Super Smash Bros. Brawl/Kirby



Kirby is best described as a light and speedy fighter. Although his speed can't quite match the likes of characters like Fox, he's considerably more powerful and has greater recovery.


 * Advantages
 * Multiple Jumps
 * Powerful, fast, and versatile aerials
 * Slow falling speed makes it easier to recover and perform aerial juggling
 * Final Cutter can clear ledges well when recovering, and aerials can guard ledges well when defending
 * Small size makes him harder to hit, especially when crouching. He can even crouch under some projectile attacks.
 * Impressive aerial juggling, partially thanks to his Up Aerial
 * Some moves have long range for his size, especially Forward Smash
 * Possesses many of both quick attacks for damage and slow blows for KOs
 * Specials are unique and useful, not just "super" versions of standard attacks
 * Can copy foes' Neutral Special, making his moveset even more versatile
 * Few "throw-away" moves
 * Several attacks strike both sides
 * Very damaging throws, many of which can easily start combos
 * Two weak spikes: Down Aerial and Final Cutter drop
 * Can Kirbycide
 * Up Special doesn't leave Kirby in a helpless state
 * Down Tilt can trip
 * Several moves have good priority, especially Stone
 * Amazing Forward Smash: excels in range, priority, speed, and (to a lesser extent) power
 * Back Aerial can be used as a Wall of Pain (albeit not as effective as Jigglypuff)


 * Disadvantages
 * On the lighter side, making him easier to KO with less damage, and labelling him a target in timed Free-for-alls
 * His dash is slow for a "light & speedy" fighter
 * Low falling speed and slow ascent makes it harder to evade and move around the field quickly
 * Although he can recovery well horizontally with multi-jumps, his recovery special has practically no horizontal distance
 * His Final Smash is considered one of the worst, especially when other items are turned off

Standard Attacks
Kirby's tilts are lightning-fast, but although the smashes open quick, they have disappointing ending lag compared to his other moves. The strength of his attacks could be considered average in terms of knockback, but perhaps a little weak when speaking of damage. With the exception of Forward Smash, he lacks much range compared to larger fighters.

A quick flurry of punches. It has a very low range and is easily punishable, making grabs usually more effective in close combat situations. It should be reserved for pinning your foe against a wall in stages like Shadow Moses Island. Roundhouse kick, a quick basic move with little knockback. It can be used defensively, and can KO in a Sudden Death match, but is otherwise rarely used. Kirby kicks behind and above him. Deals most damage and has most range in the back and above, but has a tiny bit of range in front as well. It's a good quick way to send your opponent in the air, which will allow you to unleash some aerial juggling. This is Kirby's quickest back-attack, so it can come in handy against opponents who like to roll behind you. It is extremely useful after a Down Throw, setting up combos nicely. Kirby crouches and kicks low. This has a roughly 50% chance of tripping targets if it hits. Considering Kirby essentially becomes a pancake when he ducks and kicks, this can be used to counter certain attacks that hit high. This can be used to set up a Forward Smash or certain copy abilities. A leaping kick; the range on this is ridiculous and vastly underrated, rivaling even Ike's or Marth's Forward Smashes. Thankfully it's also Kirby's second-strongest strike in terms of both damage and knockback, is comparatively fast for a smash, and has amazing priority for a smash. This is overall Kirby's best attack, and you should be seeing use of it quite often once the opponent is at higher damage levels.
 * (2,3,1,1,1,1...%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (2,3,1,1,1,1...%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (5-7%)
 * Urgency: High
 * (5-7%)
 * Urgency: High
 * (5-6%)
 * Urgency: Normal
 * (5-6%)
 * Urgency: Normal
 * (15% C-Stick / 21% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: Very High
 * (15% C-Stick / 21% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: Very High

Although it's still fast, keep in mind it's just fast for a forward smash, so still be careful how you use it. Kirby backflips, unleashing the fury of his foot in the process, striking in an overhead arc. The most damage is unleashed in front of Kirby, some is dealt above, and the least is dealt behind. This does the job most Up-Smashes are supposed to do, rocket your opponent upwards.
 * (11-15% C-Stick / 16-21% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: High
 * (11-15% C-Stick / 16-21% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: High

This is best reserved for three situations: (1) If you can only knock your opponent up for a KO, (2) when your opponent is temporarily vulnerable at a distance so you dash up for an Up Smash before they regain ground, or (3) to knock your foe into the air to trigger some of Kirby's aerial combos.

If you're looking to cover both sides, his Down Smash is usually better suited, as more significant damage is dealt and more range is offered. If a fighter's dive bombing you, it's usually safer and more effective to roll out, then hit them with a Forward Smash as they land (or alternatively, to shield, then grab as they land, IF they land in front of you). If you're looking for a dashing strike, don't use this unless you're a master of mind games... it's far too predictable, and easy to dodge compared to grabs, a dash attack, jumps, or any number of fake-outs you can pull. Kirby splits, kicking on both sides simultaneously. It's his weakest of smashes. At the very tips of Kirby's feet, it knocks in a perfect horizontal direction (as opposed to the typical 45-degree angle), making it harder to recover from for some characters, and makes it easier to spike or Kirbycide the recovering target.
 * (14% C-Stick / 19% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: High or Normal, depending on your skill
 * (14% C-Stick / 19% Fully Charged)
 * Urgency: High or Normal, depending on your skill

You'll love this if you're a master of spacing who can nail foes with the edge of Kirby's foot. Otherwise, try to stay away from using it as a general attack, since the risks are greater and damage weaker than his other smashes. No matter who you are, this can be useful in Free-For-Alls when you're surrounded by foes, or if you're faced by an opponent who rolls too much. Kirby spins on his head as his legs twirl through the air like helicopter blades. Getting all six hits is rather unusual, range on this isn't too great, and has a dangerously long duration, but that same duration can come in handy against side-steppers or shield-flash-grabbers. One of Kirby's best choices of approach. Compared to most characters, Kirby's ledge attack doesn't slow down as much after peaking 100% damage.
 * (2-2-2-2-2-4% / 14% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: High
 * (2-2-2-2-2-4% / 14% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: High
 * }
 * Ledge - (6%)

Aerials
Kirby's aerials offer up a decent variety, and the air is generally where he's best piling up damage for a KO (especially against slow fallers or enemies with weak aerial game), partially thanks to his multi-jump. Landing lag is practically nonexistent for any of his air attacks.

