Nintendo is responsible for some of the biggest franchises in the gaming industry, but it’s hard to touch upon their accomplishments without bringing up the continued success of the Kirby games. For three decades, Kirby has proven himself as both an adorable gaming mascot as well as one of the most versatile figures in the platforming genre.
The Kirby franchise has benefited from a wealth of diverse gameplay styles, but Kirby as a character remains so appealing because of the dozens of contrasting Copy Abilities that are at his disposal. Many of these Copy Abilities are as iconic as Kirby, but there are also some that feel like cruel jokes and would best be forgotten.
10 Kirby’s Light Ability Is An Illuminating Look Into Pointlessness
There are definitely some Kirby Copy Abilities that make sense on paper and feel like natural additions to the character's growing arsenal of powers, only for them to be completely impractical, or at times wholly unnecessary. The Light Copy Ability shows up early in the franchise, but it has gradually disappeared over time, and for good reason. Light turns Kirby into a bright beacon to better illuminate dark areas, but it's never a Copy Ability that's actually required. These darker regions can be navigated without the Light Ability and it could easily be a byproduct of any of Kirby's other illumination powers like Spark or Fire.
9 Cleaning Kirby Can Work A Broom And Not Much Else
Kirby's Cleaning Copy Ability is demonstrated by his expertise in sweeping trouble under the rug with a broom. Kirby's tidy tirade is definitely cute, especially the bandanna that he often dons for the occasion, but its use is extremely limited. Cleaning functions as a very limited-range attack where Kirby's sweeping skills take out the enemy. However, Kirby is stuck in place when he wields this attack and its strength is sorely lacking. Thankfully, some Copy Abilities gain new purpose when they're combined with Kirby's Animal Buddies, but even the shift to a more robust feather duster isn't very helpful.
8 Mini Kirby Is True To Its Name, But Leaves The Player Wanting More
A number of popular platforming series have worked in shrinking powers to help their heroes reach smaller, hidden spaces. Super Mario's Mini Mushroom and Zelda's Minish Cap are entertaining implementations of this concept, but Kirby's Mini Ability feels more like a punishment than an asset.
Kirby shrinks down in size, but that's really all that he can do in this state. Kirby can now enter tiny passages, but he can't even fly anymore, which is one of the character's signature traits. It's never fun when the Mini Ability is a necessity.
7 Kirby’s Ball Ability Goes Off Course And Is Better Explored Through Other Powers
A spherical makeover for Kirby is quite a common sight, and this malleable state is Kirby's base form in some of the odder spin-off games like Kirby's Pinball Land or Kirby's Block Ball. Kirby's Ball Ability first appears in Kirby's Adventure and it's another unfortunate case where the idea is better than the execution. This rounder take on Kirby can roll around at a faster speed and use this inertia to bounce into enemies to deal damage. That being said, Ball Kirby is frustrating to control and he's open to surprising vulnerabilities. Kirby's Wheel Ability is a much better version of this idea.
6 Parasol Is A Bland Way To Slow Down Gravity
There are certain Copy Abilities in the Kirby franchise that almost feel grandfathered in as permanent parts of the series. Plenty of Copy Abilities have been revised, yet the Parasol Ability remains a laborious exercise in patience. Kirby’s Parasol allows him to gracefully descend through the air, but this is rarely something that’s useful. The Parasol can also be wielded as a hand-weapon, but it’s so much weaker than alternatives like Kirby’s Sword that it also fails to make an impact in this arena. Even the Parasol's functionality in the Super Smash Bros. series has become increasingly useless and it's an item that players skip rather than brawl over.
5 Sleep Incapacitates Kirby With Very Little Payoff
It's exciting when gamers pick up on niche features and discover that seemingly useless functions do in fact serve a purpose. Kirby's Sleep Copy Ability is very easy to dismiss due to how it basically takes Kirby out of the action once he catches up on some quick slumber.
It's hard to tell, but Kirby's Sleep state does restore a small amount of his health, but it feels negligible considering how vulnerable he's made in the process. Kirby's sleepwear is really adorable, which is likely why the Copy Ability has stuck around for so long, but its limited functionality has reduced it to a niche Copy Ability.
4 The Metal Copy Ability Becomes Dead Weight That Drags Kirby Down
At its core, Metal Kirby seems like it could be an entertaining upgrade to Kirby's celebrated Stone form, but it's in fact a step backwards in nearly every regard. Kirby's Stone Copy Ability delivers a tremendous impact to opponents, but it can be successfully toggled at will. The Metal Copy Ability is a permanent condition for Kirby that weighs him down and makes it very hard to take to the air. Admittedly, Metal Kirby is invulnerable to standard enemies, but his lethargic speed and heavier state is not an enjoyable experience.
3 Kirby’s Hi-Jump Ability Is Proof That He Should Leave The Leaping To Mario
Kirby usually doesn't feel limited in his vertical exploration skills and so something like the Hi-Jump Copy Ability already feels somewhat redundant. Hi-Jump Kirby can quickly soar great heights, but it's a slow and vulnerable descent. The Hi-Jump Copy Ability is such an acquired taste that a lot of people don't even bother with it. In the right hands it can be useful, especially when there's an abundance of aerial enemies, but it never feels like the most efficient way to handle a problem. It’s a skill that makes more sense in something like Metroid or Super Mario.
2 The Paint Copy Ability Shows That Kirby’s Skills Are As A Hero, Not An Artist
The Paint Copy Ability originates in the Kirby Super Star, but the means to acquire it are quite sneaky and completely evade a lot of players. If Kirby consumes paint projectiles from three of Super Star's big bosses then he'll earn the secret Paint Copy Ability. The level of mystery that surrounds Paint Kirby makes it seem like it should be the game's strongest power. To be fair, Paint Kirby splashes the whole screen with paint to damage the area's enemies, but it's weaker than Kirby's other "kill screen" abilities. This makes Paint Kirby feel like a pale imitation when it should be the pinnacle of power.
1 Ghost Kirby’s Possession Powers Sound More Exciting Than They Actually Are
The Ghost Copy Ability seems like a no-brainer for the Kirby series, but instead it's become a temperamental transformation that's frequently more trouble than it's worth. Ghost Kirby can possess enemies and control them to do his bidding, which is actually a really creative power. After players have experienced Ghost Kirby once, it will be more than enough for them. The use of these ghost-controlled characters is too limited in nature, and without these vessels it's completely useless. The amount of work that's required for this new skill makes Ghost Kirby even more of a letdown.