Editing Kirby (SSBU)

|image = [[File:Kirby SSBU.png|250px]]

'''Kirby''' ({{ja|カービィ|Kābī}}, ''Kirby'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''. Like all veterans, he was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Kirby is classified as [[Fighter  number|Fighter #06]].

Kirby is voiced in all regions once again by Makiko Ōmoto, using a combination of new voice clips and ones recycled from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

 

 

However, Kirby's strengths come at a cost of his poor endurance, as his light [[weight]] makes him susceptible to early KOs. His air mobility is one of the slowest of the roster, and this, as well as a lack of projectiles and the limited range in most of his attacks, presents a host of problems in [[Neutral game|neutral]] and offstage, as Kirby has trouble approaching and fighting those that can outrange him. His slow air speed, [[floatiness]] and lack of projectiles outside of [[Final Cutter]]'s shockwave make him vulnerable to pressure and juggles, and he has a poor disadvantage state: his options have their own issues defensively, as [[Stone]] and down aerial are too slow to protect him effectively from below, neutral aerial has poor range on both sides of Kirby and is not as fast as other aerials of its type, and his midair jumps and Final Cutter may leave him in a worse position when they are used at the wrong time. In the end, while his aerial attacks are versatile and powerful when he has the advantage, they are less effective when he's disadvantaged, as they're not as fast or long-reaching as those of other characters, with his low air mobility and lack of conventional projectiles worsening this issue. Also, when Kirby has a Copy Ability, he may lose it if he gets hit after the first 20 seconds since he obtained it, and the chance of it happening depends on the damage of the hit he took, so he has to swallow his opponent again to get back his Copy Ability if he loses it. While he has several KO options, most of them suffer from poor range and can be difficult to land without a combo or setup into them, and while his smash attacks are powerful without sacrificing too much in speed, they are punishable on shield and have a late hit that is much weaker and often lacks KO potential altogether, such as his up smash, which has several sourspots. Finally, Kirby's recovery, though far-reaching, is rather predictable, making him very vulnerable to edgeguarding despite possessing five midair jumps.

 

Overall, Kirby's weaknesses undermine some of his strengths. As a result, he has consistently placed near the bottom in terms of competitive representation. Nevertheless, Kirby has still seen success from dedicated mains such as {{Sm|Guilheww}}, {{Sm|JeJaJeJa}}, and {{Sm|Konokururu}}.

 

 

Kirby's greatest strengths are his quick frame data, high combo potential, and the versatility of his moveset. The majority of Kirby's attacks are characterized by speed, with his tilts being among the fastest in the game, while his slowest moves instead boast high power as a trade-off, while still being quite fast for their power: only four of his standard moves (forward and up smashes, forward aerial and down aerial) come out at or after frame 10. Neutral attack and forward tilt are fast and have decent range, allowing Kirby to quickly distance opponents, with the latter being used for tech chase setups. Up tilt's low knockback and high speed allow it to combo into multiple moves, such as itself, an aerial attack, or an Inhale. Down tilt's low power is compensated by its extreme speed and it launching opponents at the [[Sakurai angle]], which allows it to [[trip]] most opponents even over 80%. Should he trip his opponents with it, he can follow up with a variety of attacks, such as a dash attack, grab, or forward smash. Dash attack’s early hit is excellent for whiff punishing and scoring a KO, potentially KOing opponents starting at 90%, while the late hit can set up into an Inhale. His [[smash attack]]s have good range, high power, and great frame-data, making them excellent at scoring a KO. Kirby himself is also very small, making him hard to hit, and his minimal crouch allows him to avoid almost all grabs and several attacks. As a result, Kirby has an excellent grounded and defensive game thanks to his quick frame-data and evasive [[crouch]], requiring opponents to be careful when approaching him in neutral.

 

The usefulness of Kirby's grounded game also extends to his [[grab]] game. His set of grabs' short range are counterbalanced by being among the fastest in ''Ultimate'', while his pummel's meager damage output is counterbalanced by its extreme speed. His [[forward throw]], unlike most other forward throws in the game, has combo potential, leading into aerial attacks from low to mid percentages. [[Back throw]] can be followed up by a back aerial at 0% on certain characters, can KO at high percents, and can send opponents offstage. [[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, while [[down throw]] has no combo potential, it is reliable for damage-racking when no other throw can yield better results, and it can KO below 200%.