Up Throw, Down Throw, Up Tilt (at mid-to-high damage), and Up Smash are some of Kirby's best moves to open for air combos.

Kirby spins. Strikes on all sides, but has low damage and knockback, and has dangerously long duration combined with pathetic range and low priority. (So you're left open for decent-range, decent-priority attacks.)
 * (6-12%, more damage at the beginning)
 * Urgency: Very Low
 * (6-12%, more damage at the beginning)
 * Urgency: Very Low

Do not use unless your life depends on it: Since it hits on all sides, opens fast enough (in the air, only his Back Aerial is notably faster), and has such a long duration, it works decently as a spacing move. Three successive kicks; it isn't too difficult to hit with all three, but is hard enough to make this move somewhat unfavorable. The last strike can potentially KO if you're edgeguarding, though his Back Air is preferred.
 * (4,3,5% / 12% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: Normal
 * (4,3,5% / 12% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: Normal

You'll probably be finding yourself using this as a defensive recovery sooner or later... and it can sometimes keep an enemy at bay... sometimes. It's a solid move to be sure, but not something you'll be looking to hit with.

Some Kirby-users find that dash-into-hop-into-Fair is a decent opener, but leaves you open to shield grabs. Every point of damage you take is another step towards your KO, but against chain-grabbers like Ice Climbers, this seemingly small mistake can be fatal. You're better off faking this as an opening (since it's so common for Kirby), then retreating before you expose yourself with an attack, to see your opponent's reaction. From this, you can read their fighting style and (possibly) their instinctive reaction if you try a similar approach for real, then plan from that. A quick kick behind him with good range, knockback, and damage - all-around his best aerial, and has potential to KO at 100%+ damage. It can be used as a Wall of Pain (jumping off the edge to repeatedly hit an enemy, forcing them off the screen, and then recovering using Kirby's multiple jumps). As with the Forward Air, this can be short hopped out of a dash. A backflip-kick that strikes in an overheard arc. It sends the target vertically upwards. Compared to most characters' up-airs, this can't KO as easily and might not deal as much damage, but is perfect for aerial juggling, and arguably one of the best aerial combo attacks in Brawl (excluding "automatic" ones like Kirby's down-air or Pit's up-air, of course).
 * (9-12%, more damage at the beginning)
 * Urgency: High
 * (9-12%, more damage at the beginning)
 * Urgency: High
 * (10%)
 * Urgency: High
 * (10%)
 * Urgency: High

If you can time this so you avoid opponent's aerials, while also not striking in the middle of an air dodge, and can then combine that with Kirby's other aerials, you might as well have mastered Kirby's aerial game. But keep in mind: although the air is where he excels, it isn't the only weapon in his arsenal, and there are opponents who you're better off facing grounded. Drill-kick. The start-up lag is pretty bad, but the last hit can weakly spike the enemy, so it's worth it in the right situation. This is also your best attack if a foe flies below you, but it's usually better to dodge if possible, as most characters have a fast and strong Up Aerial.
 * (2,2,2,2,2,2 / 12% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (2,2,2,2,2,2 / 12% if all hits connect)
 * Urgency: Low

Perhaps the best application of this move is after a Forward Smash or Back Air that gets the opponent off the edge. Back Air/Forward Smash to Down Air to Footstool Jump is a combo that every Kirby player should master, and will easily KO most opponents when used properly.

NEVER use this if the opponent is on the ground. Most foes worth fighting will either shield-into-grab, or sidestep-into-downsmash.
 * }

Throws
Kirby's grab is short-ranged and quick. Each of his grab-hits only deal 1% each, but they're very fast. His throws are rather damaging, varied, and most are good for opening a combo. Two can be used for kamikazes in certain situations, particularly on Smashville.
 * Grab Urgency: High

Suplex. After the animation, you'll usually be able to hit the foe with an Up aerial. This is great opening for combos at low damages, but once your foe has accumulated enough damage, or can DI out of your up-air, Down Throw is better for damage. (This has the second-greatest knockback of Kirby's throws, although you'll probably only get a KO out of it in a Sudden Death match.) Surprisingly, Forward Throw to Hammer works very well as a combo.
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: High
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: High

With an Up Throw, the foe is launched in the same direction as Forward, makes Kirby less vulnerable in Free-For-Alls, does more damage, and has more knockback. However, it's nearly impossible to combo with. Backdrop. Weak, doesn't hit very far, and the hardest to combo from of all four throws, but the only move outside Inhale which can send your foe behind Kirby. It's best to use only if you're tossing your foe into a trap or off the stage. "Ninja Throw". Knocks back more than any of his throws, but it can't normally KO unless the foe is already at 150%+. Kirby's victim is launched from the highest platform directly above Kirby, so on certain stages like Rumble Falls or New Pork City, the KOing potential increases dramatically (sometimes cheaply so).
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (8%)
 * Urgency: Low
 * (10%)
 * Urgency: Medium
 * (10%)
 * Urgency: Medium

Both Kirby and his foe are left in the air after this attack, so you could try to build up damage with aerial attacks. Final Cutter or aerials are surprisingly effective to chain out of this, but most opponents will catch on after one or two uses and learn to double jump or air dodge after the initial knockback. Kirby repeatedly stomps on a grounded foe, which eventually sends the target directly above Kirby. The throw itself does the most damage, but has the least knockback. Because of that knockback however, it becomes easy to combo out of this. Your best combo options are: It's best to mix up the combo options so they won't learn to dodge the same repeated attack after a Down Throw. You can also mix in Up Smashes or other aerials, but they're less safe or less likely to land. Keep in mind that with the exception of facing Fox, none of these are True Combos, so your foe can escape if they're smart (or lucky) enough.
 * (1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2 / 12%)
 * Urgency: Very High
 * (1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2 / 12%)
 * Urgency: Very High
 * Chain throwing at low damage (or low-to-mid-for Fox).
 * Up Tilts at low damage, usually followed by Up Air or Back Air
 * Jump or hop-into-UpAir at mid damage
 * If their DownAir is dangerous (notably Lucas), try rolling out of the way as they DownAir, then striking with a Forward Smash as they land.

