Characters of the Kirby series

This is a list of characters from the Kirby franchise, who are featured in video games and other media across the franchise.
Kirby (カービィ, Kābī) is the protagonist of the series and a playable character in every game except Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe. The villains he encounters typically threaten his home of Dream Land (プププランド, Pupupu Rando, Pupupu Land) on Planet Pop Star (ポップスター, Poppusutā, Pop Star). The main games give Kirby the same basic abilities; he can walk, run, jump, float, inhale, and spit out or swallow his enemies. Starting with Kirby's Adventure, Kirby can gain the abilities of the enemies he swallows, which are referred to as Copy Abilities.
The character has received positive reception, including being listed as one of the top twenty most popular video game characters in the 2011 edition of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.
Kirby was originally voiced by Taeko Kawata in Kirby and the Story of the Dream Spring, and from 1999 to 2025, Kirby was has been voiced by Makiko Ohmoto. Super Smash Bros. In the English dub of the anime, he is voiced by Amy Birnbaum.
Meta Knight (メタナイト, Meta Naito) is an antihero who is described as Kirby's rival and often fights him for various reasons. He wields the Galaxia Sword and wears a gray mask and a cloak that can transform into a set of wings; in certain games, defeating him will cause the mask to fall off, revealing him to resemble Kirby, but with a blue body and yellow eyes. Meta Knight first appeared in the NES game Kirby's Adventure as an ally of King Dedede and the boss of the Orange Ocean level, where he fights Kirby to stop him from taking a piece of the Star Rod and prevent Nightmare from obtaining it. He is the main antagonist of the Revenge of Meta Knight mode in Kirby Super Star, in which he attempts to end the lazy lifestyle of Dream Land's inhabitants by invading it in his airship, the Battleship Halberd (戦艦ハルバード, Senkan Harubādo). Meta Knight is a playable character in the Meta Knightmare mode of Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land. In Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, Dark Meta Knight—an evil Mirror World counterpart of Meta Knight—traps him in the Mirror World and splits Kirby into four colored copies of himself. After Kirby defeats Dark Meta Knight, Meta Knight helps Kirby defeat Dark Mind.
In Kirby: Squeak Squad, after the chest containing Kirby's strawberry shortcake is mixed up with the chest sealing Dark Nebula, Meta Knight appears as a boss attempting to prevent Kirby from opening it. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, he appears as a playable character in the Meta Knightmare Ultra mode. Meta Knight also appears in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and its 2023 remake as one of the four playable protagonists, alongside Kirby, King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee, and as a playable character in multi-player mode. After not appearing in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Meta Knight made an active return to the series in Kirby: Planet Robobot. After being captured and transformed into the hostile "Mecha Knight" in the game's story mode, Kirby rescues him and he helps him defeat Star Dream by letting him pilot the Halberd. He is also given his own adventure once more, as the main playable character of the Meta Knightmare Returns mode. Meta Knight appears as a boss and Dream Friend in Kirby Star Allies. Meta Knight returns in Kirby Fighters 2 alongside King Dedede as the main antagonist of the Story Mode, The Destined Rivals, and also appears as a playable character. Meta Knight appears in the colosseum in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, but does not encounter Kirby in the main storyline.
Meta Knight also appears in several spin-off games in the series. He makes brief appearances in Kirby's Pinball Land and Kirby's Avalanche. In the latter, his name was revealed for the first time, where he is the penultimate challenger. He is an unlockable character in Kirby Air Ride and Kirby: Canvas Curse. Meta Knight is a boss in Kirby's Epic Yarn and appears as a boss in two sub-games in Kirby Mass Attack. Though he is absent from Kirby and the Rainbow Curse's story mode, Meta Knight appears as a collectible figurine. The game is also compatible with the Meta Knight Amiibo, which Kirby can use to gain a temporary increase in attack power.
