Waddle Dee

Waddle Dees, as they appear in KatFL

**Waddle Dees** are a species native to the Planet Popstar. As some of the most common inhabitants of Dream Land they appear as both enemies and friendly NPCs. Many, but not all, Waddle Dees loyally serve King Dedede, the self-proclaimed ruler of Dream Land, and he often involves them in his schemes. As an enemy, they are both the most basic and most common regular enemy, and a staple of the *Kirby* series, with Waddle Dee or some variant thereof appearing in every game since the first ever *Kirby* title, *Kirby's Dream Land*.

Waddle Dees are notable for their docile, carefree nature, even as foes, mostly walking around aimlessly and never going too far out of their way to attack. However, some pilot vehicles or wield weapons and objects to increase their abilities, using them to attack or unknowingly create hazards.

By themselves, they do not give any Copy Abilities if inhaled unless an item carried by one bears an ability.

Many variations of Waddle Dees exist, but for the most part, they are simply Waddle Dees holding different accessories. One notable exception is a related enemy, the cycloptic Waddle Doo, which fires an electric beam from its single eye when threatened.

## Physical Appearance

Waddle Dees have tan, pear-shaped faces, chestnut-colored eyes and no mouth. They have a round body, honey feet, small stubby arms, and rosy cheeks just like members of Kirby's species. They do have a mouth in the manga illustrations, however.

Most Waddle Dees are either tangerine or some shade of red, but they have other colorations including green, orange, blue, golden, and light-purple.

## Variants

These are regular Waddle Dees that do things other than just walking around.

### Parasol Waddle Dee

Parasol Waddle Dee is the second most common form of Waddle Dee - a relatively harmless variant holding a red and white parasol. It is the only Waddle Dee that bestows an ability (Parasol) to Kirby when inhaled. Inhaling the parasol after it is let go of gives the same effect, but inhaling the Waddle Dee who has already dropped the parasol gives no ability.

In terms of behavior, Parasol Waddle Dees often float down slowly from the sky. Once they reach the ground, they usually let go of their parasols and stay in place or walk around, but sometimes they hold onto the parasol upon reaching the ground. They do not attack Kirby, regardless.

In *Kirby Super Star*, its remake, and *Kirby Star Allies*, this particular type of Waddle Dee is the Helper of the Parasol ability. The Helper can use all the attacks that Parasol Kirby can use, whereas the plain enemy version is devoid of attacks aside from coming in contact with Kirby as it calmly floats down. The exception to this is the rare "Parasol Spear Waddle Dee", which is a relatively new variant exclusive to the Revenge of the King sub-game which can attack Kirby with a spear upon landing.

In *Kirby's Epic Yarn*, these Waddle Dees can permanently float in air and act as midair platforms for Kirby and Prince Fluff to stand on. Some walk on the ground holding the parasol sideways, and these can deflect yarn whip attacks against them.

Parasol Waddle Dee appears alongside regular Waddle Dee in all games except *Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards*, *Kirby: Canvas Curse* and most spinoff games. In some rare cases, a Waddle Doo may hold a parasol as well and float down from the sky.

### Fluff Waddle Dee

Like Parasol Waddle Dee, Fluff Waddle Dee (known as タンポポワドルディ [Tanpopo Wadoru Di], or "Dandelion Waddle Dee" in Japanese) slowly floats to the ground, holding a dandelion fluff instead of a parasol. Once they land, their dandelions break up and float away on the wind. They only appear in *Kirby: Canvas Curse* and give no Copy Ability.

It is possible that Fluff Waddle Dees exist to act as a replacement to the nearly identical Parasol Waddle Dees; if Parasol Waddle Dees had appeared in *Kirby: Canvas Curse*, the absent Parasol ability would've needed to appear as well.

### Spear Waddle Dee

Appearing so far only in the games *Kirby: Canvas Curse*, *Kirby Super Star Ultra*, *Kirby's Epic Yarn*, and *Kirby: Planet Robobot*, Spear Waddle Dees wield sharp spears to throw or jab at Kirby. Many of these Waddle Dees are on guard duty around Dedede's Castle in *Kirby: Right Back at Ya!*

Spear Waddle Dees debuted in the game *Kirby: Canvas Curse*, where they jump up and throw their spears down in an arch-like position at Kirby, usually with very precise aim (much like Yarikos from *Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards*). These Waddle Dees are stationary; they stay in one place to throw their spears and never move.

In *Kirby Super Star Ultra*, Spear Waddle Dees appear in Revenge of the King. They are also seen standing beside King Dedede in the Revenge of the King intro movie and also appear in card form of in the sub-game Card Swipe. In *Kirby Super Star Ultra*-onward, The (now mobile) Spear Waddle Dees toss their spears at Kirby from afar, in addition, to quickly jabbing with them.