Chain-throw: Down Throw, shield-grab when they land, grab-hit 'em, Dthrow, repeat.

Although this throw is the most damaging, it has the longest duration. Normally that's fine, but in three-or-four-player matches, it can leave both Kirby and his foe open. In these cases it's best to stick with Up Throw. In team matches however, it can keep your foe in place longer while your opponent strikes them with a powerful attack.
 * }

Special Attacks
Kirby's special attacks are definitely varied... but most of them are gimmicks, only useful if used correctly in the right situations. Hammer is easily his most powerful move in terms of damage and knockback.


 * Inhale
 * 6% if Copy
 * 10% if Spit
 * Penetrates shields
 * Anyone hit by spit star gets 9-18% (more damage if the bullet enemy is heavier)
 * Urgency: Varies
 * Penetrates shields
 * Anyone hit by spit star gets 9-18% (more damage if the bullet enemy is heavier)
 * Urgency: Varies

Kirby sucks in air and objects as long as you hold the button down, or until something finds its way into his mouth. This has two basic uses: consuming items and consuming opponents. Wario and King DeDeDe are the only other characters who can consume items in this fashion.

The pink puffball can consume and destroy most items by 'eating' them via Inhaling them. This includes Diddy Kong's peanuts, Link's bombs, and other special-move produced items, but neither Smash Balls nor Mr. Saturns. Large items like Springboards, Crates, and Party Balls take considerably longer to eat and can leave you very vulnerable in almost any situation. Explosives will deal 5% damage to Kirby if he eats them, and will also leave him vulnerable for longer than usual. He can consume Dragoon Parts, food, and other healing items this way, but just tapping the attack button is faster.

The more important use of Inhale is copying enemies. The move has almost cripplingly low speed, but can definitely pay off when used correctly. After Kirby inhales an opponent, he can still slowly walk around and jump - As with a throw, its easier for the foe to get out of this grapple if they have low damage and rapidly press buttons. Once an enemy has been entrapped in Kirby's mouth, you have three basic options: Copy their Neutral B ability (by pressing the special attack button or down), spit them out for more damage (by pressing the standard attack button), or attempt a Kirbycide (see Kirbycide for detail).

Copying replaces Kirby's Inhale ability with the targeted foe's Neutral Special, until Kirby either taunts or accumulates a certain amount of damage. This can be useful on some foes, particularly those with projectiles or counters as their Neutral Special, such as Peach or Samus. Most fighters know being copied will leave them directly above an exposed Kirby, so it's best to have a plan to counter or block their Down Air (especially if they're Lucas or Toon Link). Many copied moves will be slightly downsized to fit Kirby's size and strength.

Spitting the foe is a useful way to launch your foe into explosive items, as the star will ignite the bomb and leave the enemy in the explosion's midst. Of course it's also effective to get them into stage-based traps like the lava on Norfair.

In a Free-For-All, the spat enemy can be decently damaging, but there's still much better moves if you're looking to just pile on punishment. Unlike in Melee, the star can be reflected by Fox/Falco/Wolf/Franklin Badge or neutralized by Link's/Toon Link's shield. Also unlike Melee: anyone overlapping Kirby while he swallows an enemy will take a tiny amount of damage.
 * Hammer
 * 23% Ground
 * 17,15% Aerial
 * Urgency: High
 * 23% Ground
 * 17,15% Aerial
 * Urgency: High

On the ground, this is for KOs and taking advantage of vulnerability, but that's it. It surpasses his Forward Smash in terms of both damage and knockback, but is dreadfully slow in both start-up and after-lag, and has significantly less range than his smash.

It's much faster in the air and deals two hits instead of one, but both hits are weaker than the grounded version. The first swing deals a little more damage and knocks back at a 45 degree angle, but the slightly-weaker second strike shoots them at a 0 degree angle, which can be harder to recover from. It's next to impossible to hit with both aerial swings, as the first strike will always knock the foe out of range for the second. The aerial Hammer's a solid attack and should be used when necessary, but too much will make it predictable and easy to counter.

Some Kirby-users use a dash, forward mini-hop, then the aerial Hammer. It can be used to fake out some players, but most experienced fighters will eat you alive if this strategy is attempted more than once.

The Hammer is arguably one of Kirby's best options for fighting bosses, since it deals enormous damage whether used in air or on ground. Repeated smashes or repeated Forward-airs are seemingly the only attacks which can match its damage-per-second efficiency.
 * Final Cutter
 * 8,2,5% / 25% if all hits connect
 * 6% from projectile
 * Urgency: Low
 * 8,2,5% / 25% if all hits connect
 * 6% from projectile
 * Urgency: Low

In Melee, this move was renowned for being ridiculously effective against CPU players for how bad it actually was. Use it at close-range against a veteran Brawler and you'll die. The start-up lag is atrocious, and even if the first strike hits, the second and third strikes can be evaded with a quick air dodge.

Its close-range attack value aside, this is Kirby's only projectile (unless he copied one), and should be used accordingly. It also strikes foes above, and below if he's aerial, which can definitely come in handy in almost any fight. The cutter's downward strike can also function as a meteor smash to anyone clinging on a ledge.

Final Cutter is a very safe recovery move once you've mastered its height, but can still be edgeguarded by a skilled opponent.

