Main Series: Heroes and Supporting Characters (Kirby | King Dedede | Meta Knight | Magolor) | Enemies (Major Recurring Enemies) | Recurring Bosses | Villainous Factions (Dark Matter | Another Dimension | Haltmann Works Company | Jambandran Religion | Beast Pack) | Other Major Antagonists | Other Bosses
Other Continuities: Kirby: Right Back at Ya! | Light Novel Characters
Major Recurring Enemies
Major recurring enemies that appear in stages of the Kirby series.
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Blipper
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A fish that wears swim goggles that either ignores Kirby or attempts to attack him.
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: It wears a pair of swim goggles for some reason. Rainbow Curse's description for Blippers suggests that they've either worn them for so long that they're scared to take them off, or they've forgotten they put them on in the first place.
- Aquatic Mook: Among the most basic of Kirby's underwater enemies.
- Expy: Of Cheep Cheep.
- Fiendish Fish: The Blipper and its variantions are pufferfish-like enemies that are antagonistic to Kirby.
- Giant Mook: The Mamanti, a manta ray esque variant of the Blipper first appearing in Triple Deluxe, is basically a Blipper but bigger.note
- The Goomba: The most basic of the aquatic enemies.
- Shock and Awe: The Elebli, a purple variant of the Blipper only appearing in Mass Attack, is more aggressive and attempts to attack Kirby with electric shocks.
Bomber
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
Walking bombs with a tendency to fall off edges and explode violently. They give the rare Crash ability when inhaled.
- Action Bomb: They're living bombs.
- Area of Effect: Their explosions are deceptively huge, causing many players who think they're safely out of range to still somehow tank a blast to the face. Which is why it's wise to just inhale one before it hits the ground, unless you're dealing with multiple Bombers dropping from the sky in which case you should just book it.
- Animate Inanimate Object: Apart from the legs they're indistinguishable from non-living bombs.
- Art Evolution: From Super Star onward they change shape from a generic walking bomb to the type of bomb dropped from a bomber plane.
- Skeleton Motif: They have a skull painting on each side of their body. Sometimes it even emotes for the Bomber.
- Slasher Smile: When a Bomber lands in Nightmare in Dream Land, its face grins almost maliciously before exploding.
Bouncy
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 2
A pink creature that spends most of its time bouncing up and down.
- Alien Animals: Halcandran Bouncys in Return to Dream Land.
- Always Female: Bouncys are always described as female.
- Bouncing Battler: Their primary method of attack is bouncing on Kirby.
- Giant Mook:
- The midboss of Stage 2 of Pop Star in Kirby 64, which reappears in Kirby Star Allies, is a Big Bouncy.
- A larger version of the Bouncy known as Bouncy Sis appears in Return to Dream Land and Rainbow Curse.
- Sudden Name Change: Originally "Bouncy Ty" in Kirby's Dream Land 2 (possibly intended to be "Bouncy Toy" or "Bouncy Tie").
- Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: Described as female and wears a bow.
Bronto Burt
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
Pink flying enemies that move in flocks.
- Airborne Mook: The main flying enemy in the game series.
- Alien Animals: Halcandran Burts in Return to Dream Land.
- Alliterative Name: Bronto Burt.
- Armless Biped: They have two feet and wings, that's it.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Sectra Burts in Triple Deluxe are butterfly-esque insectoid forms of Bronto Burts.
- Cyborg: Some of the Bronto Burts in Planet Robobot are partially roboticized.
- The Goomba: The simplest and most basic of the flying enemies.
- Inconsistent Spelling: Bront Burt in Kirby's Dream Land, Bronto Burt practically everywhere else.
- Throw Down the Bomblet: Some of the Bronto Burts in Planet Robobot throw bombs that Kirby can inhale to get the Bomb ability.
Broom Hatter
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A witch who is always sweeping dust. Usually abilityless, though on rare occasions she gives the Clean/Cleaning ability.
- The Blank: Stands out from most other Kirby characters with their complete lack of facial features whatsoever.