 

 

Kirby's [[special move]]set can provide some unique strengths. {{B|Inhale|Kirby}} is his most notable example; it allows him to either [[List of Copy Abilities|copy]] the [[neutral special move]] of any character he inhales, or spit them out as a weight-dependent [[projectile]]. Depending on what character he inhales, the copy ability can give Kirby a move that assists him in matchups to various degrees, such as useful projectiles to counter-camp his opponent ([[Needle Storm]], [[Charge Shot]], {{SSBU|Wolf}}'s {{b|Blaster|Wolf}}), powerful punishing options ([[Giant Punch]], [[Homing Attack]]), a reflector ([[Nayru's Love]]), or other benefits ([[Monado Arts]]). In addition, Kirby's variant of the opponent's neutral special has a 1.2x damage multiplier. Kirby can also inhale projectiles; smaller projectiles will be swallowed, allowing him to heal himself, while larger ones (such as a fully-charged Charge Shot) can be stored in his mouth and spat out, essentially giving Kirby a reflector. The spat projectiles can be used to punish opponents at mid-range and can launch them away with high knockback. Inhale can also be used to [[Kirbycide]] or spit the opponent out offstage, although the opponent can escape by [[button mashing]]. [[Hammer Flip]] boasts amazing power, especially when fully charged, and Kirby can move and jump while charging. However, its high startup and endlag, along with its short range and Kirby's poor mobility being further slowed when charging, makes it difficult to land outside of a [[shield break]], covering ledge options, or after a jab lock. Final Cutter is his primary means of [[recovery]], granting good vertical distance, as well as a disjoint in front of him during his ascent and descent. It also emits a shockwave projectile upon landing, making it difficult to [[punish]] if the opponent is not behind Kirby. Lastly, [[Stone]] causes Kirby to turn into an object and ignore up to 25% damage. It is also a powerful attack, especially in the air, and can be canceled shortly after Kirby begins his descent, although these benefits are limited by its slow startup and ending lag, and Kirby is still vulnerable to grabs while transformed. It can also be used on the ground, where it has faster startup due to creating a shockwave and it launches at a semi-spike angle.

 

Kirby has very notable flaws, however. His most glaring flaw is his poor approach. While his dashing speed is average, Kirby's mobility is lackluster overall, especially in the air, and with his lack of reliable projectiles, speed demons or characters who can camp with projectiles can wall out Kirby, such as {{SSBU|Sonic}}, {{SSBU|Mii Gunner}} and {{SSBU|Samus}}. Kirby's lack of reliable burst-movement options especially makes his approach in these matchups problematic and sometimes predictable. Dash attack covers a large distance, but it's punishable when not used carefully, and crossing up shields with it is risky, so he doesn't have many reliable approach options outside of a back aerial in a [[reverse aerial rush]]. Inhale can help him by giving some new options, but those depend on the matchup, and if he gets hit too much, he might lose the Copy Ability and has to suck in his opponent again to regain it if he loses it. In addition, characters with long range and/or [[disjointed hitbox]]es, such as {{SSBU|Ike}} and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}, can outrange and wall out Kirby since his range is short relative to the cast despite having a disjoints on a few of attacks himself. Final Cutter's projectile has decent range and quick movement, but it's too slow to use it well due to it requiring Kirby to perform the entire rising and falling portions of the move beforehand, and he lacks other projectiles outside of spitting inhaled projectiles/opponents, or from a Copy Ability. It's also too slow to be used as an out of shield option, only being active at frame 23, and lacks a hitbox to protect Kirby from directly above, which can leave him vulnerable to a meteor smash if it's used at the wrong time. When using Final Cutter, he also cannot snap to the ledge until he reaches the peak of his ascent. This requires conscientious usage to avoid punishment. Despite possessing great [[air acceleration]], Kirby's air speed is also too slow for him to take advantage of it, hindering his aerial approach and recovery despite possessing five midair jumps, with the latter being especially prevalent due to his recovery being fairly linear and predictable despite Final Cutter covering a decent distance overall. Kirby also has several KO options in his kit, but some can be hard to land without a setup due to their short range.

 

In addition, Kirby also has poor endurance. While being light and floaty can help him escape combos from other characters, this also means he risks getting KOed earlier. He is also vulnerable to [[juggling]], due to his aforementioned slow falling and air speeds. The existence of [[rage]] further pronunces this issue, as Kirby will be sent flying even further by heavily damaged opponents, and his light [[weight]] prevents him from gaining the advantage of his own rage. His floaty movement, slow speed in the air and lack of reliable projectiles without Inhale also leaves him very vulnerable to pressure, and while his aerials are versatile in an advantage state, they are less effective when he's disadvantaged. His down aerial is too slow to fight juggling, and it's also outclassed by his other aerials when it comes to edgeguarding or against shielding opponents, as it's unsafe on shield and it's also his weakest aerial in terms of damage and knockback, not even KOing lightweights until very high percents. This imposes as a risk in approaching opponents in the air, while also preventing Kirby's aerials from being used effectively when in a disadvantage state, often forcing him to rely on his jumps, Stone, or neutral aerial to escape and return to the ground or the ledge. Even then, those options have their risks: using his midair jumps might leave him vulnerable later, neutral aerial has a large hitbox that covers his entire body but it has and poor range in front of him a long duration that can be punished when used poorly, and Stone has high start-up in the air and Kirby takes a long time to transform or turn back to normal. While its immunity to attacks that deal 25% damage is useful, it has to be used carefully to avoid getting punished, as it has slow startup and a noticeable amount of ending lag and Kirby is still vulnerable to grabs when he's transformed.