Meta Knight also appears in four installments of the Super Smash Bros. video game series; in Super Smash Bros. Melee, he appears in the form of a trophy, and in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, he is a playable character. However, Meta Knight was temporarily removed from some professional gaming competitions in the United States and Canada as he was considered to be too powerful. Meta Knight returned as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U after the series' director, Masahiro Sakurai, assured some changes to re-add him; among these changes, Meta Knight lost his ability to glide, and his attack speed was toned down. He reappears as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Meta Knight has made several appearances outside of the Kirby video game series, including the 1994–2006 manga Hoshi no Kirby: Dedede de Pupupu na Monogatari written by Hirokazu Hikawa and published by Shogakukan in CoroCoro Comic. He also appears in the ongoing Enterbrain's Hoshi no Kirby: Kirby to Dedede no Pupupu Nikki manga written by Noboru Matsuyama and published in Famitsu DS+Wii (originally called Famitsu DS+Cube+Advance), and in the Asami Taniguchi manga Hoshi no Kirby: Moretsu Pupupuawā! published in Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic, where he is a main character. He is also featured in the 2012 Yuki Kawakami manga by Shogakukan, Hoshi no Kirby: Pack to Daibaku Show. In the anime Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, he is a main character and the last surviving member of the Galaxy Soldier Army and its Star Warriors. He also makes various appearances in the restaurant chain Kirby Café, where he is featured in various food dishes.
Meta Knight is voiced by Atsushi Kisaichi in Japan, Eric Stuart in the English dub of the anime, and Eric Newsome in the English version of the Super Smash Bros. series.
King Dedede (デデデ大王, Dedede Daiō) is an antihero who first appeared as the main antagonist of the game Kirby's Dream Land (1992), in which he steals Dream Land's food supply, prompting Kirby to travel to his castle and confront him. In Kirby's Adventure (1993) and its remake Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (2002), King Dedede breaks the Star Rod, the source of all dreams, into seven pieces, preventing the inhabitants of Dream Land from having dreams. Kirby defeats King Dedede, but unbeknownst to Kirby, he broke the Star Rod to keep the villainous Nightmare sealed in the Fountain of Dreams. Dedede then briefly assists Kirby in defeating Nightmare and stopping his plot against Dream Land. In Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995), King Dedede appears as the penultimate boss, and fights Kirby after Dark Matter, the game's true final boss, possesses him. In Kirby Super Star (1996), Dedede reprises his role from Kirby's Dream Land in the "Spring Breeze" game, appears in the "Gourmet Race" and "Samurai Kirby" minigames, and is fought alongside the rest of the game's bosses in the "Arena". Dedede is again possessed by Dark Matter in Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997), fighting against Kirby as the last boss before the secret Hyper Zone.
King Dedede appears as a protagonist in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000), helping Kirby in certain areas by carrying him on his back and destroying barriers with his hammer after he once again saves him from possession by Dark Matter, who shattered the titular Crystal. Additionally, King Dedede is a playable character in the game's three minigames. Images of the game's beta show that Dedede was originally a playable character from the game's beginning. In Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (2000), Dedede steals the stars from the sky for himself and Kirby must fight him to reclaim them. After his absence from Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (2004), King Dedede appears as the first boss in Kirby: Squeak Squad (2006) and is identical to his appearance in previous games, but now has the ability to summon Parasol Waddle Dees. In Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008), King Dedede returns in his own game mode, "Revenge of The King", which is a spin-off of the "Revenge of Meta Knight" subgame. When Kirby fights him in the climax of Revenge of The King, King Dedede becomes Masked Dedede by wearing a metal mask and wielding a mechanical hammer that has the ability to shoot missiles.
King Dedede appears in Kirby's Return to Dream Land (2011) and its 2023 remake as one of the four playable protagonists, alongside Kirby, Meta Knight, and (Bandana) Waddle Dee, and as a playable character in multi-player mode. In Kirby: Triple Deluxe (2014), Taranza captures him, prompting Kirby to give chase to rescue him; at the end of the game, Taranza uses his powers to turn him into Masked Dedede, who fights Kirby. Triple Deluxe also features a rhythm-based platforming mode, "Dedede's Drum Dash", in which Dedede is the main character. When the Story Mode is completed, the "Dededetour" mode is unlocked, allowing players to play through the game as King Dedede. Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe, an enhanced, standalone version of "Dedede's Drum Dash" released on the Nintendo eShop, marks the debut of King Dedede starring in his own game. He appears in the beginning and ending scenes of Kirby: Planet Robobot. Dedede returns as both a boss and playable character in Kirby Star Allies, and is a boss once more in Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), where the Beast Pack brainwashes him.