- Flying Broomstick: That broom has only been used for sweeping up except Air Ride, where they always flew on them, and Star Allies, where flying on it is an attack.
- Gender Flip: She is referred to as female in most games, but referred to as a male in Star Allies.
- Neat Freak: She is so obsessed with cleaning that she doesn't really try to attack Kirby.
Cappy
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A foe that looks like a mushroom. Also has a removable cap.
- Ascended Extra: Are the main inhabitants of the appropriately named Cappy Town in Kirby: Right Back at Ya! and take part in all of the plots.
- Cyborg: Some of the Cappies in Planet Robobot are partially roboticized.
- Meaningful Name: They wear mushroom caps.
- Mushroom Man: They're basically living, moving mushrooms.
- You Dont Look Like Yourself: The Cappies in Right Back at Ya don't have any real resemblance to the ones from the games.
Chilly
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A living snowman that grants the Ice or Freeze abilities when inhaled.
- An Ice Person: Uses ice attacks and grants the Ice or Freeze abilities when inhaled, depending on the game.
- No Mouth: Their face consists only of two eyes.
- Perpetual Frowner: Comes with angry eyebrows.
- Snowlems: They look like living snowmen with no mouth or nose.
Como
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land 3
Spider-like enemies that hang on web strings. They’ve been abilityless for the majority of the series. To date, their only appearance with an ability was Star Allies where they gave the Spider ability.
- Achilles' Heel: Their web strings. Cut it down, and they will be instantly defeated.
- All Webbed Up: In Star Allies, they give the Spider ability, which allows Kirby to web enemies up inside pods. Playable Comos can do the same thing. Prior to this, they could spit web in Dream Land 3 before later games prior to Star Allies removed that ability.
- Cobweb Trampoline: Comos as friends can create webs to allow friends to bounce on them.
- Giant Spider: Spiders about as large as Kirby is.
- Redemption Promotion: Star Allies sees the spider finally get time to shine as a playable character as well as give out the Spider copy ability. This is even lampshaded in their Guest Star pause description quote."After years of work... a major role!"
- Sudden Anatomy: For gameplay purposes, playable Comos in Star Allies have an additional pair of feet that they use to walk upright, which enemy Comos lack. This means that throwing a Friend Heart at a Como causes it to spontaneously grow a pair of feet.
- Took a Level in Badass: Gets a massive one in Star Allies where they not only give out the new Spider if swallowed, but they can also serve as allies and get their own Guest Star storyline.
Flamer
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
An spinning enemy that grants the Fire or Burning ability when inhaled, depending on the game.
- Cyclops: Has only one eye.
- Playing with Fire: Attack by trying to ram Kirby while Wreathed in Flames, and can give either the Fire or Burning ability, depending on the game.
- Shock and Awe: The Elec, a Flamer variant introduced in Return to Dream Land, grants the Spark ability instead.
- Spectacular Spinning: Spins before trying to attack Kirby with a flaming tackle.
Glunk
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
An aquatic enemy that shoots pods to attack.
- Ceiling Cling: Some Glunks stick to the ceiling and shoot from there.
- Misplaced Wildlife: Even though it's based on a marine animal, it's sometimes found in places not near water.
Gordo
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
An invincible spiked ball that serves to impede Kirby.
- Big Creepy-Crawlies: Sectra Gordos in Triple Deluxe are large spiky beetles.
- Cyclops: The Ghost Gordos in Triple Deluxe have only one eye.
- Giant Mook: Big Gordo, which first appeared in Kirby Mass Attack.
- Invincible Minor Minion: Gordos are immune to all harm.
- Our Ghosts Are Different: Ghost Gordo, which appears in Triple Deluxe. They also return in Forgotten Land, being asleep at first but waking up and approaching whenever Kirby uses the Light-Bulb mouthful mode.
- Sea Hurtchin: They radiate very strong vibes of this trope. The completely invincible enemies are urchin-like monsters (though their spikes are arranged on a perfectly circular pattern leaving their faces and their backs smooth) which can be found not only in water but on land as well.