 

Overall, Kirby has a tendency to run hot and cold. In turn, Kirby is characterized as a glass cannon who is capable of inflicting an impressive amount of damage if he gets close to his opponent thanks to his excellent frame data and potent combo game, but doing so is challenging for him due to his poor approach. As such, he functions well with a bait-and-punish playstyle, although being unprepared for an opponent's approach can be hazardous due to his low survivability, an attribute that is commonly shared with other characters of Kirby's archetype.

Near the end of ''SSB4''{{'}}s metagame, Kirby had been considered a low-tier character due to a combination of lackluster attributes (light, slow in the air and floaty) and underwhelming moveset despite its power. Likely owing to this, Kirby has been noticeably buffed overall in the transition to ''Ultimate'', though not enough to raise his standing on the tier list.

 

Kirby's buffs lie in the increased utility of his moveset as a whole, with overall improved frame-data and KO power on his finishers. The first two hits of his [[neutral attack]] can now [[jab lock]] and connect better into the looping hits (albeit at the cost of reduced damage output), while [[forward tilt]] is a stronger poke and KO option due to its reduced ending lag and its increased knockback. His [[dash attack]] has been mostly reverted back to its ''Melee'' iteration — however, it is significantly faster and stronger, has less startup and a far longer duration compared to his previous dash attack in ''SSB4'', can cross-up on shields, covers more distance, and is more reliable for catching opponents thanks to only consisting of a single, long-lasting hitbox; these changes make it a stronger punishing tool and a much more versatile move overall. His [[smash attack]]s are now stronger punishing options, with [[forward smash]] having much more range, [[up smash]] having faster start-up, and [[down smash]]'s regained its semi-spike angle, restoring its utility at edgeguarding; all three also have improved KO power, with forward and up smash dealing more knockback, and down smash's altered angle KOing earlier at the edge despite its reduced knockback. Several of Kirby's attacks, such as up tilt and all his aerials excluding for up aerial also have more range, partially alleviating one of his weaknesses from ''SSB4''.

 

The universal reduction to [[landing lag]] has also exponentially benefitted his aerials, despite already possessing among the lowest landing lag in ''SSB4''; his aerials are not only safer, but now capable of leading into followups, with [[forward aerial]]'s first two hits now being able to follow up into a grab or forward smash. His neutral and up aerials —the former being one of his most situational attacks— are now faster, deal more knockback (with the former's clean hit being one of the strongest neutral aerials in ''Ultimate'' and have less ending lag; neutral aerial also has more range, and both forward and up aerial deal higher damage, regaining some of the KO power they had lost in the transition between ''Melee'' and ''Brawl''.

 

For Kirby's special moves, [[Inhale]] has been significantly buffed with faster startup, less ending lag, a much longer grace period in which Kirby cannot lose his Copy Ability, a lower probability of losing said ability after this period has ended, and a new 1.2× multiplier to his copied [[neutral special]] compared to his opponent (albeit without a corresponding increase to knockback), giving him a greater incentive and a higher reward from inhaling opponents. Furthermore, he can now eat the projectiles he swallows to heal himself (and store certain ones in his mouth as well, enabling him to spit them out as stars). [[Hammer Flip]] now renders Kirby nigh-impossible to stop for a longer time as long as he's grounded; [[Final Cutter]] snaps to the ledge slightly faster and its landing hit is much more powerful, which improves its utility; and [[Stone]]'s aerial variant now has super armor during its startup, making it more difficult to interrupt Kirby out of the attack, as in previous ''Smash'' games he could be interrupted even when he fully transformed.

 

However, the nerfs Kirby has received are also noteworthy. The most notable were to his [[grab]] game: his grab has had its mediocre range further worsened (especially on his pivot grab), and [[forward throw]] depicts him jumping up higher after the throw, which runs the risk of potentially landing on top of a soft platform, negating all follow-ups when it happens too early (although following up neutral air or up aerial can allow more follow-ups), while [[back throw]] has lost most of its combo setups due to changes to the animation. Altogether, this grants Kirby a less effective combo game off of his grabs overall. His other received nerfs include Stone no longer hitting shielding opponents twice, reducing its shield pressure considerably; [[back aerial]] deals less knockback (although it has more range and the clean hit now lasts for slightly longer to compensate); and [[down aerial]], one of his most reliable combo starters in ''SSB4'', has more range on the looping hits, but slightly less on the final hit and is less advantageous on landing due to the removal of [[frame cancel]]ing, reducing the effectiveness of its follow-ups since its landing lag was not reduced enough to compensate properly. Furthermore, Kirby still retains many of the same issues that plagued him in ''SSB4'', with mediocre range, sluggish aerial mobility and a high susceptibility to being camped.