King Dedede also appears in several spin-off games in the series. He appears as the final boss in Kirby's Pinball Land (1993). In Kirby's Avalanche (1995), Dedede appears as the final opponent. He appears as the single boss in Kirby's Dream Course (1994), along with a robotic version of himself. In Kirby's Block Ball (1995), he is a hidden final boss. In Kirby's Star Stacker (1997), Dedede appears to antagonize Kirby during the "Round Clear" sub-game, in which Kirby has to completely deplete his hit points in order to move on to the next stage. Additionally, there was a version of the game released only in Japan in 1998 which featured him as the final boss in a short story mode. He is an unlockable character in Kirby Air Ride (2003) and Kirby Canvas Curse (2005). King Dedede is a boss in Kirby's Epic Yarn (2010) and Kirby Mass Attack (2011). Although he is absent from the main story, King Dedede appears in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (2015) as a collectible figurine. The game is also compatible with the King Dedede amiibo, which Kirby can use to gain a temporary increase in health. In Kirby's Blowout Blast (2017), although no story is present, he appears as the final boss. Masked Dedede appears as the secret final boss, after completing the game with all Gold trophies.
Dedede has also been featured in the Super Smash Bros. video game series. While originally planned for inclusion in both the first installment of the series and its sequel, he did not appear as a playable character until Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008). He returned as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and again in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Unlike most heavyweight fighters in the series, his hovering jumps give him great vertical distance in the air. He is voiced by Masahiro Sakurai.
King Dedede has made several appearances outside of the Kirby video game series. He is featured in every Kirby manga adaptation; the first one was written by Yoshiko Sakuma, and published by Shogakukan originally in 1992, and the most recently is a 2012 Yuki Kawakami manga by Shogakukan, Hoshi no Kirby: Pack to Daibaku Show.
Dedede is a main character in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, in which he is the ruler of Dream Land who tries to defeat Kirby at any cost, usually by ordering monsters from Nightmare Enterprises (NME).
Bandana Waddle Dee (バンダナワドルディ, Bandana Wadorudi), sometimes called Waddle Dee (ワドルディ, Wadorudi), is a Waddle Dee who wears a blue bandana and is frequently seen wielding a spear. He has developed from an insignificant character to one of Kirby's closest and most recurring friends. He first appeared in Kirby Super Star as the first opponent in the "Megaton Punch" minigame. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, he appears in the "Revenge of the King" game mode as King Dedede's loyal right-hand man and in "The Arena" mode as a boss.
Beginning with Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Bandana Waddle Dee transitioned into being an ally of Kirby, and was one of the game's four playable characters. He assists Kirby in both Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot by providing him with items, and again as a playable character in Kirby Star Allies. In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, he is featured as the game's Player 2. In the series' spinoffs, Bandana Waddle Dee appears as a playable character in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, and as a CPU-controlled ally in the single-player mode of Kirby Battle Royale. He returns in Kirby Fighters 2 as one of the game's starting playable characters, using his spear move set from Star Allies.
Nightmare (ナイトメア, Naitomea), also known as Cloaked Nightmare, is the final boss of Kirby's Adventure (1993) and its remake, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (2002). After Nightmare invades the Fountain of Dreams, King Dedede splits up the Star Rod into seven pieces and gives them to his friends, preventing Nightmare from spreading nightmares. Kirby, who is unaware of this, finds the pieces and reunites them, causing Nightmare to be revived, but Kirby uses the power of the Star Rod to defeat him. Nightmare's Power Orb (ナイトメアパワーオーブ, Naitomea Pawā Ōbu) is his initial form, which shoots stars, and he eventually transforms into a humanoid, vampire-like being with a tornado-like cloak, a form called Nightmare Wizard (ナイトメアウィザード, Naitomea Wizādo).