### Swinging Waddle Dee

Appearing in The Great Cave Offensive, Revenge of the King, *Kirby's Return to Dream Land*, *Kirby: Triple Deluxe*, and *Kirby: Planet Robobot*, a Swinging Waddle Dee swings from side to side or from front to back. They swing on a strand of blue beads or on a piece of rope, completely ignoring Kirby. Their swinging can make them a hazard, however.

### Cart Waddle Dee

In *Kirby Air Ride*, some Waddle Dees ride around on the track in little mine carts as basic obstacles to slow the racers down. Unlike regular Waddle Dee in this game, Cart Waddle Dee does not get out of the way if a racer is right behind them, making them more difficult to avoid. Like all other Waddle Dees, they do not give Kirby an ability when eaten.

They are perhaps based on the Waddle Dee from *Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards*, who at one point drove Kirby through a crystalline mine on Neo Star in a runaway mine cart. A card of them also appears in *Kirby Super Star Ultra* in the sub-game Card Swipe.

### Balloon Waddle Dee

Balloon Waddle Dees debut in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*. These Waddle Dees hold handfuls of colorful balloons and do not attack. They come out of red patches and walk to a predetermined spot before inflating their balloons and float up into the sky. Kirby can jump onto them or their balloons and use them as platforms to ascend, but the balloons only last so long sustaining Kirby's weight before they burst, and burst anyway after the Waddle Dee goes up high enough.

### Bow Waddle Dee

Bow Waddle Dees debut in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*. They hold a bow and shoot arrows when Kirby gets close enough. They do not aim at Kirby, however, and only shoot one spot on the ground. Kirby can steal their bow or the arrow they shoot and throw it back at them.

### Block Waddle Dee

Block Waddle Dees are enemies that debut in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*. They throw denim blocks around, with others in its group grabbing the block and tossing it to another. These blocks can be used by Kirby to reach higher areas, but it may push Kirby around midair. If bumped into, they turn into regular Waddle Dees. They only appear in the Toy Tracks stage.

In the Slash & Bead sub-game of the remake, *Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn*, a Mat of a Block Waddle Dee can be earned if a B rank or higher is earned in Stage 3.

### Snowball Waddle Dee

Snowball Waddle Dees debut in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*. They are first seen in Snow Land. They gather up snow and toss snow balls of varying sizes, which can destroy other enemies by rolling over them, or trap Kirby and Prince Fluff in. Kirby and Prince Fluff can break free by pressing buttons repeatedly or when the snowball hits a wall. The snowballs can be approached from above when rolling and then walked on to reach certain areas.

### Missile Waddle Dee

Missile Waddle Dees debut in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*. These Waddle Dees make missiles out of yarn and throw them at Kirby and Prince Fluff, but these can be captured using the Yarn Whip and thrown back. Bronto Burt, Cannon Mariner, and Blast Mariner use similar missiles.

### Lumberjack Waddle Dee

Lumberjack Waddle Dees debut in *Kirby: Triple Deluxe*. They wear hats and stand in the background of certain stages, hacking away at giant spruce trees with their axes. When Kirby approaches, the trees fall down, attempting to crush the hero. After they are cut down, the Waddle Dees appear to be happy. It is impossible to approach or defeat Lumberjack Waddle Dees since there are never 3D Warp Stars to take Kirby near them.

### Painted Waddle Dee

In *Kirby's Adventure* and *Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land*, Paint Roller, the boss of Ice Cream Island, paints these creatures to life during the battle. After a Painted Waddle Dee steps off the canvas it immediately flees. If Kirby inhales it, however, it can be used as ammo against Paint Roller. The Painted Waddle Dee and the Kirby painting are the only paintings that don't give an ability if inhaled and swallowed. These Painted Waddle Dees also appear in *Kirby's Dream Land 3*, in Stage 6 of Cloudy Park.

Drawcia paints dark versions of Waddle Dees and Spear Waddle Dees in *Kirby: Canvas Curse*.

### Walker Waddle Dee

In *Kirby: Planet Robobot*, Waddle Dees can pilot a yellow mecha armor. Walker Waddle Dees pilot walkers that are equipped with missile launchers and the missiles they fire can be swallowed by Kirby (or scanned via the Robobot Armor) to obtain the Bomb ability. In addition to the ground based walkers, aerial Walker Waddle Dees appear in stages requiring the Jet Robobot Armor. Aerial Walker Waddle Dees fire missiles like their ground-based counterparts.

### Waddle Dee Driver

Waddle Dee Drivers debut in *Kirby: Planet Robobot*. They appear only in Resolution Road, Rhythm Route, and EX-levels of Access Ark. They can drive three types of vehicles: a car, a truck, or a bus. They appear only when there's a road on the level. They appear from the background and drive to the foreground (or vice-versa), and will knock Kirby into the screen and deplete his health should he get in the way. Often, there are traffic lights that indicate when pedestrians are safe to cross, with the Waddle Dees stopping when the lights turn green, allowing the player and enemies to cross safely. They can only be destroyed with Robobot Armor and Meta Knight's Sword, often dropping food and Point Stars.

