo potential, as its very quick speed allows it to consistently combo into itself or an aerial attack. Down tilt's very low power is compensated by its very fast speed and it launching opponents at the [[Sakurai angle]], which allow it to [[trip]] opponents even up to 270%. His smash attacks have good range and high power, yet are not particularly slow, making them excellent at scoring a KO. The usefulness of Kirby's ground game also extends to his grab game. His grabs are fast, while his pummel's meager damage output is counterbalanced by its very fast speed. His forward throw, notorious in ''Brawl'' for its highly damaging combo options at 0%, has been improved even further, as it now possesses follow-ups even up to medium percents, including a down aerial to re-grab. Back throw can be followed up by a back aerial at 0% on certain characters, [[tech-chase]] fast-fallers, and can now KO at high percents. Up throw is his strongest throw and is able to KO almost all characters around 170%, or even earlier if it lands on a platform. Lastly, down throw is reliable for damage racking when no other throw can yield better results.

Kirby's air game is also useful, due to his aerials boasting versatility and less than 18 frames of landing lag. Neutral aerial has a long duration, and its very low landing lag grants Kirby protection and allows him to take full advantage of [[buffer]]ing. Forward aerial is powerful, chains fluidly and can allow additional follow-ups at low percents. Up aerial has vertical knockback, low landing lag and has a good amount of [[auto-cancel]]ing frames, allowing for many potential follow-ups. Back aerial has slightly disjointed range, a decently long duration, and is Kirby's fastest and strongest aerial, making it a very good all-purpose aerial attack. Lastly, down aerial has considerable start-up, but drags opponents downward before [[meteor smash]]ing them, making it a deceptively powerful [[edge-guarding]] tool. In addition, it is an effective combo starter with guaranteed follow-ups on grounded opponents, even against floaty characters.

Kirby's special moveset has some interesting options. {{B|Inhale|Kirby}} allows him to either copy the [[neutral special move]] 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. The former, depending on what character he Inhales, can give Kirby a move that provides some assistance ([[Falcon Punch]] and [[Homing Attack]]) or massive benefits ([[Monado Arts]] and [[Needle Storm]]). [[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 primary move for [[recovery]] 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. As mentioned, Kirby has poor mobility, giving him significant trouble [[approach]]ing and pressuring opponents. It also gives him trouble against 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. His most prominent weakness, however, is his endurance. Being light and floaty, Kirby cannot survive strong hits at high percents. He is also very vulnerable to [[juggling]], due to his aforementioned slow falling and air speeds. The introduction of [[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 benefits significantly from his [[Character customization|custom moves]]. Jumping Inhale propels Kirby forward, which often puts opponents in bad positions and can even allow it to function as a quick horizontal recovery option, though it is slower and lacks a [[Wind|vacuum]]. Ice Breath is a short-ranged projectile that can [[Frozen|freeze]] opponents for a time and function as a great edge-guarding option, but removes all of Inhale's benefits. Hammer Bash is almost identical to Hammer in ''Brawl'', as it is much faster and KOs earlier than the uncharged version of Hammer Flip. Giant Hammer is the most powerful custom move in the game without equipment and grants [[armor]], but is much slower than Hammer Flip. Wave Cutter is overall faster, its descending hitbox is more powerful, and the shockwave has more range and can pressure shields, although it does not allow Kirby to hit opponents while ascending. Upper Cutter is faster, stronger and grants much more vertical recovery and momentum, but immediately cancels at its ascent's apex, and lacks both a descending hitbox and shockwave. Grounding Stone [[Bury|buries]] grounded opponents and has much less ending lag, allowing for follow-ups, safer mindgames, and acts as a potential anti-juggling tool. However, it is unable to KO grounded opponents and has more start-up lag. Meteor Stone [[meteor smash]]es the opponent and can even be used as a suicide move, but takes longer to end.