Nightmare is also the main villain of the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001-2003) anime, who is known as eNeMeE in the English dub and runs NightMare Enterprises. An embodiment of life's fear and suffering, he will always exist as long as people have fear in their hearts, and seeks to conquer the universe, having dominated most of it by the series' beginning. He has the ability to create monsters, who he sells to unsuspecting customers for a profit through a transportation network. His only opposition are the Star Warriors and the Galaxy Soldier Army, though they were wiped out prior to the events of the series, with Meta Knight as the Army's sole survivor. In the finale, like in the games, Kirby destroys him using the Star Rod.
Nightmare is voiced by Banjo Ginga in the Japanese version of the anime and by Andrew Rannells in the English dub.
Nightmare appears in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an assist trophy, voiced by Hisao Egawa.
An Another Dimension counterpart of Nightmare known as Parallel Nightmare (アナザーナイトメア, Anazā Naitomea, Another Nightmare) appears as the main antagonist in the game Super Kirby Clash (2019), where is also voiced by Banjo Ginga.
Dark Matter (ダークマター, Dāku Matā) is a being which usually appears as a black orb with a single red eye and covered in orange spots which allow it to fly; it also has the ability to possess and control other beings. It has been depicted as both a character and as a species, the latter being generally known in Japanese as Kuroi Kumo (黒い雲, meaning "black cloud").
Dark Matter debuts in Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995), where it possesses King Dedede and later transforms into a masked, robed being wielding a magical sword. After being defeated, it assumes its small orb form as it faces Kirby. In Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997), a massive cloud of Dark Matter appears in Pop Star's sky and possesses many of its inhabitants. After aiding various creatures in need, Kirby eventually defeats Dark Matter once again. After its defeat, Kirby faces the leader of Dark Matter, a giant white creature with a single red eye called Zero (ゼロ), a large eyeball with a red iris that shoots blood at Kirby. After Kirby defeats him, he detaches from his white eyeball and flies around as a faster, though weaker, form in a last-ditch effort to defeat Kirby.
Dark Matter clouds return once more in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000), where they invade Ripple Star for its Crystal. When the Crystal is shattered, Kirby reassembles the pieces before confronting a creature called Miracle Matter (ミラクルマター, Mirakuru Matā). Its defeat repels Dark Matter from Ripple Star, but the Crystal detects and expels a powerful presence of Dark Matter from the queen, which forms a new planet. At the core of this world is 0² (ゼロツー, Zero Tsū, Zero Two) the game’s final boss. Both Miracle Matter and 0²'s relations to Dark Matter are unknown.
Dark Matter makes cameo appearances in Kirby: Squeak Squad (2006), Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008), and Kirby Mass Attack (2011). In Kirby Star Allies (2018) Void Termina's final form can take on a similar appearance to Dark Matter. A clone of Dark Matter in its Kirby's Dream Land 2 form, dubbed Dark Matter Clone (クローン剣士ダークマター, Kurōn Kenshi Dāku Matā, Clone Swordsman Dark Matter) or Dark Matter Blade, appears as an extra boss in Kirby: Planet Robobot (2016), which the supercomputer Star Dream created. It is unable to turn into his second form, but it can still use its second form's powers when at half health.
Marx (マルク, Maruku) is the final boss in Kirby Super Star (1996) and its remake Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008). He is a round, lavender creature with no arms, who wears a jester hat, a bow tie, and brown shoes and is frequently seen bouncing on a ball.
At the beginning of the sixth and final chapter, "Milky Way Wishes", Marx tells Kirby that the Sun and Moon are fighting and that only the power of a giant mechanical creature called Nova can make them stop, sending Kirby on his adventure. After Nova appears, Marx wishes for control over Planet Popstar and reveals that he started the fight between the Sun and Moon. He then transforms into a more powerful form before sending Nova on a collision course with Planet Popstar. As the Sun and Moon hold Nova back, Kirby rides the Starship into Nova and deactivates its heart, then defeats Marx and sends him crashing into Nova to destroy them both. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, pieces of Nova fuse with Marx's corpse and revive him as the more powerful Marx Soul (マルクソウル, Maruku Souru), the final boss of "The True Arena".
