WOOO!!! Limited in
appearance as it should be, it's
Ninja Kirby!
Kirby has encountered ninjas before, but only in one
game was he able to ever copy their stealthy ability.
Kirby Super Star
gave us our first and only taste of Kirby as the
stealthy ninja, and it was an ability no one would soon
forget. Acquired from a dangerous little ninja known as
Biospark, this ability was among the more complicated to
use. Kirby had an endless suplly of throwing daggers, a
knife (I think it may actually be a katana), and some
nasty physical moves. Using the knife, he could slash 6
HP off an enemy, and the attack could multi-hit in a
dash move. Holding the button for that attack while
close to an enemy resulted in the Quado-Shock attack
(which wasn't done in midair). I THINK it did 40 damage.
Combined with the Knife slash, he'd do 46 in one swift
maneuver... two of them would kill off the Computer
Virus' Witch (unless it was the GCO version of her).
However, Kirby was immobile while using Quado-Shock
Attack, and fast foes could damage him if they were
headed in his direction. So you really had to know when
and where to use this. Kirby also had the swift dagger
throw, which was among the weakest moves he's ever had,
but could be deadly if you had a loose trigger finger
(or a turbo controller), chipping 5 HP with each hit...
just watch for bosses that have a slight "immunity time"
between hits (i.e. Dedede, Chameleo Arm, Whispy Woods,
Marx), as it won't drain their energy as swiftly as with
others.
Moving away from the weaponry, Kirby also sported a Ninja
Kick move that knocked off 14 HP from whatever was
unfortunate enough to be in his way. There was also his wall
clinging tactic and the Triangle Jump, (if you kept the
button pressed towards the wall); good way to climb
structures. There was also the Hide Defense move. It was a
bit ticky to execute, but useful for dodging some damage,
and also a bit damaging to the enemy. 30 HP, I think. Either
30 or 20, but I only once managed to get the explosions to
hit the Computer Virus. Thank goodness Kirby doesn't have
the "unhittable" status they have during their attack turns
on HIS attack turns, otherwise this move's damage rating
would be impossible (or just plain tedious) to calculate.
Last, but definitely not least was the Air Drop. This seems
to be more the basis for Kirby's up throw in the Super Smash
Bros. games than any of Backdrop's moves. Both go straight
up and come straight down, lifting a foe to slam it hard
into the ground. Whatever was caught was killed instantly
(unless it was a Grizzo), and 60-70 damage was done to
whatever was hit by the slammed enemy. This was about as
tricky to pull off as a grab wih Fighter Kirby, or a Parasol
Roll. You had to press towards the enemy and attack while
close, but not TOO close. However, it was executed
instantly, making it tough to get a chance for an enemy near
the victim to avoid being pressed beneath its companion.
This instant execution also makes it tough to use agains the
Computer Virus, but possible. More so than any of Suplex
Kirby's air throws (meaning one where he grabs an slams a
foe in midair). You can use this as well as a Parasol Roll
to KO Kracko before he has a chance to attack (moving across
the screen does not count), save for his releasing a Waddle
Doo (if that counts either). Air Drop was also rather...
true to its name. Kirby could execute an Air Drop in midair,
useful against Combo Cannon for finding a projectile... Air
Drop the cannonballs. This was a rather valuable trick,
seeing as Kirby would otherwise need to waste time attacking
the laser cannon before attacking the main cannon... the
cannonballs will bounce off the Halberd's deck and OVER the
laser cannon (or slightly into it) to hit the main cannon.
Few other abilities allow Kirby a chance to hit the main
cannon while the laser cannon's active without
floating/flying/hovering up first (Bomb, Beam, Cutter,
Fighter, Yo-Yo, and Parasol come to mind for bypassing the
laser). Kirby has one final complication about the ability
though, and this one's not associated with his moves... it's
the hat. What IS that thing? It's not a BAD hat, but what is
it exactly? A helmet? I can't tell, but it looks like a
palette swap of the Stone Kirby hat, which is ALSO
baffling... I can't eve describe it.
... and yet, I'd need to. Ninja Kirby was in the animé, and
true to his amount of game appearances, he's there but once.
Sad, really. Then again, neither of the ninjas came back.
And ol' Yamikage swore revenge against Meta Knight AND
Kirby, so what's his excuse? Whatever it was or is, Kirby
gave him a run for his money, and he ran for the hills.
Kirby got this ability from one of Yamikage's throwing
daggers.... and while I'm on the subject of Yamikage, I
think he looks more like a Waiu than a Biospark... maybe he
IS a Waiu, just a Waiu with a name. On a related note,
having looked at a sprite of Boomer (who replaces Sir Kibble
in the Extra Game of
Kirby's Dream Land), I think Benikage might just be
one. That's just my opinion, though... but the resemblance
in both situations is striking. Feedback from fellow
Resorters on this matter would be most appreciated. Back to
Ninja Kirby, he has the funky (and CONFUSING) hat, the back
of it ending in... some sort of curtain (when I get to the
hat's twin, I'll explain the difference). It's red, and has
a bluish tassel on top and a green star in the center. Nice.
Kirby also has to constantly hold his katana (knife,
katana... I'm not sure what it is, and I'm about to explain
why), which he can use to fire off the SWORD BEAM (THAT'S
why), as well as slash at enemies. Kirby never used the
climb (though Benikage did it) or the kick, and used Air
Drop on Yamikage as a finisher... which he brought as a
surprise, after using Hide Defense to teleport behind him.
He'd dropped the katana just before that. He didn't use
Quado-Shock Attack, unless THAT is what those Sword Beams
were supposed to be (and if so, I pity the animators). Ninja
Kirby may never be seen on TV again, unless the animé is
revived. It would be nice to see the ninjas return and do
battle, especially since Benikage had some... improving to
do.
Will we ever see Ninja Kirby again? Maybe. Maybe not. I
could only guess they might stick him in a game somewhere
alongside Clean, Jet, and Mirror Kirby, who also need
another game appearance(though I think Mirror could come
back sooner if HAL make another Kirby game that includes
Kirby's guard stance, seeing as Reflect Guard NEEDS that...
Ninja, however, should have been back by now). And if HAL
does so, let's hope Ninja remains unchnged.
9/10 for Ninja Kirby. Tricky to use, but
rewarding once you get the hang of it.