- Spike Balls of Doom: Assuming they're not sea urchins, Gordos are living examples. The 3D games start leaning towards the latter.
- Underground Monkey: Forgotten Land introduces the Gordo Bar, a cylindrical variant of Gordo suited for the more full 3D environment.
Grizzo
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
Yellow bears wearing headbands that charge at Kirby if they spot him.
- Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: They wear pink headbands.
- Bears Are Bad News: Ursine foes that have more HP than most other common enemies and like to suddenly charge at Kirby when he least expects it.
- Horse of a Different Color: In Kirby's Dream Land, they are sometimes ridden by Poppy Bros. Jr.
- Killer Rabbit: They're quite aggressive despite their cutesy appearance, immediately attacking Kirby if he lingers in front of one.
- Sleepyhead: In Kirby Super Star and following games they are often found asleep, waking up only when Kirby comes closer to them.
Hot Head
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A trunk-bearing, flaming enemy that gives the Fire ability if inhaled.
- Cephalothorax: It's basically a head with feet.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: It's a flaming head with feet.
- Incendiary Exponent: The tops of their heads are alight with flame.
- Playing with Fire: Shoots sustained flames or fireballs at Kirby, and gives the Fire ability if inhaled.
Kabu
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A statue head that spins and slides around.
- Adaptational Badass: Its anime incarnation is a sacred prophet and guardian that can hold and heal Kirby's Warp Star. In the games proper, it's an enemy that goes down in a few hits.
- Adaptational Heroism: In the anime, a particularly large Kabu serves as both a wise prophet and hiding place for Kirby's Warp Star, among other spoiler-iffic things.
- Art Evolution:
- The Kabu's earliest designs have it looking more wooden in appearance.
- In its appearance in Kirby's Pinball Land and other games, the Big Kaboo looked like a bigger Kabu before taking its current form in Triple Deluxe.
- Dub Name Change: Not Kabu itself, but Big Kabu is named Dekabu in Japanese (and was called that in English in Kirby's Dream Land 3). Dekabu is a pun on deka (meaning "big") and Kabu, so the name change is a more accurate translation.
- Giant Mook: Big Kabu, which also went under the name Dekabu from Kirby's Dream Land 3 until Kirby and the Forgotten Land (though it still retains the name in Japanese), is basically the same as the Kabu except larger and, in later games, being more reminiscent of a sandcastle spire.
- Living Statue: They're living statues taking the form of only a head.
- Mook Maker: In most games, Big Kabu can attack by spitting regular Kabu at Kirby. This seems to stem from Kirby's Block Ball, where it originally conjured them.
- Spectacular Spinning: Moves by spinning.
- Teleportation: It could disappear and reappear in earlier games, but more recent titles don't have them use it as much.
Knuckle Joe
Debut: Kirby Super Star
- Bare-Fisted Monk: Grants the Fighter ability if inhaled.
- Kamehame Hadoken: As a helper Knuckle Joe can fire ki blasts.
- Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: Their main attack is the Vulcan Jab, a flurry of high-speed punches.
- To Be a Master: Knuckle Joe's Star Allies pause info in Guest Star mode mentions that they desire to be the best fighter ever.
Laser Ball
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
- Charged Attack: They have to charge up to fire their laser beams.
- Energy Weapon: They fire laser beams at Kirby and give the Laser ability if inhaled, save for Super Star and its remake, where they give Beam instead.
- Reflecting Laser: In Super Star and its remake they can fire a laser that can reflect off of thin air at 90 degree angles.
Mumbies
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
- Airborne Mook: They're flying mummy heads.
- Can't Move While Being Watched: They only approach Kirby while he isn't looking.
- Mummy: They're heads wrapped in bandages.
- No-Sell: They are immune to inhaling.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Starting in Kirby 64 The Crystal Shards, a Mumbies' eye will turn red when it starts attacking.