Marx makes a cameo appearance in Kirby: Squeak Squad (2006), in an unlockable picture with other series villains. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008), an arrangement of the music when Kirby is battling Marx in Kirby Super Star can be played on the Halberd stage. In Kirby Mass Attack, he appears as the big boss of the "Kirby Brawlball" sub-game. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land (2011), he makes a brief appearance in the crowd of the final Kirby Master 100% video, and if Kirby uses the Stone ability in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, he will occasionally turn into a stone statue of Marx in his original form bouncing on his striped ball. He also appears in Kirby Star Allies (2018) as a playable Dream Friend, added in update 2.0.0.
Marx appears as a boss in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018). He is fought in Kirby's, the Inkling's, Rosalina and Luma's, and Sephiroth's Classic Mode routes and in the World of Light mode.
Galacta Knight (ギャラクティックナイト, Gyarakutikkunaito, Galactic Knight) is the greatest warrior in the galaxy and the nemesis of Meta Knight, who resembles him but with a pink and white color scheme and wielding a purple lance and a white shield. He first appeared in Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008) as the final boss of "Meta Knightmare Ultra", appearing when Meta Knight wishes to the reformed Nova to fight the strongest warrior in the galaxy. Nova grants this by summoning Galacta Knight, who it states was sealed away in ancient times out of fear for his power. He is also fought in "The True Arena" as the penultimate boss.
He also appears in Kirby's Return to Dream Land (2011), fought right before Magolor EX in "The True Arena" mode as a secret boss. In the Meta Knightmare sub-game of Kirby: Planet Robobot (2016), Star Dream summons Galacta Knight as Meta Knight's final opponent, but Galacta Knight destroys Star Dream before fighting Meta Knight again. In Kirby Star Allies (2018), Galacta Knight appears as the apparent final boss of the Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! sub-game. However, before the fight with him can begin, a butterfly lands on his lance and consumes his soul, with the butterfly subsequently taking on its true form, Morpho Knight (バルフレイナイト, Barufureinaito, Butterfly Knight). Morpho Knight returns as a boss in Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Galacta Knight also appears as the final boss in the game Super Kirby Clash (2019) where Parallel Nightmare summons him to fight Team Kirby. In the game, he is known as the Aeon Hero (淵源を巡る英雄, Engen o Meguru Eiyū, Origin-Revolving Hero).
Magolor (マホロア, Mahoroa) appears in Kirby's Return to Dream Land (2011), where he travels to Dream Land on an interdimensional ship called the Lor Starcutter. When the ship crashlands in Dream Land, Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Waddle Dee offer to help repair the Lor Starcutter so that he can return to the realm of Halcandra, which he takes them to for a visit as a reward for their efforts. When the group arrives, the four-headed dragon Landia attacks and shoots down the Lor Starcutter. Angry that they have been trapped, Magolor sends Kirby and the group to defeat Landia.
In reality, Magolor was manipulating them into defeating Landia for him, so that he could obtain the Master Crown, an artifact that is in its possession and grants limitless power to its wearer, so he can gain the power to rule over the universe. It is also revealed that Magolor had previously fought and lost to Landia, and landed in Dream Land in the aftermath of his escape. After Kirby and the group defeat Landia, Magolor puts on the Master Crown and transforms into a giant floating entity, declaring that he will start his plan by conquering Planet Popstar as his "reward" to Kirby and his friends for their help. With help from Landia, Kirby and his friends pursue Magolor into another dimension and sink the Lor Starcutter, then battle Magolor himself. After his first defeat, Magolor is seemingly destroyed, but it is revealed that the Master Crown has taken control of Magolor's body. After the second defeat, the crown is broken, and Magolor is banished into another dimension and trapped there.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (2023) introduces a new game mode: Magolor Epilogue: The Interdimensional Traveler, which follows Magolor after his defeat. Stranded in another dimension and without most of his powers, Magolor sets out to regain them while collecting the fragments of a mysterious fruit called the Gem Apple. He eventually repairs the Gem Apple seed at the Ethereal Altar, but the remnants of the Master Crown corrupt it, transforming it into the Crowned Doomer. After its defeat, the Master Crown remnants combine with the Gem Apple, transforming into a massive tree-like being which he defeats by slicing it in half with a magically enhanced Ultra Sword. Afterward, he opens a portal and escapes the dimension he was trapped in. The credits reveal that after going through the portal, Magolor ends up in the village of the Dream Kingdom, the parallel version of Dream Land in an alternate universe, where the Gem Apple seed, now reduced to a sapling, is planted as the village's Gem Apple tree. Now redeemed, Magolor takes up residence as the shopkeeper of the Dream Kingdom, leading up to the events of Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Super Kirby Clash.