If for some reason you need to hit the ground ASAP, Final Cutter is generally considered a safer alternative to Stone.

This can be surprisingly useful against projectile-spammers. The falling-slash will usually cancel out a projectile headed towards Kirby, while the wave will charge through the distance towards your opponent, which will hopefully offset them enough for you to approach.

Another unique aspect of this attack: The final wave doesn't disappear or even slow down after it hits one foe, so you can easily hit multiple enemies with it.
 * Stone
 * 18% Above Drop
 * 14% Nearby Drop or if used on ground
 * Urgency: Very Low
 * 18% Above Drop
 * 14% Nearby Drop or if used on ground
 * Urgency: Very Low

Kirby turns to an impenetrable stone, and drops to the ground at high speed, then turns back to normal after a few seconds or when you press an attack button. The original drop attack is often overused by less experienced players. It's starting lag and ending lag are undeniably horrible, and it is one of the most easily punished moves in the game.

Some Kirby users think they can get away with it if they launch an aerial or Hammer right out of the stone, but that only has a chance of working if someone tries to grab you (in which case you could still be grabbed successfully if they have half-decent timing), or if your foe has embarrassingly bad range. It is safer to cancel the stone and air dodge just before or immediately after landing, as it can throw off an opponent's timing.

There are... three rare instance in which this is actually a good option in a one-on-one fight:
 * 1) When you're high in the air, your opponent is a ways beneath you, but still far enough away from both you and the ground. Stone, fall down.  If they air dodge, too bad, but you probably won't be owned through recovery (unless they have a drop attack as well).  If they don't air dodge on time, you could get a KO, since they're already in the air and Stone usually knocks upward.
 * 2) If your foe is foolish enough to start charging a Smash while you're still above them.
 * 3) Rapidly stoning and de-stoning can slow your ascent, but it isn't a safe tactic if your foe can reach you quickly.

Being able to cancel the Stone in midair creates many possibilities for mindgames. Using the stone as a feint, cancelling it before you're close enough for the enemy to take advantage of you, and transitioning into aerials or Final Cutter is a viable option.

However, Stone is useful for invincibility in boss battles, though a few super-powerful attacks can somehow break through your seemingly-impenetrable guard. It can also be used to block or partially-block certain Final Smashes, like Mario's or Peach's (though you'll still need excellent timing due to Stone's ridiculous starting time), but with any of the Final Smashes you can do this with, it's often just as effective to float out of the way or roll-dodge.

Kirby will slide down slopes while in Stone form.
 * }

Taunts
''Note: If Kirby has a copied ability, using a taunt will remove it. The down taunt is most effective for this purpose, as it has the shortest duration and therefore leaves you less vulnerable.''


 * He does a small jig, a reference to part of the victory dance seen in several Kirby games.
 * He spins around, then poses. This is almost identical to what he did when selected on the character screen of the original Super Smash Bros.
 * He turns toward the camera, waves, and says "Hiiii!" This taunt was introduced as part of his victory dance in Kirby 64, and has since been used as his taunt in every Smash Bros. game.
 * }
 * He spins around, then poses. This is almost identical to what he did when selected on the character screen of the original Super Smash Bros.
 * He turns toward the camera, waves, and says "Hiiii!" This taunt was introduced as part of his victory dance in Kirby 64, and has since been used as his taunt in every Smash Bros. game.
 * }
 * He turns toward the camera, waves, and says "Hiiii!" This taunt was introduced as part of his victory dance in Kirby 64, and has since been used as his taunt in every Smash Bros. game.
 * }
 * }

Final Smash
Kirby tosses nearby enemies and items into a giant pot and cooks them, then launches them upwards when the meal's done. Items will be replaced with new items, and an extra item will appear for each enemy cooked. The items are generally food, which Kirby can consume -- it's the real advantage of this attack. Needless to say, this Final Smash isn't quite as valuable when items (especially healing items) are turned off, or if Kirby only has one opponent.
 * Cook Kirby - (34%)

With a little practice, this Final Smash becomes easy to dodge by rolling at the right moment, which leaves Kirby and his items open to attack/stealing after the cooking scene ends. Not only that, but it has VERY little KO power for a Final Smash. Kirby can float to top edge of the stage before using this so enemies are launched closer to the edge, but that just makes it even more predictable and easier to dodge.

True Combos
When performed correctly, these combos cannot be escaped by dodging, shielding, attacking, moving, or anything you could ever think of. Most can be extended into "false" combos with other moves.

Down Aerial into Forward Tilt (10-21%) - Land into your foe and the ground with a Down Aerial, and ASAP, hit Forward Tilt (hitting the Tilt input repeatedly works). This can usually work up to near-KOing damage for larger and heavier guys like Bowser, but lighter characters like Fox won't even work from 0%.

Up Tilt into Up Tilt (10-14%) - This generally only works from under 20% damage, or maybe nothing higher than 0% on super-light characters like Game & Watch. It can hit from either in front or behind, but does more damage behind. Fourteen damage isn't too great, even for Kirby, but it can be useful in situations you're attacking the rear. This attack loses it's TC label after the second Up Tilt, but the third and fourth attacks still aren't easy to dodge.

Forward Throw into Up Aerial (18%) - This only seems to be True-Combo material against Ganondorf, Fox, and Wolf, and only from 0%. Still, grabbing for 18% isn't too shabby. It only does 6% more than Kirby's most damaging throw (Down Throw), but every percentage means you can KO earlier.

Down Throw into Down Throw into Down Throw (36-48%) - Although this works as an effective false combo against nearly anyone, it's only true on Fox because he falls so freaking fast. You'll need this edge against him. Unfortunately, the full effect only works from about 0%. Just throwing gives you 36%, but grab-hitting the maximum amount can give you an additional 12%. He'll typically be flailing so much you won't be able to get that full amount of grab-hits, but you should at least be able to get one hit on the first and two on both the second and third. But make sure you don't press grab again until the last throw animation has ended, or you'll end up shielding.