Upon initial release of the game, Kirby had been nerfed very heavily from ''Brawl'', however repeated buffs from balance patches have helped to mitigate this somewhat, although he is still considered to have been nerfed overall. He has retained most of the issues he had in ''Brawl'', but he also suffers from new ones, such as having his range worsened due to his feet becoming slightly smaller, while his standing and dash grabs' ranges were decreased. However, some of his less reliable moves from ''Brawl'', particularly Inhale and his down aerial, have been buffed and now possess much more utility. The changes to [[hitstun]] canceling also help Kirby, as they enable him to chain combos together much better. His improved combo game is further supplemented by his newly buffed forward throw, which now possesses combo potential past low percents. His approach was also slightly improved due to his dashing speed becoming significantly faster.

*{{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 are based on his expression when an attack slams him against the screen in ''Triple Deluxe''. Additionally Kirby now always faces the front.}}

*{{buff|Due to the general change in size between small and large characters, Kirby's smaller size significantly improves his [[Crouching|crouch]]'s defensive potential.}}

*{{nerf|[[Dash attack]]'s loop hits deal 1% less damage (2% → 1%), which decreases its overall damage output by 5% (14% → 9%). Its last hit also has a smaller hitbox (8u → 3u).}}

*{{change|Dash attack's last hit has increased [[Freeze frames|hitlag]] (1× → 2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}

*{{nerf|[[Forward tilt]] has a smaller hitbox (5.4u → 3.3u).}}

*{{nerf|[[Up tilt]] deals less damage (7%/5% → 5%/4%) and has a smaller hitbox (5.5u (clean)/4.5u (late) → 4u).}}

*{{buff|Up tilt has increased knockback growth (102 → 116 (clean)/110 (late)), improving its combo potential. It also now grants [[intangibility]] to Kirby's foot.}}

*{{change|Clean up tilt has an altered angle (92° → 100°).}}

*{{buff|[[Down tilt]] now deals consistent damage (5%/6% → 6%).}}

*{{buff|[[Forward smash]] has decreased ending lag.}}

*{{nerf|Late forward smash deals less damage (13% → 12%/11%/10%), hindering its KO potential. Forward smash also has increased start-up lag (frame 12 → 13) and smaller hitboxes (6u → 4.2u (clean)/3.5u (late)).}}

*{{buff|[[Up smash]] has increased knockback (34/30 (base)/100 (growth) → 32/30 (base)/104/99 (growth) (early), 50 (growth) → 52 (late)), improving its KO potential. It also has decreased ending lag and now grants intangibility to Kirby's feet.}}

*{{nerf|Up smash's middle hit has decreased knockback growth (100 → 98).}}

*{{nerf|[[Down smash]] also now launches opponents vertically instead of [[Semi-spike|semi-spiking]] them, removing its edge-guarding potential.}}

*{{buff|Down smash has altered knockback (30 (base)/100 (growth) → 25/110), slightly improving its KO potential, which is strengthened further by the move's new launch angle. Additionally, it has decreased ending lag. Lastly, its clean hitbox now grants intangibility to his feet, and its late hitbox has a longer duration (frames 15-21 → 15-22).}}

*{{change|Late down smash deals consistent damage (11%/9% → 10%).}}

*{{nerf|Neutral, up, down, and late back aerials deal less damage (12%/10%/8%/6% → 10%/8%/6%/4% (neutral), 10% → 9% (up), 12% → 7% (down), 9% → 8% (back)), with only neutral and down aerials having their knockback compensated.}}

*{{buff|[[Forward aerial]]'s first and second hits' angles have been altered (45° → 45°/80° (hit 1), 80° → [[Autolink angle|366°]] (hit 2). This enables them to connect together better with the last hit. Additionally, forward aerial's last hit also has increased knockback growth (138 → 148), improving its spacing and edge-guarding potentials. Lastly, forward aerial has decreased ending (FAF 50 → 48) and landing lag (15 frames → 13).}}

*{{nerf|Forward aerial's first and second hits have smaller hitboxes (5u → 4.3u (hit 1), 5u → 4.5u (hit 2), 6.5u → 4.9u (hit 3)). It also autocancels later (40> → 41>) and no longer auto-cancels with a short hop. Altogether, these changes hinder its approach potential.}}

*{{change|Forward aerial's last hit has more hitlag (1× → 1.2×). This makes it safer on shield, but easier to DI.}}  

*{{buff|Clean [[back aerial]] deals 1% more damage (12% → 13%) and late back aerial has increased knockback growth (110 → 112), slightly improving their KO potentials.}}