Magolor returns in Kirby's Dream Collection (2012), where he builds a new theme park for Kirby, seemingly to make up for his actions in Return to Dream Land. Here, Kirby can play through new challenge stages, during some of which he races against Magolor. During the races, he uses magic to summon enemies, as well as attack Kirby. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Merry Magoland opens up, referencing his wishes in Dream Collection, and expands them. Here, Magolor is a head manager of the amusement park, providing masks and souvenir items for playing games and completing challenges.
He appears as a playable character in the third update for Kirby Star Allies (2018) and also appears in Kirby Fighters 2 (2020) as a playable character along with Gooey, Meta Knight, King Dedede, and Bandana Waddle Dee.
Morpho Knight (バルフレイナイト, Barufureinaito, Butterfly Knight) resembles Meta Knight and Galacta Knight, but it wears a carved orange mask and has orange butterfly wings and limbs, a black body, and white eyes. It wields a sword with a blue eye resembling the Master Crown on its hilt. It first appeared in Kirby Star Allies (2018), in the Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! sub-game, where it is the mode's final boss after absorbing Galacta Knight's essence and revealing itself for the first time. In the Soul Melter EX difficulty of The Ultimate Choice, it returns as Morpho Knight EX, which has a dark purple mask and red eyes and wings and wields two black swords.
Morpho Knight later appeared in Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022) as the final boss of the Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams. post-game after absorbing Soul Forgo. Morpho Knight's fighting style is the same as its Kirby Star Allies appearance, but it has new abilities, including shooting fiery tornados, using Soul Forgo-like entities as puppets, and flipping the player's screen. After it is defeated, Kirby gains the Morpho Knight Sword Blueprint, which allows a fourth upgrade for the Sword Copy Ability which has access to some of its abilities.
Not much is known about Morpho Knight, except that it is like a grim reaper, as it casts judgement upon the strongest souls.
Gooey (グーイ, Gūi) is a blue blob with eyes and a mouth. He first appears in Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995) as a friend of Kirby that can be rescued from a holding bag.
Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997) expands on Gooey's character, as he is revealed to be a member of the Dark Matter race who chose to be Kirby's friend. He can be summoned as a helper character similar to those in Kirby Super Star (1996), controlled by either the computer or a second player. Gooey's main form of offense is to snag enemies with his tongue and spit them out like Kirby does, and can also copy abilities, but only when a second player is controlling him. He also appears in Kirby Star Allies (2018) as a Dream Friend, and is playable in Kirby Fighters 2 (2020).
Kirby's Dream Land 2 (1995) and Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997) feature various allies that can team up with Kirby and share powers.
Kirby's Dream Land 2 introduces:
Kirby's Dream Land 3 introduces:
Rick, Coo, and Kine make a cameo in several games. In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000), when Kirby uses the Cutter/Stone Power Combo, he can randomly carve himself into a stone statue of his animal friends. They also appear in the Kirby Fighters mode of Kirby: Triple Deluxe (2014), appearing in the stage Coo's Forest, where they randomly appear and attack players indiscriminately. In Kirby Star Allies (2018), Rick, Coo, and Kine are a composite playable Dream Friend, while Nago, Pitch, and ChuChu appear in various attacks when Kirby uses the Cleaning ability (introduced and last seen in Dream Land 3).