 

Universal changes to the game's mechanics both benefit and hinder Kirby. The revamped [[air dodging]] mechanics have significantly improved his innate ability to [[edgeguard]] opponents more effectively, and directional air dodges have also given him a secondary recovering option, but this also makes him more susceptible to juggling and edgeguarding as well, due to his short-ranged aerials and predictable landing options, as his air dodges are now among the slowest in the game due to now depending on the character's fall speed and gravity. The changes to downwards velocity KOing opponents faster from the bottom blast line now render Final Cutter as a significantly more deadly edgeguarding and [[sacrificial KO]] option, further improving its utility. The increased [[shieldstun]] and increased startup on shield grabbing notably benefits Kirby's safety on hit, due to his moveset's naturally high damage and low ending lag, making him harder to shrug off and punish accordingly. Conversely, the changes to grabs' ending lag make Kirby's own grab riskier to throw out, as their ending lag can prove more punishable. The increase in mobility is a mixed bag for Kirby, as while his mobility has improved overall relative to the cast (most notably his aerial mobility), his problems with camping from the previous incarnation remain, exhibited with the increased prevalence of zoners. Overall, his edgeguarding and defensive options have been improved at the cost of his range issues becoming even more prevalent than in ''SSB4''.

In the end, Kirby's changes now render his punishing game much more deadly, make him much harder to shake off once he gains the advantage, and allow him to seal stocks at much more varied percentages, but the universal changes to the game's engine have made it slightly easier for opponents to restrain him and have rendered said punishment game slightly more inconsistent. Because of this, Kirby is agreed to have not significantly improved from his appearance in ''SSB4'', which combined with several veterans being buffed to varying degrees, has resulted in Kirby being in a similar position overall, despite several of the game's updates handing Kirby a myriad of noticeable buffs.

{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Kirby}}

==Update history==

Aside from glitch fixes, Kirby has been buffed significantly via game updates. Update 2.0.0 improved his ground game by reducing the ending lag of his forward tilt, along with granting it increased base knockback, giving it newfound KO potential at very high percentages, while also boosting its safety at low percents. Dash attack's clean hit was also given a larger hitbox, and its damage output was increased overall. Update 3.0.0 improved the duration of his up smash's clean hit, making it easier to land on aerial opponents, and reduced the ending lag on his neutral aerial. {{b|Inhale|Kirby}}'s Copy Ability grace period was also extended, allowing Kirby to safely keep his abilities for longer, and the probability of him losing them when receiving damage was also reduced. Furthermore, his down throw's damage output was increased, and [[Final Cutter]] can grab ledges earlier, making it safer for recovery.

Update 6.0.0 granted Kirby some of his most significant improvements. Both neutral and up aerials had their startup reduced and their knockback increased, improving their combo and KO potential. Inhale had its startup reduced as well, and the grace period for Copy Ability was further increased, along with a further reduction to the probability of losing his abilities. Up smash's sourspot had its knockback increased, improving its consistency, and neutral attack's startup was reduced by 1 frame. Following this, update 7.0.0 enlarged Kirby's shield, making him much less susceptible to shield pokes.

Kirby has been buffed once more in update 8.0.0, strengthening a handful of his finishers such as down smash, back aerial, and [[Stone]], with the former having decreased start-up, alleviating the nerfs they initially received in the transition to ''Ultimate''. Dash attack had its clean hit's knockback increased and its previously high endlag reduced, with cross-ups now being much safer and as well as giving the late hit follow-up potential. Although forward aerial's increased damage output and increased knockback on the final hit makes it harder for him to follow up with his combos at low percents, it is an overall benefit since it improves its KO power at the ledge, renders his finishers to be more potent, while indirectly giving his other combo tools more flexibility. Update 13.0.1 added a minor buff/bug fix of Kirby's version of [[Lightning Buster]] less ending lag to match {{SSBU|Mythra}}.

Overall, Kirby fares significantly better than he did at the launch of ''Ultimate'', with his combo potential and mobility being greatly improved, as well as the combos doing more damage, which makes his neutral game more viable and leaves him less reliant on gimmicks to consistently close stocks.

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'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|7.0.0}}'''

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'''{{GameIcon|ssbu}} {{SSBU|8.0.0}}'''

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*Kirby can perform [[Double jump#Multiple double jumps|5 double jumps]], tied with {{SSBU|Jigglypuff}} and {{SSBU|Meta Knight}} for most double jumps in the game.

 

|neutralname=Punch ({{ja|パンチ|Panchi}}) / Follow-Up Punch ({{ja|追いパンチ|Oi Panchi}}) / Vulcan Jab ({{ja|バルカンジャブ|Barukan Jabu}}) / Vulcan Finish ({{ja|バルカンフィニッシュ|Barukan Finisshu}})

|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. It is very quick due to coming out on frame 2, 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. Both hits can also [[jab lock]].

|ftiltdesc=Throws a spinning roundhouse kick. It is quick, due to coming out on frame 5, having very little ending lag and can be angled. The tip of Kirby's foot is a sourspot, but it is [[priority|out-prioritized]] by the other hitboxes. Due to its above average knockback, it can KO middleweights starting at around 140% at the edge of {{SSBU|Final Destination}} when sweetspotted; this makes it a useful 2-framing option when angled downwards.