Kirbycide
Kirbycide is a complex (and often labelled as cheap) technique which could only be performed using Kirby's Inhale in Melee, but this time around it can be utilized by both Kirby and Dedede. To perform the basic Kirbycide, inhale your opponent and dive off the edge into oblivion, so you both lose a stock (similar to Bowser's Flying Slam).

Advanced Kirbyciding Tactics
First, you should realize an enemy will stay in Kirby's stomach for the same duration regardless of how much damage they have, unlike other grabs in the game. The only determining factor is how much they flail around inside you, which is beneficial for you, because that means this technique can be performed just as well from 0% as from 300%. With enough squirming, they'll easily be able to escape before you plummet to your death (especially if the ledge is quite a distance). Only tilting the analog stick helps your victim escape, so if they're just repeatedly mashing buttons, or doing nothing at all, Kirbycide becomes much easier.

When you're falling, be sure to be mashing the jump button. If the 'cide succeeds, great. If not, you'll start your second jumps the moment your foe breaks free. If you can, try to footstool them as you recover... If you can master Kirbyciding and footstooling, you might as well have beat the game.

Perhaps the only surefire way is to float just beyond the ledge, then inhale towards the stage as you fall down. Ideally your opponent will be right on the edge, and you'll be able to suck them in as you both drop towards your death. If you miss however, recovery can be a bit tricky, as they're likely to be right on the edge waiting for you -- Final Cutter will usually clear the edge for you, but a tricky opponent might be able to edgeguard you at the last second.

Once your opponent is captured, you have the choice of just falling to your death, or exhaling them out under the stage. Characters with poor recovery, like Ike or Bowser, won't be able to get back out from under the stage and recover. Kirby however, is not only closer to the edge, but his godly recovery would allow him to float gracefully back on his feet from almost any point of the map, if you haven't wasted some of his jumps. Fliers like Meta Knight or ROB will usually be able to recover from one of these "Undercides", so you're probably better off killing both you and your foe.

You don't need to keep your enemy in Kirby's belly as long with Undercides, so you can usually: Stand near the edge with your back to it, Inhale an approaching foe, leap backwards off the stage's edge, then Undercide. You won't need to already be off the edge for it to be effective.

Of course, Kirbyciding only works on stages where you can fall to your death. Undercides won't work on stages where you can pass through the floor or maps where the stage doesn't have an underside.

Since this technique is so risky, you're better off using it when you have high damage and are therefore close to being KO'd anyway. It's also optimal if your opponent has little damage, because then the hits you traded to get them up to higher damage won't be wasted. Ideally, this should be performed right after you KO your opponent and they drop back off the recovery platform.

Cutterciding
The second hit of Final Cutter, when Kirby's falling, has spike potential that can KO recovering opponents when used properly. The safest application is to hit the opponent when close enough to the ledge that you can grab on, cancelling your fall, while the opponent continues to plummet to their demise.

Match-Ups
Who you're best against with Kirby truly depends on personal fighting style, but the puffball tends to have huge advantages against: Obviously, he does poorly against fast fallers and fighters who excel at recovery. While seemingly everyone does better against such foes, the weaknesses can be taken advantage of more fully by Kirby.
 * Poor recoverers - Kirby excels at edge guarding, plus these are the best victims for Undercide
 * Slow fallers - They make his combos and aerial juggling easier

Bowser
In the right hands, he can be tough, but the only thing you really need to look out for is his suiciding side-special. DO NOT SHIELD. Roll, sidestep, jump, but do NOT shield, or his 'cide will murder you. Keep as far away from ledges as possible. If he camps, just feed Final Cutters or copied Bowser Breath.

Although some of his moves are quick, all of Kirby's are just as fast. But Kirby's light, while Bowser's the heaviest around, so you'll have to get him to practically twice the damage he needs to get you to for a KO. That seems like a disadvantage, until you remember how big and slow of a target Bowser is.

If you can hit into the ground with a Down Aerial (not always the easy to get in with Bowser's Up Tilt and Up Smash), follow up with Forward Tilt for about 20% True Combo damage. This is one of the few foes the combo will always work on, so make use of it if you can.

It's easy to get Bowser in your belly considering his size, but he'll usually be able to crush you with Down-Air or the Bowser Bomb after copying. Even so, his ability could be worth it. Bowser's massive size and slow aerials make it harder than usual for him to escape Fire Breath, and Kirby's version isn't downgraded to the extent you would expect. Using it at the right angle will usually land you at least 20%, but, of course, Bowser can't stay in it as long with higher levels of damage.

Captain Falcon
You will never find someone better to play against. His signature move is the one you can copy. The problem is getting to it. He is fast, and he can smash you from any direction. What you can try to do is attack him diagonally, as he can't block anything from there. Try to stun him with a move, then eat him. It's no cakewalk though. However, if you can manage to eat him, spam the move repeatedly. Throw in a quick move to refresh the stale move negation, but spam the move. By doing so you'll turn the game into a slugfest, and who's more likely to recover. Just launch him off the stage, and your problem is solved.

Diddy Kong
His nimble moves will confuse you, and then he'll strike with a killer jetpack. There is hope though. Fight with your speedy moves, and you'll be rewarded. Meet him with an equally fast strike, strong or not, and raise his percentage. Forward smashes will send him packing, and an aerial hammer always hurts him. Use sidestepping and dodging to make him punch air. Steal his peanut pop gun and use it against him.

Donkey Kong
As always, only a threat in the hands of a good player, but he really can't dish out much damage to you quickly. His attacks hit hard, so you'll need to fight it hard. One thing can be used though. He is a heavyweight, so he's slow. Fight him like Captain Falcon, with quick attacks, and one strong one after he's stunned. Just eating him turns the tide of the game! After eating him, hide in a corner while charging up your attack, then unleash it on him. Underciding works well, so that's always an option. Remember that one hit from him can finish you.