*{{nerf|Back aerial has smaller hitboxes (7u → 4u (clean), 6u → 3.4u (late)) and its auto-cancels later (frames 1-4, 28> → 1-2, 32>). Clean back aerial also has decreased knockback growth (105 → 104), slightly hindering its KO potential.}}

*{{buff|[[Up aerial]] has increased knockback growth (98 → 100), improving its juggling potential.}}

*{{buff|[[Down aerial]]'s hits connect together better, its landing hitbox has decreased set knockback (60 → 40) and its angle has been altered (30° → 60°). Altogether, these changes improve its set-up potential, now boasting several potential KO confirms. Its meteor smash hitbox also has increased knockback growth (107 → 110) and a larger hitbox (6u → 6.2u). When coupled with the removal of [[Meteor smash#Meteor canceling|meteor canceling]], these changes significantly improve its reliability.}}

*{{buff|The weakening of SDI makes down aerial significantly more difficult to escape from.}}

*{{buff|[[Pummel]] deals 0.55% more damage (1% → 1.55%) and is faster, now being the third fastest pummel in the game. These changes significantly improve its damage racking potential.}}

*{{buff|[[Forward throw]] deals 3% less damage (8% → 5%), although its knockback growth was compensated (100 → 125). Its angle has also been altered (65° → 75°). When coupled with the changes to [[hitstun]] canceling, these changes grant it combo potential past low percents.}}

*{{buff|[[Back throw]] has altered knockback (80 (base)/50 (growth) → 30/120), improving its KO potential at high percents. It also has decreased ending lag, improving its mix-up and combo potential at low percents.}}

*{{buff|[[Up throw]] has increased knockback (70 (base)/70 (growth) → 75/74), improving its KO potential.}}

*{{nerf|[[Down throw]] deals 1.8% less damage (12% → 10.2%), and its knockback was increased (40 (base)/140 (growth) → 60/180). Its angle has also been altered (90° → 63°). When coupled with the removal of [[chain grab]]bing, these changes hinder its damage racking and combo potential.}}

*{{nerf|The removal of grab armor hinders Inhale's utility, as trades will now result in Kirby getting hit instead of Inhaling the opponent.}}

*{{nerf|Uncharged grounded Hammer Flip deals 4% less damage (23% → 19%). Uncharged grounded and aerial Hammer Flip also have decreased knockback, hindering their KO potentials to the point that they now KO 44% later and 45%-52% later, respectively.}}

*{{change|Uncharged aerial Hammer Flip now deals consistent damage (17%/13%/15%/10% → 15%).}}

*{{nerf|Aerial Hammer Flip has increased start-up lag regardless of its charge. It also no longer halts Kirby's momentum, hindering its safety and recovery potential, and aerial second hit is also no longer a semi-spike, limiting its edgeguarding potential.}}

Kirby has been noticeably buffed via game updates, addressing many flaws that he had in the initial release. Update [[1.0.6]] saw his KO potential improved, with his up and down smash attacks dealing more knockback and the latter being more effective if his down aerial is used to combo into it. [[Hammer Flip]] had its ending lag decreased, thus making it slightly less punishable as well. Update [[1.1.0]] brought about further buffs: Inhale's start-up lag was decreased, neutral attack's second hit now connects into his neutral infinite better and his neutral infinite's finisher comes out quicker, while his forward throw became effective for punishes and had its combo potential improved, which is very useful for Kirby due to his previous lack of a throw that he could combo into. He also benefits from the new shield mechanics brought about by updates 1.1.0 and [[1.1.1]], as they let him break shields easier thanks to his down aerial's multiple hits and [[Stone]]'s high damage output and [[hitlag]].

Update [[1.1.3]] brought about even more buffs: Kirby now [[dash]]es faster, all of his smash attacks, his forward and back aerials and all variations of Hammer Flip became slightly stronger, while his up throw became much stronger to the point of becoming a viable KOing option. Update [[1.1.4]] brought out another minor buff, as hard tripping now grants him 5 frames of invincibility. Lastly, update [[1.1.5]], buffed all of his smash attacks and all variations of Hammer Flip by slightly increasing their knockback. As a result, Kirby is noticeably better than he was during ''SSB4''{{'}}s initial release.