|utiltdesc=A scorpion kick. Although its damage output is low, it is a very useful combo starter at low percents, due to it coming out on frame 4 and having both very minimal ending lag and disjointed range which also reaches slightly in front of him. It also renders Kirby's foot [[Intangibility|intangible]] throughout its duration, which can give him protection above him and allows it to be used as an anti-air tool despite its rather poor range.

|dtiltdesc=A crouching shin kick. It is fairly spammable due to coming out on frame 4 and having minimal ending lag. It also moves Kirby marginally forward when using it. When coupled with its [[trip]]ping potential, and the fact that Kirby's crouch allows him to dodge many attacks with high hitboxes, it can be a very useful set-up option, especially after a crouch, connecting in one of his strongest moves if it successfully trips an opponent.

|dashdesc=The Burn attack from the {{s|wikirby|Burning}} ability from ''Kirby's Adventure''. It has decent startup at frame 9 with a long-lasting hitbox that grows weaker over time. Its clean hitbox is one of the strongest dash attacks in the game, KOing middleweights at around 100% from the edge of Final Destination, though it is extremely punishable on shield due to its ending lag. A powerful punish option. Unlike ''Melee'', it does not slide off of edges. Its late hit can start combos, but landing it is risky.

|fsmashdesc=Based on the Spin Kick from the Fighter ability from ''Kirby Super Star''. Due to becoming active at frame 13, it is quite fast for a forward smash. It can be angled, moderately moves Kirby forward and the clean hit is slightly disjointed, giving it deceptively good range. Its clean hitbox also deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth, which makes it a powerful and reliable KOing option. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights starting at around 70%. However, its late hitbox lacks reliable KO potential due to its high base knockback at the expense of very low knockback scaling. The hitbox also has a deceptively short duration compared to what it seems, and has noticeable ending lag (29 frames), making it unsafe on shield and punishable if not used correctly. A powerful punish option that is also capable of 2-framing reliably if angled downwards.

|usmashname=Somersault Kick ({{ja|サマーソルトキック|Samāsoruto Kikku}})

|usmashdmg={{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|15}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}} (clean), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|14}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}} (mid), {{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|13}}/{{ChargedSmashDmgSSBU|12}} (late)

|usmashdesc=A bicycle kick. It can hit behind Kirby, while its clean hitbox deals respectable damage and has very high knockback growth akin to forward smash, KOing middleweights at around 100% from anywhere on Final Destination. Kirby's foot is also rendered intangible throughout its duration. Has moderate startup and ending lag, coming out on frame 12 and having 27 frames of ending lag, which gives it the fastest interruptibility of Kirby's smash attacks. Its mid hitbox is noticeably weaker, but still has surprisingly respectable KO power for an up smash, KOing middleweights at around 120% from anywhere on Final Destination. However, it has a sourspot on the tip of Kirby's foot that deals less damage at any point of the move and the late hit has extremely low knockback, not KOing opponents even at Sudden Death percentages.

|nairdesc=A cartwheel that also appears in the {{s|wikirby|Smash Bros.}} ability. Its very low landing lag makes it a decent set-up option at low percents or a tool for shield pressure when short hopped, while its very high knockback growth makes it a decent anti-pressure option. In addition, on Final Destination, it can KO middleweights under 160% at center stage and at around 110% at the ledge if landing the clean hitbox, making it one of the strongest neutral aerials in the game, which also makes it a powerful [[out of shield]] option. It has large hitboxes that cover Kirby's body, especially at the beginning, giving good protection and coverage around him, and it can also edgeguard. It has properties of a [[sex kick]] and autocancels in a full hop. Due to coming out on frame 8, it has the second fastest startup of Kirby's aerials, although this also makes it slower in comparison to other sex kicks.

|fairname=Triple Attack ({{ja|トリプルアタック|Toripuru Attaku}})

|fairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (hit 1), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|4}} (hit 2), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|6}} (hit 3)

|fairdesc=A series of three consecutive aerial kicks. Due to coming out on frame 10, it has the second slowest startup of Kirby's aerials. The first two hits have low knockback, which allows them to connect reliably into the third hit; however, they are notably inconsistent and the first hit doesn't use the [[autolink angle]], meaning that it might experience fallouts as a result. Its low landing lag also allows the first or second hit to be used as set-up options into other moves, such as an up smash or forward smash at high percents. A versatile aerial that is good for combos and edgeguarding, it is capable of connecting into itself for a [[wall of pain]] in certain instances due to its low ending lag, and it can also combo into other moves at low to mid percents other than on landing. As of update 8.0.0, it deals the highest damage of Kirby's aerials, and while this makes it more difficult to connect two forward aerials at low to mid percents if the opponent is small or too light, the third hit's increased knockback has granted it better KO potential at high percents when edgeguarding or at the ledge due to its very high knockback growth. It can also be used as an out-of-shield option if Kirby is too far away to hit the opponent with neutral aerial or up aerial instead, and its multiple hits can pressure shields when combined with the low landing lag. It auto-cancels in a full hop.