Falco
Use the same tactics you use against Fox, only shift more pressure heavily to offense than to defense. Beat him up with your amazing forward smash, and get the gun. His reflector is used as a weapon, so get behind him. It also does more damage than Fox's gun, so use it often.

Fox
He's super fast (like Reflector fast), and hits where it hurts. But if you can engage him in the Triple Down Throw True Combo, you'll be able to get 36%+ damage on him with your first hit, which should definitely turn the tide in your favor. His ridiculous falling speed could normally be used to your advantage, but the Reflector allows him to halt momentarily in the air, which is enough to break up most of your juggling, and allow him to obliterate you with a True Combo. So, you're best off sticking to the ground more than usual with this one.

Don't bother copying his blaster. For one, his ludicrous dropping speed will always allow him to down-air you after the copy (followed by a True Combo, usually). His Reflector will end up blocking most of your blaster shots anyway. On Final Destination, you'll only get maybe four of five hits off in the time it takes him to dash across the stage and hit you with a vicious Up Smash.

Fox was heavily nerfed from Melee, while Kirby was heavily buffed, but this match-up doesn't make it seem that way.

Ganondorf
All you have to do is use the hit and run strategy, or combo him into the air. Ganon is easy to edgeguard and he is extremely weak against Kirbyciding. Once you get him off the stage's edge, you can slaughter him with your aerial attacks or Kirbyciding.

However, beware of his side-special grabbing attack. If you push him off the stage's edge, he can hit you with this attack, then kamikaze-kill both you and himself. Just be extremely cautious that you don't leave yourself open to this attack -- don't linger parallel to him, when you're both in mid-air.

His only real strengths are his incredible heaviness and raw power. His weight can make it harder to push him off the stage's edge. Though he may just have the most powerful attacks in the game, they're all incredibly slow. Just keep attacking him with your quickest blows, and he won't have much of an opportunity to fight back.

Copying his Warlock Punch is almost useless. Though it's practically a one-hit KO, it's virtually impossible to land cleanly, even against someone as slow as Ganondorf, and will leave you open to punishment. The only times you can land this are when you break his shield (which is impossible to do against any skilled player), you freeze him with an item of some sort (which may not always be an option), or you begin Kirby's copied Warlock Punch immediately after he starts one, landing somewhere where you can dodge his punch, but still strike with your own. The last scenario can be risky, considering Ganondorf can turn his punch around in the middle of the attack. Or, use it like a falcon punch when landing.

Ice Climbers
This fight can be hard if you don't separate the two ice climbers. Grabbing one leaves you open to the other's attacks, and they are hard to edgeguard when they're together. Splitting them up is your only defense, and individually they will only be half as strong.

Comparing their attacks, there's really only one true threat in their arsenal: chain-grabbing. While one grabs you, the other can hit you with multiple smash attacks. Then you'll be thrown, and potentially grabbed again before you can even move. This might even end up getting you meteor-smashed off the stage's edge.

A decent defense against this attack is directional-influence (DI) between throws. Thankfully, Kirby falls rather slowly, so he's not as susceptible to chain-throwing as other fighters. Additionally, side-step dodge and roll-dodge more than your normally would (as opposed to shielding). Try to fight in the air as much as possible, because they can't grab in the air. NEVER use Stone on-ground.

Their neutral special is incredibly weak. Each block of ice you shoot only deals 1 or 2% damage. Even so, its range and slow movement can be helpful to trip up your foes (especially on big, flat stages like Final Destination), even if only a little bit.

Lastly, if you separate them, always go after Nana (the second climber). When alone, she can't defend herself nearly as well as Popo (first climber) can.

Ike
Kirby has one good move with range, Forward Smash, and all of the others are either average or pathetic. Against Ike's ridiculous range, you're put at a strong disadvantage. Ike's easy to take on if you can shield-grab him regularly; his range is mighty, but falls weak to a shield, his throws are pathetic. You can grab faster than him, and your grabs can penetrate his counter. Just be sure to mix in enough rolls, sidesteps, or jumps within those shields, or he'll probably see through your simple scheme rather quickly and start grabbing when you least expect it.

Copying Ike's Eruption is useless, and a significant waste of making yourself open with Inhale (most of his attacks are too slow to hit you after the copy, but with Ike's range it becomes easy to beat you before he gets sucked in). Eruption opens slowly, and does little damage uncharged. The only time it could come in handy during a one-on-one match is if Ike's shield breaks, in which case you could easily get a KO from less than 20 damage, or for a mix-up.

Ike is surprisingly easy to Kirbycide. This is especially true if you're Underciding, as he has potentially the worst recovery for that sort of situation. Don't bother copying him if you've mastered this technique and are on a suitable stage, as you'll lose the opportunity.

You can Inhale Ike if he Quick Draws towards you. You'll still receive the damage, but won't be knocked back. Even a fully-charged Quick Draw will only KO from damage so high that a decent Ike-user would have killed you with something else sooner. Although this seems useless at first, it makes Underciding even easier if you're near the edge when he draws.

Jigglypuff
She's one of the few foes who can outclass Kirby's aerial game, so try to stick to the ground and use Forward Smash and Throws. Kirby's aerials have a tiny bit more range, but Jiggly's are faster and hit harder, plus she falls at a slower rate and has faster lateral movement in the air. Getting sent to the sky for a bit won't kill you, but you can drop down fast with Final Cutter just in case. Avoid Rest, keep range, and if you somehow find yourself overlapping, shield hard and shield fast.

You can eat her with Inhale if she tries to use Rollout, and copying this ability can give you another weapon in your ground-attacking belt (though you'll sacrifice Rollout-canceling). She floats downward so slowly you'll never get hit after the copy.

King Dedede
This guy is pretty easy. Just remember to stay away from his hammer, and fight more in the air. He may be able to fly, but he flies like he's made of metal. Your hammer moves faster than his in the air, so use it.