*{{buff|[[Inhale]] has less ending lag.}}

*{{buff|Inhale's start-up|frame 18|14 and ending lag decreased: FAF 78 → 73.}}

*{{buff|Aerial [[Hammer (move)|Hammer Bash]]'s weight-based knockback increased|20|50.}}

|neutraldesc=Two alternating punches followed by the Vulcan Jab from the {{s|wikirby|Fighter}} ability. The finisher is the Smash Punch from the Fighter ability. It is very quick due to coming out on frame 3, which makes it an effective landing or [[out of shield]] option.

|fsmashdesc=The Spin Kick from the Fighter ability. Its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and very high knockback growth, it slightly moves Kirby forward, and it can be angled. It KOs middleweights from center stage at 99% while angled upward, at 107% while not angled, and at 116% while angled downward.

|usmashdesc=A bicycle kick. Its clean hitbox deals very high knockback growth, as it KOs middleweights at 101%. Kirby's feet are also rendered intangible throughout its duration.

|dsmashdesc=A spinning split kick. Although it is Kirby's least damaging smash attack, it deals very high knockback growth like his forward and up smashes, as its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 112%. Like up smash, it renders Kirby's feet intangible, though this only applies to its clean hitbox.

|nairdesc=The Twinkle Star 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.

|fairdesc=The Aerial Spin Kick from the Fighter ability. The first two hits deal 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.

|bairdesc=A double footed back kick. It functions as a [[sex kick]], but also has the least amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials, due to it coming out on frame 6, while its clean hitbox also deals the most damage out of his aerials. These traits make it viable for KOing, as its clean hitbox KOs middleweights at 128% while near the edge. 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.

|fthrowdesc=The Pile Driver from the Suplex ability. One of the best forward throws in the game due to its combo potential, it can combo into forward and down aerials at low percents and up aerial and [[Final Cutter]] at medium percents.  

|bthrowdesc=The Big Suplex from the Suplex ability. It deals very high knockback growth, which allows it to KO middleweights at 162% while near the edge. However, it can also combo into a back aerial on certain characters at very low percents.  

|uthrowdesc=The Air Drop from the Ninja ability. Because Kirby jumps up to perform it, he can land onto platforms above him upon descending. It is Kirby's strongest throw as of update 1.1.3, as it KOs middleweights at 168% when landing on-stage, at 152% when landing on a mid-level platform, and at 135% when landing on a high-level platform.

|floorfdesc=Gets up and performs a spin kick.

|floorbdesc=Gets up, then kicks on one side, then the other.

|edgedesc=Performs a flipping kick while climbing up. It has surprisingly good range compared to many other characters' edge attacks.

|nsc1desc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Ice}} ability. Hits multiple times and can briefly [[Frozen|freeze]] the opponent, which makes it very useful for edge-guarding. However, due to it involving Kirby exhaling, he cannot Inhale anything.

|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 gradually [[Recoil damage|damage]] him. He can also slowly walk and jump while charging it, while a fully charged Hammer Flip grants [[armor]] during part of the swing. When it is used in midair, Kirby will swing his hammer twice. The uncharged grounded version KOs middleweights at 111% while near the edge, while the uncharged aerial version KOs them at 143% while near the edge. In comparison, the fully charged grounded version KOs middleweights at 52% while near the edge, and the fully charged aerial version KOs them at 71% while near the edge.

|ssc1desc=Wields a hammer that deals slightly more damage, which allows its grounded version to KO middleweights at 108% while near the edge, and its aerial version to KO them at 122%. Using it in midair causes Kirby to slightly stall his descent, which improves his recovery. However, 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, it cannot be charged, which makes it function almost exactly like it did in ''Brawl'' or when grounded in ''Melee''.

|ssc2desc=Wields a massive hammer that is much stronger and grants [[super armor]] while charging, but has much higher start-up and ending lag. Its uncharged grounded version KOs middleweights at 98% while near the edge, while its uncharged aerial version KOs them at 110%. In comparison, its fully charged grounded version KOs middleweights at 47%, while its fully charged aerial version KOs them at 61%.