|bairname=Drop Kick ({{ja|ドロップキック|Doroppu Kikku}})

|bairdmg={{ShortHopDmgSSBU|13}} (clean), {{ShortHopDmgSSBU|8}} (late)

|bairdesc=A dropkick. It functions as a sex kick, but it also has the lowest amount of start-up lag out of Kirby's aerials, due to it coming out on frame 6. It can autocancel in a short hop and its clean hitbox 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 around 105-110%, which is around the same KO percentages of Kirby's clean neutral aerial. It also boasts good range due to its slightly disjointed hitbox, which makes it a viable edge-guarding option, and allows it use in a [[wall of pain]], as well as a good approaching option if used in a reverse aerial rush. These attributes make it one of Kirby's best finishers.

|uairdesc=A bycicle kick similar to his up smash. Comes out on frame 8, tied with neutral aerial for having the second lowest startup of Kirby's aerials. A decent juggling option, it can also be used for continuing a combo due to its low landing lag. Can be used as an out-of-shield option if the opponent has a large enough [[hurtbox]]. Due to its decent damage and knockback, it is strong enough to KO middlweights at around 150% on Final Destination on ground level, making it a useful KO option after a full hop, or above platforms. It can auto-cancel in a short hop fast fall.

|dairdesc=A diagonal corkscrew dropkick. A decent combo starter on grounded opponents and due its low ending lag, and the final hit is a weak meteor smash, which makes it useful for edgeguarding and allows it to gimp characters with short recoveries or to combo with it. 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 and of his standard moveset due to coming out on frame 18, which also makes it one of the slowest down aerials in the game in terms of start-up, and it doesn't auto-cancel in a short hop, it has landing hitboxes, giving Kirby a decent window to safely land while tumbling. The landing hit launches vertically, giving them some combo potential. While possessing a rather good auto-canceling window and being good for edgeguarding, its usage offstage is only serviceable against characters with slow or exploitable recoveries, as the final hit cannot reliably KO characters even as high as 180% offstage, and it deals the least damage and knockback out of all of Kirby's aerials. It also has the highest landing lag of of Kirby's aerials, and due to this and the final hit's low damage output, it's unsafe on shield despite of the move's low ending lag, making it punishable when used recklessly.

|grabname=Grab ({{ja|つかみ|Tsukami}})

|pummelname= Grab Slap ({{ja|つかみビンタ|Tsukami Pinta}})

|pummeldesc=A punch. It possesses a low damage output, but is one of the fastest pummels.

|fthrowname=Power Bomb ({{ja|パワーボム|Pawā Bomu}})

|fthrowdesc=A throw resembling the Rock Drop from the Suplex ability from ''Kirby Super Star''. 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. Using it below a {{SSBU|Battlefield}} platform will have Kirby land on said platform, hindering followups at lower percents. However, as of patch 6.0.0, the faster start-up on neutral and up aerials allow him to combo with them if he lands on a platform, but those follow-ups depend on the character.

|bthrowname=Brain Buster ({{ja|ブレーンバスター|Burēn Basutā}})

|uthrowname=Air Drop ({{ja|いずな落とし|Izuna Otoshi}}, ''Izuna Drop'')

|uthrowdesc=The Air Drop from the Ninja ability from ''Kirby Super Star''. Like {{SSBU|Meta Knight}}'s up throw, it can damage and launch bystanders upon landing. It is weaker than his back throw when used at the edge, but it is consistently strong regardless of where it is used on the stage. Great knockback, KOing middleweights at around 160% from anywhere on Final Destination without rage; though it is extremely susceptible to [[DI]] because opponents are released late. As Kirby jumps up to perform it, he can land onto platforms above him upon descending, which enables it to KO even earlier.

|dthrowdesc=The Fury Stomp from the Suplex ability from ''Kirby Super Star''. It is Kirby's most damaging throw at 12%, which makes it useful for damage-racking when his other throws cannot do so. It can also damage nearby opponents. Due to its high knockback and unfavorable angle in comparison to other down throws, it launches too high for followups, so it is his most situational throw. However, it has enough knockback to KO middleweights at around 200% on Final Destination if Kirby has no rage, so it can be used as a situational KO option, but only on certain high platforms. On the top platform of Battlefield, it will KO middleweights at around 170-175% without rage.

|floortdesc=The Break Spin from the {{s|wikirby|yo-yo}} ability from ''Kirby Super Star''.

|nsdesc={{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, 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. 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]]. When inhaling projectiles, Kirby will heal off a small amount of percentage, and when inhaling large projectiles, such as {{SSBU|Samus}}'s fully charged [[Charge Shot]], it can be spat out as a star. Kirby's copied neutral special's damage output has a x1.2 multiplier compared to the opponent's version.