Link
When fighting Link, stay as close to him as possible. His close combat is good, but it's slower than Kirby's. Also, one big advantage Kirby has against Link is size. Duck when he shoots arrows or throws a bomb, then quickly run and hit him. Whenever he does his down "A" in the air roll and then grab him when he reaches the ground. Always remember that you are smaller and faster; roll often, especially when he does one of his B moves as they leave him open to attack.

Lucario
Lucario is a relatively easy and predictable foe who (when used effectively) maximizes on his ability to outrange you with most of his attacks. The biggest things to look out for are his Aura Sphere (especially at high damages), and down aerial, which pauses his descent and can deal heft damage. For the prior, your main option in preventing its use is hitting him with a lot of pressure and never giving him much opportunity to charge it. The latter is a major threat to your down-throws, copying, and aerial game; it's best to keep it in mind.

As stated, he can attack you out of a copy. Even so, his copied ability can be extremely useful. It offers Kirby a projectile attack, something which will come particularly useful against Lucario, who likes to stay just out of your reach a bit too much. Launching one Aura Sphere at another will usually cancel each other out (unless it's an immense sphere against a small one), so it can work defensively as well.

Something to keep in mind about Lucario is that the knockback and damage of his moves increase with the more damage he has sustained. This is particularly true with Aura Sphere, which also charges faster when he has higher damage. Kirby's Aura Sphere is equivalent to Lucario's ~80% damage Aura Sphere.

Lucas
While he has certain moves you're better off noting, this match shouldn't be too confusing. His Up Smash, Down Special, and Up Special are all rather cheap if your foe knows how to use them right. There's no true way to escape them entirely, but just be wary, and above all, try to avoid becoming predictable. Take note of his down-tilts and up-tilts, and also note if your opponent is the type to spam these or use them wisely; if the former is the case, you can Forward Smash through them quite easily. Perhaps what's most annoying about Lucas is how many moves he can potentially KO you with for such a small guy.

Lucas' down air can kill your juggling if you aren't watching out for it, and it can counter you after a copy (not that PK Freeze is that great of a steal; he can absorb it with PK Magnet) or after low-damage Down Throws. As with Ike's Quick Draw, you can inhale Lucas out of his self-thunder-projectile and not be knocked back, but still receive the damage (approximately 14%).

Lucas' PK Thunder will pass through opponents hitting them multiple times. You can however, attack the ball of thunder to cancel it before it hits him (be sure not to hit him with your attack or he will regain the use of his up special).

Luigi
Watch out for the jump, never overlap with him at any cost, and if you do, shield immediately. Other than that, Luigi's mostly a straight shooter. You can suck him in if he tries to Green Missile you (unless he managed to get just the right angle), and he usually can't Down-Air you after being copied. The fireball works as a decent projectile or diversion.

Mario
Mario's pretty straightforward, and usually on the easy side for Kirby. The only thing to watch out for are his quick smashes (almost on par with yours), and the cape. You might want to use more Down and Up Smashes for KOs, as they can still attack the rear, where as Forward Smashes and especially Hammers can leave you open if you're caped.

Mario's copied ability would seem decent, but Kirby's arm is so close to the ground you are required to jump for the fireball to go any real distance. Though it's usually not worth copying, the fireball's angle can manage to help with defensive recovery, although a lost attempt at a mid-air Kirbycide might have been just as valuable. Mario can't down-air you out of a copy.

Marth
Kirby has one good move with range, Forward Smash, and all of the others are either average or pathetic. Against Marth's ridiculous range and wide sweeps, you're put at a strong disadvantage. Marth's throws are weak, so shielding often seems like a good idea at first, but Shield Breaker (Neutral Special) somewhat throws this strategy out the window (though an uncharged breaker won't instantly shatter a perfectly healthy shield). Still, it's best to keep wary and mix it up more than you would with Ike.

Marth doesn't have any projectile attacks, so camping comes easy here. Marth's one of the hardest foes to dash straight in towards, so play defensively and let him come to you, or if you get impatient, start to throw Final Cutters his way. (Cutter'ing him might not be the safest strategy, but diehard campers usually won't leap towards you over Kirby's projectile.)

Throwing Marth into the air can be effective, since he falls rather slowly. He also loses most of his quicker-than-you attacks in the air, where as most of your aerials are not only stronger but faster than his. Just make sure you don't give him a moment to nail you with one of his ridiculously-wide-spanned aerials. Yours are faster and stronger, but his reach further.

One thing most players seem to forget about Marth is that although his best attacks open quickly, their ending lag is easily punishable, particularly so with his Forward Smash (something all Marth-user's love to spam), Forward Tilt, Up Smash, and Up Tilt. If you can sidestep a smash, it generally leaves open enough room for a Forward Smash, which can reach Marth from almost any point he can each you. For the tilts, you're much better off grabbing him out of your sidestep.

Copying Marth's Shield Breaker is rather pointless, and his Down-Air can smack you after the copying. The range is decreased for Kirby as well, and it opens slowly for the amount of damage it gives. Even if you had all the time in the world to charge it up, Hammer hits further and harder. Pretty much the only time it comes in handy is to shatter shield-spammers, or mind game your foe into using shields less.

Marth's poor lateral recovery makes him a prime target for Undercide, but his long and quick sword makes inhaling him surprisingly difficult.

Meta Knight
His sword moves like crazy, but he doesn't have that powerful of attacks. He is the guy who racks up your damages, and hits you with one sweeping, weak move that, because you have large damage, KOs you. If you manage to copy him, spam the Mach Tornado and refresh it. His special up leaves him helpless when it ends, so stop it before it starts.

Ness
Watch out for PK Fire, especially at low damages. He can hit you with that, then follow with a Forward or UP Smash, sometimes repeatedly enough to KOing damage. He only has a couple good shots at KOing: forward smash and self-thunder, both of which are surprisingly easy to evade if you look out for them and aren't PK Fired. His other, lesser, KO-worthy moves are his down-aerial spike and a sweet-spotted back-aerial. They're a bit harder to watch out for, so keep those in mind.