Rick, Coo, and Kine also appear in the anime series Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001-2003). Rick lives in Whispy Woods' forest inside of Acore, a friend of Whispy who houses many woodland critters. When mentioned by other characters, Coo is often held in high regard for his wisdom and judgment. Kine is a kind but naïve fish who has a unrequited crush on Tiff. In the episode A Fish Called Kine, Kine disclosed the location of the coral reef he lives in to King Dedede so he could be brought on land, not knowing Dedede planned to destroy the reef. After losing interest in the land, Kine helped Kirby in saving the reef.
Rick, Coo, and Kine are respectively voiced by Makiko Ohmoto, Yūko Mizutani, and Nobuo Tobita in the Japanese version, and Andrew Rannells, Eric Stuart, and Darren Dunstan in the English dub.
Taranza (タランザ) is a spider-like creature who appears in Kirby: Triple Deluxe (2014). He hails from Floralia and is a retainer to Queen Sectonia, who sent him to kidnap Kirby; however, he ends up kidnapping King Dedede instead after mistaking him for Kirby, prompting Kirby to pursue him. By the time he reaches him, Taranza used his abilities to control Dedede as Masked Dedede. After Masked Dedede is defeated, he asks Queen Sectonia to save him, but she does not and attacks him, prompting Taranza to switch allegiances. It is stated in-game that Taranza and Queen Sectonia were once friends until she became evil.
In Team Kirby Clash Deluxe (2017), Taranza is the main villain responsible for driving the inhabitants of the Dream Kingdom into disturbing the peace. However, the game's ending reveals that the mirror was controlling Taranza, and he returns to normal after it is destroyed. He is a playable character in the third update for Kirby Star Allies (2018).
Blade Knight (ブレイドナイト, Bureido Naito) and Sword Knight (ソードナイト, Sōdo Naito) are two enemies that grant the Sword Copy Ability, who first appeared in Kirby's Adventure (1993).
Both enemies are armored with big shoulder pads and helmets that hide their faces. The color of their armor has varied between games, but their default colors are green for Blade Knight and purple for Sword Knight. In gameplay, they try to hit Kirby with their swords.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001-2003), Blade Knight and Sword Knight are loyal assistants of Meta Knight. During the war prior to the events of the series, they were bandits who were attacked while attempting to rob Meta Knight. After he saved them, the two pledged themselves to his service.
Blade Knight and Sword Knight are respectively voiced by Chiro Kanzaki and Hikaru Tokita in Japanese, and both by Eric Stuart in the English dub.
Cappy (キャピィ, Kyapī) resembles a mushroom with a tan body and a red-and-white spotted cap. When Kirby attempts to inhale it, he instead sucks off its cap, revealing a Haniwa-like creature with a hollow mouth and eyes. Cappy does not give any ability when swallowed by Kirby. He attacks by throwing his cap upwards.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001-2003), Cappies appear as villagers of Cappy Town.
Waddle Dee (ワドルディ, Wadorudi) are red-orange creatures with pear-shaped faces and yellow feet who serve as the most basic enemy in most Kirby games. They have appeared in every Kirby game to date starting with Kirby's Dream Land (1992). There are also many types of Waddle Dee, including Parasol Waddle Dee.
In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000), one Waddle Dee, in contrast to his usual role as a common enemy, helps Kirby in his adventure. An average Waddle Dee also appears as a playable character in Kirby: Canvas Curse (2005).
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), the Beast Pack kidnaps many Waddle Dees after they are transported to the Forgotten Land. As Waddle Dees are rescued, Waddle Dee Town expands and new features are unlocked.
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya! (2001-2003), the Waddle Dees are the servants of King Dedede and are commanded by Captain Waddle Doo, who translates for them.
Waddle Doo (ワドルドゥ, Wadorudu) is a creature with stubby arms and orange shoes. It has a single eyeball for a face, from which it uses a beam to attack. It grants the Beam Copy Ability. Waddle Doo first appeared in Kirby's Dream Land (1992), and has since then appeared as a reoccurring enemy in Kirby games. It attacks by trying to hit Kirby with a short-ranged beam. In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (2000), Waddle Doo appears as a version of Waddle Dee possessed by Dark Matter.