|usc1desc=Deals more damage overall and its shockwave sends rocks flying outward, but it only deals damage when Kirby lands on the ground.

|usc2desc=The ascending slash is stronger and the move in general grants Kirby greater vertical recovery, but it cannot hit anything upon descending, rendering him [[helpless]] with most of his momentum.

|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. Stone Smash is a strong attack, as it KOs middleweights at 126% and deals considerable [[shield damage]]. It can also be canceled in midair by pressing the special button, which can be used for [[mindgame]]s. While Stone Change is slightly weaker, it is a strong [[semi-spike]]. Kirby cannot be damaged while he is transformed, although his Stone forms have a set amount of durability, and he can be grabbed while transformed.

|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. Its KOs middleweights at 167%.

|fsdesc=The {{s|wikirby|Super Ability}} of the same name. Kirby wields a gigantic sword and repeatedly slashes the opponent before enlarging the sword and then performing a final, powerful slash. It KOs middleweights at 71% while near the edge.

|desc-side=Spins repeatedly, then stops to balance on one leg and extend one arm and say "Eeu!" This is his "character selection" animation in ''SSB''.

*{{Sm|K.I.D.Goggles|USA}} - Placed 9th at [[Pound 2016]] and [[Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo]], and 25th at [[Get On My Level 2016]] and [[UGC Smash Open]]. Ranked 3rd on the [[New York Power Rankings|Upstate New York Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Komota|USA}} - Placed 33rd at [[Frostbite 2017]] and 25th at [[Midwest Mayhem 8: North American Tour]]. Ranked 11th on the [[Michigan Power Rankings]]. He has a win over {{Sm|Ally}}.

*{{Sm|MikeKirby|USA}} - One of the best Kirby players in the world. Placed 49th at [[Apex 2015]], 9th at [[KTAR XI]], 5th at [[KTAR XIV]], and 13th at [[Glitch (tournament)|Glitch]]. Formerly ranked 10th on the [[New York City Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|MrRyanNess|USA}} - The best Kirby player in New England. Placed 9th at [[GUMS 12]] and 65th at [[Shine 2017]]. Ranked 1st on the [[Maine Power Rankings]].  

*{{Sm|Poyo|USA}} - Placed 33rd at [[CEO Dreamland]] and [[The Big House 7]], and 49th at [[Shine 2017]]. He has also consistently achieved high placings at [[Smash @ Xanadu]] tournaments. Formerly ranked 7th on the [[Kansas Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Triple R|USA}} - Placed 33rd at [[The Big House 5]], 17th at [[Combo Breaker 2016]], and 65th at [[The Big House 6]]. Formerly ranked 9th on the Minnesota Power Rankings.  

*{{Sm|SmashG0D|USA}} - Placed 17th at [[Super Smash Con 2015]], 25th at Glitch, 49th at Pound 2016, and 13th at [[Olympus]] before switching to {{SSB4|Corrin}}.

*{{Sm|Picsou|Canada}} - Placed 49th at [[Get On My Level 2016]]. Formerly ranked 11th on the [[Quebec City Power Rankings]].

Due to the heavy nerfs he received in his transition from ''Brawl'', Kirby has always been considered a poor character within the ''SSB4'' metagame, despite his popularity within [[Kirby (universe)|his home series]]. Despite being considerably improved thanks to numerous buffs from game updates, Kirby's viability has been consistently perceived as low. This has been due to his only success occurring at local tournaments, whereas his results at regional and national tournaments have been very sparse. These aspects culminated with Kirby being placed at 33rd on the first ''4BR'' [[tier list]].

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 higher tiered characters such as {{SSB4|Zero Suit Samus}} and {{SSB4|Fox}}. After not achieving results after Frostbite 2017, however, Kirby has since then dropped to 50th in the fourth and current tier list, his lowest placing so far. Thus, Kirby remains as a poor character in the metagame due to how little impact he has made.

MissileSSB4.jpg|[[Crouch]]ing under Samus' [[Missile]] alongside Mario.

Villager Turnip.png|Kirby being hit by {{SSB4|Villager}}'s [[down aerial]].

Wii Fit Kirby.jpg|Using his side taunting alongside {{SSB4|Wii Fit Trainer}}'s forward tilt.