|ssdesc=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. When it is used in midair, Kirby will swing his hammer twice, with each hit being equally powerful. While near the edge of Final Destination, uncharged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at around 65%. Fully charged Hammer Flip KOs middleweights at around 6%. Although weaker, aerial Hammer Flip nevertheless possesses impressive KO potential. While near the edge of Final Destination, it KOs middleweights at around 86%. Its fully charged version KOs them at around 33%. When fully charged and on the ground, it makes Kirby invincible from frame 2-10 and gives him super armor from frame 11-17. To counteract its power, it has high startup and endlag, making its usage in competitive play outside of shield break punishes or covering get-up options from ledge very limited.

|usdesc=The attack of the same name from the {{s|wikirby|Cutter}} ability. It weakly meteor smashes any opponents he comes into contact with upon descending, which is somewhat useful as a sacrificial KO or to edgeguard opponents who run out of ledge invincibility, though not to the extent of similar moves like [[Aether]]. 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]]. Solid vertical recovery distance and has serviceable horizontal distance when angled. Can also punish improper aerial approaches, but overuse will render Kirby vulnerable to punishment due to the high start-up. Kirby cannot [[sweetspot]] the edge until the peak of the ascending slash and the move doesn't have a hitbox directly above him, making this recovery vulnerable to edgeguarding, and the while the shockwave moves quickly, it has limited ranged and cannot be used until after he lands. If the platform beneath Kirby disappears or if he is pushed off while he is still in the landing animation, he will be rendered [[helpless]].

|dsdesc=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. While transformed, Kirby gains armor that can withstand at least 25%, though he can be grabbed while transformed. Stone Smash also grants super armor during startup (frames 19-28), and can also be canceled in midair by pressing the special button, which can be used for [[mindgame]]s. However, transforming and canceling the transformation takes a noticeable amount of time, which leaves Kirby vulnerable to punishes if not used carefully. Thanks to its high damage output, Stone Smash KOs middleweights at around 100% and deals considerable [[shield damage]]. Although Stone Change is considerably weaker, it is still a relatively potent [[semi-spike]] and comes out much faster thanks to its shockwave (frame 11 instead of 29). Stone's usage include combating juggles, or being used as a landing/edgeguarding tool; however, due to its high overall lag and predictability in the air, it is not often used in competitive play.

|fsdmg=3% (stun), 5% (hit 1), 2.5% (hits 2-9), 16% (hit 10)

 

 

{{audio|Needs announcer calls from other languages.}}

 

 

 

*'''Up taunt''': Smiles and poses, producing a star.

*'''Side taunt''': Spins around playfully, then says "Nyum!" while standing on a single foot. Based on his "character chosen" animation in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', albeit much more subtle.

 

 

|[[File:Kirby Cheer German SSBU.ogg|center]]||{{NTSC}} [[File:Kirby Cheer Spanish NTSC SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Kirby Cheer Spanish PAL SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Kirby Cheer Russian SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Kirby Cheer Korean SSBU.ogg|center]]

 

Note: Outside of team battles, Kirby's victory poses have three separate Kirbys, referencing the {{s|wikirby|Kirby Dance}} from his home series.

 

*'''Left:''' Moonwalks to the left, twists, slides to the right, and jumps into a pose where he stands on one foot. Based on Kirby's dances in ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'' and ends with a pose similar to his official ''Brawl'' render and his character select animation in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', albeit much more subtle.

*'''Up:''' Cartwheels to the left twice, wiggles, and does a front flip before posing. The ending pose originated from the Kirby Dance in ''Kirby's Adventure''.

*'''Right:''' Jumps twice, shuffles backwards, performs a breakdance, and poses while facing slightly away from the camera. Based on Kirby's dances in ''Kirby's Return to Dream Land'', with the ending pose also appearing in said game.

 

 

*{{Sm|Ferretkuma|Japan}} - Although his overall activity has been limited, he notably placed 17th at the major {{Trn|Umebura SP 7}}, which is tied for the highest placement for a Kirby player at a major.

*{{Sm|Guilheww|Mexico}} - One of the two best Kirby players in the post-online metagame, consistently placing highly at Mexican events including 2nd at the regional {{Trn|Hooters Ultimate Tournament}} while upsetting {{Sm|Maister}}. His 17th-place finish at the major {{Trn|Delfino Maza 2023}} is tied for the highest placement for a Kirby player at a major.

*{{Sm|JeJaJeJa|USA}} - One of the two best Kirby players in the post-online metagame, having placed well at many events, including 33rd at the supermajors {{Trn|Super Smash Con 2022}}, {{Trn|Let's Make Big Moves 2023}} and {{Trn|Collision 2024}}. In addition, his 17th-place finish at {{Trn|Port Priority 7}} is tied for the highest placement for a Kirby player at a major, and he won the regional {{Trn|Afterburner 2024}}.

*{{Sm|Jesuischoq|France}} - One of the best Kirby players in the world in the early metagame who regularly placed highly at European events, including 2nd at the regional {{Trn|Smash4Glory - Ultimate Edition}} upsetting {{Sm|Glutonny}}, and 13th at the superregional {{Trn|VCA 2019}}.