PK Flash isn't too great of a move to begin with, and surprisingly enough, Ness can absorb it with PK Magnet. Even if his Neutral Special sucks, Ness can't counter you after a copy, and it might be worth eating him just to get that awesome baseball cap...

It's a little cheap, but if Ness falls off the edge, you can hover over him so he wastes PK Thunder hitting you for a tiny amount of damage instead of hitting himself for recovery (the head of the thunder has to hit you, not the tail). This works especially well with Underside.

Olimar
His pikmin are his survival. Take it, and he needs help. Smash his pikmin out of there and the work on him.

Peach
Her Neutral Special is a counter ability. Copy it as soon as you can and use it liberally.

That move aside, she should be pretty easy. Her one true KO attack, forward air, is rather difficult to hit Kirby with if he's grounded (let alone if he's ducking) due to his size, though an expert Peach-user should be able to crown-smack when it matters, so don't go sacrificing your air game. Some Peachers will try to advance on you with a mini-hop-float, which is usually easy to cancel with Final Cutter; she can fake out Up Smashes with good timing, and Kirby's mini-hop-into-an-attack can give her a moment of opportunity.

You can eat her Onions, but doing so leaves you very vulnerable.

Pikachu
Pikachu is is light and quick, but possesses strong attacks, making him a potentially formidable foe. One of the key moves to look out for is his down smash. It's lightning quick and has a long hitbox duration, making it easy to hit with, yet also has considerable knockback and damage. It's almost the sole reason you'll want to use your slightly superior range to your advantage.

If you're watching for it, Thunder is predictable and easy to dodge, but is nonetheless a fearful move you should watch for (especially if you're high above Pikachu, as it will hit you sooner and can more easily knock you off the top). At the slightest misuse of this move, you can punish the little rodent with a potent attack of your choice.

Copying Pikachu can be worthwhile, as the additional range of Thundershock can be surprisingly valuable in Kirby's game when used from a safe vantage point. Like Mario's Fireball, it can also used to clear the way for a safer recovery when used at the right angle. Although normally Pikachu can't knock you after he's copied, it's possible for an expert, with the right directional influence.

Kirbyciding isn't too difficult compared to other characters, but just be prepared if a thundershock is headed your way instead of a meal. Underciding is somewhat difficult for Pikachu to pull off, but is nonetheless possible. It requires a use of his side-special (Headbutt) followed by an up-special (Quick Attack), or in some instances a dual Quick Attack. Not all players will be able to recover effectively; use your own judgment as to whether or not attempting Undercide is worth the risk.

Pit
Stay in the ground and pummel him with your hammer. Forward smash wins it all.

Sonic
Sonic is generally a straightforward and easy match. He only has two real tricks: his incredible movement speed, and his homing attack. All this really means is you have to keep your guard up a little more than usual. If you're not wary, Sonic will be in your face instantly -- whether by dashing, launching up to you with his spring-jump, or rocketing down to you with his down-air kick.

His homing attack (neutral special attack) can be tricky if you're not used to it, especially if you're aerial when he uses it. It always seems to strike from an unexpected angle. You can take the safe road, and shield or dodge whenever you see the attack's characteristic start-up. However, it can be more effective to anticipate where the attack will strike you, and counter that with one of Kirby's high-priority kicks. His up-tilt, back-air, and occasionally forward-smash can punish his attack if you get the timing right. Additionally: Countering Sonic's attack in this fashion will likely drive your enemy away from using it as often, which will likely make your match easier.

One of Sonic's biggest weaknesses is his lack of high-knockback moves, meaning it will be hard for him to land a KO on you. His rather slow forward-smash punch is the only real threat to your stock below 100% damage, so watch out for it. His back-air kick and down-smash spin are other potential problems at higher damage. If you're smart enough to avoid those attacks in particular, you'll be able to survive longer, thus increasing your chances of victory.

You can copy his homing attack, which can be fun and useful if used properly. It's harder to dodge or counter when your target is mid-air, so keep that in mind. Even so, someone who uses Sonic often will likely be more familiar this attack's timing, and thus be fairly skilled at dodging it.

Toon Link
Toon Link is a bit of a challenge. Because of his smaller size (compared to Link) his boomerang, arrows, and bombs are more prone to hitting you. You're better off using close combat. Most Toon Link users tend to keep their distance and use only projectiles, and save the melees for the kills. If you get up in their faces, they are forced to use the slow sword attacks.

If Toon Link decides to use aerial down-a (his sword thrust into the ground) or a hookshot, either of them missing, a large window of opportunity is open. They both take about two seconds to recover from, so quickly get in their faces and use a hammer.

Zero Suit Samus
Zero Suit Samus generally out-reaches you; most of her tilts and smashes are fast and long-ranged, even more so than your forward smash. However, her damage and knockback is fairly low overall--the only KOing move to really watch out for is her side-special which, thankfully, is arguably the slowest move in her arsenal. Other, lesser, threats to your stock include her back aerial and forward smash. Note that the latter hits both in front and behind. Although rarely seen in use, the tip of her up-special can spike pretty hard.

Her stun-gun is capable of paralyzing you in her neutral special and down smash. The latter in particular can set up for some brutal combos from her, so of course, be wary.

Zero Suit Samus's aerials are considerably on-par with yours, possessing both range, speed, and power. However, your have superior air mobility, so use that to your advantage by moving out of range for her strikes, then moving back in with your own.

Copying her is rarely of use. From long-range, the gun generally doesn't stun long enough for you to follow up with an attack; from short-range, she'll usually punish you before you can get the shot off. That's not to mention her down-aerial can smack you after the copy, and how easily she can punish your inhalation with a fast or ranged melee attack.

If you can get her inside your belly, underciding can be effective (if not foolproof), especially when combined with edgeguarding. She possesses three possible third jumps, her side and up specials as tethers, and her down special as a jump. None of these can counter edgeguarding particularly well, especially if you have invincibility frames.