In the anime, Captain Waddle Doo is King Dedede's right-hand man as the leader of the Waddle Dee troops and gives orders under his commands. He is voiced by Yūko Mizutani in the Japanese version and Maddie Blaustein in the English dub.
Chef Kawasaki, also known as Cook Kawasaki (コックカワサキ, Kokku Kawasaki), is an enemy who first appeared in Kirby Super Star (1996). He attacks by throwing dishes. He grants the Cook Copy Ability, which is used in Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) as Kirby's Final Smash. He appears as an ally to Kirby in Kirby's Dream Land 3 (1997), where he plays a game with him, and as a Friend in Kirby Star Allies (2018) if Kirby uses a Friend Heart on him after defeating him. He also appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018) as an Assist Trophy.
He also appears in the anime Kirby: Right Back at Ya! where he runs the only restaurant in Cappy Town. Kawasaki is voiced by Nobuo Tobita in the Japanese version and Maddie Blaustein in the English dub.
Lololo & Lalala (ロロロ&ラララ, Rororo to Rarara) appear as the second boss fight in Kirby's Dream Land (1992), where they push objects in an attempt to hurt Kirby. They appear to be parodies of Lolo and Lala, the protagonists of HAL's Eggerland series (1985-2000) of games.
They also appear in Kirby Super Star (1996) as bosses, and in the Kirby Super Star Ultra (2008) game mode "Revenge of the King", they return as Lololo & Lalala's Revenge (ロロロ&ラララ リベンジ, Rororo to Rarara Ribenji).
They appear in the anime as friendly characters, where they are known as Fololo & Falala in the English dub. They were originally a single monster created by NightMare Enterprises called Fofa (ロラ, Rora, Lola), but it was split into two and sent to Dedede.
In the Japanese version of the anime, Lola and Lololo are voiced by Chiro Kanzaki and Lalala is voiced by Madoka Akita. In the English dub, Fofa, Fololo, and Falala are voiced by Tara Jayne Sands.
Whispy Woods (ウィスピーウッズ, Wisupī Uzzu) is a large apple tree who attacks by dropping apples from his branches. He appears as a boss, and was the first boss to appear in the series in Kirby's Dream Land (1992). In Kirby Super Star (1996) and its 2008 remake, Twin Woods (ツインウッズ, Tsuin Uzzu) are bosses who appears in several game modes, including "Revenge of the King", where Whispy Woods returns as Whispy's Revenge (ウィスピーウッズ リベンジ, Wisupī Uzzu Ribenji, Whispy Woods Revenge), which attacks by dropping poisonous apples, worms, and Gordos and shooting gusts of wind and small twisters.
Whispy also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series (1999–present), as a stage hazard.
In Kirby: Triple Deluxe (2014), Taranza uses his power on a nearby plant which grows into Flowery Woods (ウィスピーフラワーズ, Wisupī Furawāzu, Whispy Flowers) and is the game's first boss. Unlike Whispy Woods, Flowery Woods can uproot itself and can attack using its roots. In Kirby: Planet Robobot (2016), a mechanical version of Whispy appears called Clanky Woods (ウィスピーボーグ, Wisupī Bōgu, Whispy Borg), in Kirby: Star Allies (2018), an aged version of Whispy called Yggy Woods (ユグドラルウッズ, Yugudoraru Uzzu, Yggdral Woods) appears alongside Whispy Woods, and in Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022) a palm tree version of Whispy called Tropic Woods (トロピカルウッズ, Toropikaru Uzzu, Tropical Woods) appears as the boss of Everbay Coast.
The anime features him as the king of the forest in Dream Land. He initially believes that Kirby and his friends are intruders, but this turns out to be a setup by Dedede, who wants to destroy Whispy to build a golf course. After the misunderstanding is resolved, he becomes Kirby's ally. He is voiced by Osamu Hosoi in the Japanese version and Dan Green in the English dub.