*{{Sm|Konokururu|Japan}} - One of the best Kirby players in the world in the post-online metagame. Although his placements have been less consistent than JeJaJeJa, his 17th place finish at the supermajor {{Trn|Kagaribi 7}} is the highest placement for a Kirby player at a supermajor.

 

Since the release of ''Ultimate'', several professionals immediately noticed Kirby's significant flaws from the previous installment had been retained, in spite of the mechanics suiting him better in comparison to ''SSB4''. In addition, players notified his vulnerability to being camped, poor range, slow air speed, as well as platforms potentially negating all follow-ups should he start a combo with a forward throw. Despite some representation and decent results from players such as {{Sm|Jesuischoq}} and {{Sm|Ferretkuma}}, most of the community considered Kirby to be a low or bottom-tier in the early metagame, with some going as far as to consider Kirby could be one of the worst characters in the game.

 

However, Kirby would receive significant buffs in balance patches, more than almost every other character, especially in patches 6.0.0 and 8.0.0. These patches would give him major improvements, improving his overall frame data, KO power and versatility to many of his attacks, allowing him to be more consistent in closing stocks and starting comboes. In addition, although Kirby's representation remained rather small and was often in the bottom 10, he began seeing more success both online and offline from players such as {{Sm|Guilheww}} and {{Sm|JeJaJeJa}}, who were able to achieve strong results with him in national tournaments and in majors. These small positives were enough to raise opinions on Kirby's viability slightly. As such, although Kirby continues to have little impact on the metagame, he is usually not thought of as a candidate for the worst character in the game. This is reflected in Kirby's placement on the first tier list, where he is ranked 76th as a low-tier character, and he rose just one position in the second and current tier list, although gradually improving results from dedicated players have led a few players to believe Kirby should be ranked higher thanks to his improved advantage state.

 

=={{SSBU|Classic Mode}}: Gourmet Clash==

Kirby's opponents are characters who, like him, are known for their gluttonous appetites in their respective series. For each battle, Kirby and his opponent each spawn with 35% damage and several food items appear on the stage as the match begins.

 

|1||{{CharHead|Pac-Man|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Pac-Land]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pac-Man|PAC-MAN}}''

|2||Giant {{CharHead|Yoshi|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||{{SSBM|Yoshi's Island}}||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Ground Theme - Super Mario World}}''

|3||{{CharHead|Donkey Kong|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Jungle Japes]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Donkey Kong|Jungle Hijinxs}}''

|4||Giant {{CharHead|Wario|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Gamer]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|WarioWare|WarioWare, Inc.}}''

|6||Giant {{CharHead|King Dedede|SSBU|hsize=20px}}||[[Fountain of Dreams]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Gourmet Race (64)}}''

|Final||[[Marx]]||[[Mysterious Dimension]]||''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Vs. Marx}}''

 

[[Credits]] roll after completing Classic Mode. Completing it as Kirby has ''{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Staff Credits - Kirby's Dream Land}}'' accompany the credits.

#{{SSBU|Jigglypuff}}

 

Kirby was among the fighters summoned to the cliffside to assist in defeating an army of [[Master Hand]]s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

|[[Mushroom Kingdom U]] (Slide Lift Tower)

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Rosalina in the Observatory / Luma's Theme}}

|4,100

|•The enemy favors neutral specials<br>•Defeat an army of fighters

|[[Fountain of Dreams]]

|•The enemy starts the battle with a Star Rod

|•[[Stamina battle]]<br>•The enemy is metal

|•Timed battle (2:00)<br>•The enemy favors neutral specials

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Gourmet Race (64)}}

|{{SpiritTableName|Nightmare's Power Orb|customname=[[Nightmare]]'s Power Orb|size=64}}

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Kirby|Vs. Marx}}

|•{{SSBU|Kirby}} {{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}×3

|•The floor is electrified<br>•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Super Scope]]

|•Reinforcements will appear after an enemy is KO'd

|[[The Great Cave Offensive]] ([[Battlefield form]])

|1,900

|•The enemy favors neutral specials<br>•Only certain Pokémon will emerge from Poké Balls (Ditto)

|•Water and ice attacks aren't as effective against the enemy

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Super Mario Bros.|Main Theme - Super Mario 64 (Remix)}}

|•{{SSBU|Rosalina & Luma}} {{Head|Rosalina|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}<br>•{{SSBU|Kirby}} Team {{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Yellow}}{{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Blue}}{{Head|Kirby|g=SSBU|s=20px|cl=Red}}

|-

|•You can't swim<br>•The enemy starts the battle with a [[Freezie]]

|4,100

|•The enemy favors grabs and throws<br>•The enemy's throwing-type items have increased power

|•Defeat the main fighter to win<br>•The enemy's special moves have increased power<br>•Timed battle (0:55)

|{{SSBUMusicLink|Kid Icarus|Wrath of the Reset Bomb}}

|•Defeat the main fighter to win<br>•The enemy favors up specials<br>•The enemy is easily distracted by items