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This article is about Kirby's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For the character in other contexts, see Kirby.
Kirby
in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Kirby
KirbySymbol.svg
Universe Kirby
Other playable appearances in SSB
in Melee
in Brawl
in SSB4
Availability Starter
Final Smash Ultra Sword
KirbyHeadSSBU.png
Kirby's ability to copy other fighters is totally unique! While he is light and can be launched easily, he can also jump up to five times in the air, so he has great recovery. Look for his new Stone transformation, too.
Super Smash Blog, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Official Site

Kirby (カービィ, Kirby) is a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He was confirmed on June 12th, 2018. Makiko Ōmoto once again reprises her role as the voice of Kirby, with most clips re-used from Super Smash Bros. 4.

Changes from Super Smash Bros. 4

  NOTE: SmashWiki is not speculative. Please refrain from adding detailed data values derived from pre-release gameplay footage, such as the E3 demo. Such data (damage values, launch trajectories, frame data, etc.) are subject to change before the official release.

Aesthetics

  •   As with all veterans returning from Smash 4, Kirby's model features a more subdued color scheme.
  •   Like many other characters, Kirby is more expressive, both with his face and his movement.
  •   Some of Kirby's animations, particularly his dash and initial jump, have been tweaked to closer resemble games from Kirby's Return to Dream Land onward.
  •   Kirby's voice line for taking medium damage has been changed to his alternate KO sound from Smash 4.
    •   As a result, he gains a new KO sound.
    •   Kirby's light knockback sound effect that went unheard in Smash 4 Is now used.
  •   Kirby's on-screen appearance has a more intense, fiery explosion than in previous games. The large, cartoony stars that appear have been removed, and while the sparkle effects are still present, they have been drastically toned down. All in all, it more closely resembles how it appeared in the original Super Smash Bros.
  •   Up taunt has been shortened, with Kirby striking the ending pose without dancing first. The pose itself has been tweaked; Kirby now raises one of his feet, resembling the pose he makes when gaining an ability in his games.
  •   Kirby's victory poses have been modified. Two new dances are used, one with Kirby waving his arms and breakdancing, and another with Kirby moonwalking and sliding, both based off of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land and ending in a unique pose. Kirby also splits into three separate Kirbys when not in team battles, referencing his home series.
    •   Kirby now faces forward instead of away when "wiggling" in one of his victory poses.
  •   When Kirby gains a new Copy Ability, he briefly poses like he does in his home series. This animation can be canceled.
  •   Some Copy Ability hats have been changed.

Attributes

  •   Like all characters, Kirby's jumpsquat animation now takes three frames to complete.
  •   As a result of initial dashes being standardized, Kirby's initial dash is noticeably faster, improving his approach and mobility on the ground.
  •   Kirby's air speed is slightly faster.
  •   Now that taunts can be cancelled, Kirby can act quicker after discarding a Copy Ability.

Ground attacks

  •   First hit of neutral attack now has the ability to jab lock.
    •   The last hit of neutral attack deals more knockback, slightly more damage, and has less startup.
    •   Kirby's neutral attack deals less damage overall.
  •   Kirby's dash attack has reverted to its Melee iteration, where Kirby does a tackle identical to the "Burning" copy ability. Its start-up is now twice as fast and it no longer goes off ledges. Compared to his previous dash attack, it overall deals more damage, has less startup, can't be SDI'd out of, and can even KO at higher percents.
    •   His new dash attack maintains his speed and momentum much better than his previous one, making it more useful for catching landings.
  •   Kirby's dash attack has slightly more end lag.
  •   Up tilt has slightly more range.
    •   Up tilt has slightly more knockback, making it harder to chain it into itself at low percents, but allows it to combo better into other moves.
  •   Forward smash has a different start-up animation: Kirby now pulls back before executing a thrust kick instead of performing a spin first, making it resemble Smash Kick, one of Smash Bros. Kirby's attacks in Kirby: Planet Robobot.
    •   Forward smash sends Kirby further, improving its range.
    •   Forward smash has slightly higher ending lag, and deals slightly less damage when angled upwards.
  •   Up smash has reduced startup and ending lag, and it's late hitbox does more damage.
  •   Down smash has increased range and acts similarly to the version in Brawl, as the ends of Kirby's feet send opponents at a horizontal angle, significantly improving it's edgeguarding potential when near a ledge.

Aerial attacks

Throws/other attacks

  •   Standing grab and dash grab have increased ending lag.

Special Moves

  •   Inhale has more range and has reduced startup and ending lag. In addition, Kirby can now inhale projectiles like a fully charged Charge Shot and choose to spit it out as a star or swallow it to heal himself. It now KOs inhaled opponents first when performing a Sacrificial KO.
    •   Inhale has an updated, more opaque visual effect.
  •   Hammer KOs even earlier when fully charged.
    •   Kirby may now use his uncharged or fully-charged voice lines from Smash 4 when swinging an uncharged Hammer.
  •   Final Cutter's ascending hitbox has been greatly improved.
  •   Stone has been given a new item to transform into: a Treasure Chest found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's shrines.
  •   Like most Final Smashes, Ultra Sword now features a special background effect upon usage, in a similar fashion to the use of Super Abilities in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

Role in World of Light

Kirby was among the fighters summoned to the cliffside to assist in defeating an army of Master Hands.

After Galeem absorbed all of the Master Hands, it began to unleash beams of light that vaporized all of the fighters and turns them into spirits. Kirby was the sole survivor after escaping on his Warp Star, barely warping away from the beams before they could engulf him.

Kirby crash-lands in a canyon area, and begins his quest to save the other fighters as the main starting protagonist.

Alternate costumes

 

Gallery

Character Showcase Video

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Trivia

  • Kirby's stock icon is one of four to show eyes (the others being Meta Knight, R.O.B., and Sonic), likely due to it being a simplistic pink circle otherwise.
  • Kirby's pose resembles his character artwork in Kirby Super Star, but rotated to slightly face the screen. Coincidentally, this was also used for his character select artwork in the original Super Smash Bros.
  • The "Everyone is Here!" trailer features a Kirby using the Splattershot with blue ink instead of orange.
  • When Kirby uses Rollout from Jigglypuff's copy ability, his ears don't curl inwards like Jigglypuff's.
  • Kirby is the only Kirby series character to keep his Final Smash between Smash 4 and Ultimate.