## Other variants

These Waddle Dees have notably unique physical appearance and have properties that make them stand apart from the other variants.

### Wapod

Wapods are ghost-like Waddle Dees which have tails and live in jars. When Kirby approaches the jar, it comes out of it in the manner of a genie from a lamp and will wag its tail in place, but doesn't do anything else.

### Arena Waddle Dee

This variant of Waddle Dee appears in The Arena in *Kirby Super Star* and Boss Endurance in *Kirby & The Amazing Mirror*. It is an opponent in one of the rounds and its behavior is no different from an ordinary Waddle Dee, but it has many more hit points. The easiest way to defeat it is to simply inhale it. Being a regular, unarmed Waddle Dee, it gives no Copy Ability.

In *Kirby Super Star Ultra*, the original Arena Waddle Dee is replaced by the bandana-wearing one nicknamed Bandana Waddle Dee, which Kirby previously faced in Megaton Punch and Revenge of the King.

### Big Waddle Dee

A Big Waddle Dee needs to be super inhaled in order to be swallowed. In all other respects, these colossal creatures are just as weak as their regular counterparts.

### Grand Dee

Just like Big Waddle Dee, Grand Dee needs to be super inhaled in order to be swallowed. Unlike Big Waddle Dee, Grand Dee looks more simian in appearance and has more health. Some Grand Dees can be found skiing.

### Gold Waddle Dee

Gold Waddle Dees carry treasure. They sometimes need to be trapped to get the treasure they have. In some cases, there is no way to trap them so Kirby would have to outrun and destroy it before it gets away. They are faster than a normal Waddle Dee, and there is always some chance of it falling off a cliff. It does not regenerate if lost. These Waddle Dees are said to be capable of swimming (as seen in the sprite sheet), but they do not do so in the game.

One is also found in Stage 6 of Dedede Resort in *Kirby Mass Attack*. There is an achievement for defeating it.

### Truck Monster

Appearing in *Kirby's Epic Yarn*, it comes on the screen when Kirby is in his Off-Roader form. It rides in a green dinosaur-like dune buggy, and is properly known as a Truck Monster. The enemies that drive the Truck Monster are Waddle Dee, Dandan and Cyclod.

### Key Dee

Key Dees are variants appearing in *Kirby's Return to Dream Land*, *Kirby: Triple Deluxe* and *Kirby: Planet Robobot*. They normally hold keys in their hands, and are always seen running while holding them. A white variant of Key Dees that runs faster than its slower counterpart is only found in the Dededetour sub-game of *Kirby: Triple Deluxe*, taking the place of regular Key Dees.

### Halcandran Dee

Halcandran Dees are variants appearing in *Kirby's Return to Dream Land* and *Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition*. They dwell primarily on Halcandra, though some can be found in Challenge stages. Their behavior is no different from that of an ordinary Waddle Dee. Unlike their Planet Popstar counterpart, these versions are light gray with white hands, orange eyes, yellow feet and a wisp. They have a darker gray around their eyes and a lighter gray under their body. They also have an Armor Dee variant known as Halcandran Armor Dee, as well as versions of Parasol Waddle Dee and Big Waddle Dee; Parasol Halcandran Dee and Big Halcandran Dee.

### Purple Waddle Dee

Purple Waddle Dees only appear in the EX stages of *Kirby's Blowout Blast*. Like regular Waddle Dees in the game, they either walk in a set pattern, throw spears from a distance, sleep, idle, or run toward Kirby.

### Sectra Dee

Sectra Dees are variants appearing in *Kirby: Triple Deluxe* and *Kirby's Blowout Blast*. Like Halcandran Dees, Sectra Dees only differ from regular Waddle Dees cosmetically. These enemies are found exclusively in Royal Road and the secret level before battling with King Dedede's Revenge. Kracko DX also drops them occasionally. In similar fashion, they have a variant of Parasol Waddle Dee; Parasol Sectra Dee.

### Hardhat Waddle Dee

Hardhat Waddle Dee is a variant introduced in *Kirby: Planet Robobot*. As their name implies, they wear construction hardhats. Loyal to the Haltmann Works Company, they aid in construction of the company's machinery and buildings. Behavior wise, they are no different to standard Waddle Dees. Parasol Hardhat Waddle Dees also appear as well and are identical to normal Parasol Waddle Dees. Hardhat Waddle Dees can sometimes be seen sleeping on the job.

### Cyborg Waddle Dee

Cyborg Waddle Dees are cybernetically modified Waddle Dees that appear in *Kirby: Planet Robobot*. A Parasol Cyborg Waddle Dee variant also appears in that game.