- Sudden Name Change: To "Mummy Ball" in Kirby's Pinball Land.
Noddy
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A perpetually sleeping enemy that gives the Sleep ability when inhaled... which also puts Kirby to sleep for a few seconds.
- Cephalothorax: It's basically a head with feet.
- Forced Sleep: Kirby is forced to nap if he inhales one and turns into Sleep Kirby.
- Poison Mushroom: Unlike most enemies, the ability you get from eating them is detrimental.
- Punny Name: "Noddy", as in nod off to sleep.
- Sleepy Enemy: It periodically falls asleep, and makes Kirby himself sleepy should he be eaten by him.
- Waddling Head: Like many characters in the series, these creatures are round ball-shaped beings with stubby feet. You won't actually see them waddling much due to how much they sleep.
Poppy Bros. Jr.
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
An elf-like enemy that often gives Kirby the Bomb ability.
- Armless Biped: Their arms (more accurately, their floating ball-hands) don't actually show unless they're actually using them to throw bombs or such so they look like this otherwise.
- Art Evolution: Star Allies updates his appearance to be more like Poppy Bros. Sr., with yellow feet, white buttons and a white collar, and more detailed eyes. In Forgotten Land, his bombs become black with the same red boss symbol used in Super Kirby Clash and Kirby Fighters 2.
- Battle Boomerang: In Super Star, some of them wield boomerangs and yield the Cutter ability when inhaled.
- Inconsistent Spelling: It's "Junior Poppy Brothers" in the Kirby's Pinball Land manual and "Poppy Bro Jr." in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
- Perpetual Smiler: The only time it doesn't smile is when it's hit. This is even lampshaded in his Guest Star description in Star Allies."It’s the guy with the eternal grin!"
- Pie-Eyed: Some appearances and illustrations portray him like this, along with his King Mook counterpart.
- Throw Down the Bomblet: He attacks by throwing bombs.
Rocky
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
An enemy resembling a living stone that grants the Stone ability when inhaled.
- Cephalothorax: It's basically a stone with feet.
- Death from Above: If above Kirby they'll try to drop on top of him.
- Dishing Out Dirt: Grant the Stone ability when inhaled.
- Giant Mook: Giant Rocky from The Amazing Mirror.
- Rock Monster: They're living rocks.
Scarfy
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A cute-looking flying creature that turns into a more monstrous form when angry.
- Action Bomb: If an Angry Scarfy hits Kirby, it will go up in a fiery explosion. Scanning one with Copy in Super Star and its remake will give Kirby the Crash ability, similar to other self-destructing enemies.
- Airborne Mook: They're flying cat-like heads that usually bob up and down, until they become angry at which point they'll fly towards Kirby.
- Blush Sticker: Has a pair of yellow ones on their face when in their normal form.
- Can't Move While Being Watched: Some Scarfys turn into their monstrous form and start chasing Kirby only when he's not looking at them. These Scarfys can be told from the regular versions by them staying in place while idle rather than bobbing up and down.
- Cyborg: Some of the Scarfys in Planet Robobot are partially roboticized.
- Cyclops: It goes from having two eyes to one eye after changing.
- Game Face: When intending to actually attack Kirby, they switch from their normal Ridiculously Cute Critter face to a creepily monstrous fang-filled cyclopean one.
- Killer Rabbit: Scarfy looks cute at first, but if provoked, it turns into an Angry Scarfy, which is much more dangerous.
- Mythology Gag: The Hunter Scarfies are based on old artwork of the regular Scarfies.
- No-Sell: Scarfys can't be inhaled. In fact, trying to inhale them is usually what triggers their transformation.
- Ridiculously Cute Critter: Scarfies appear to be floating cat/dog heads with an adorable smile and Blush Stickers. This goes out the window once they're provoked.
- Schmuck Bait: The initial attitudes and appearances of regular Scarfys are like airborne Waddle Dees, floating in place or flying about without specifically trying to hit Kirby, so when players first see one, they're inclined to try inhaling one like every other enemy. That's when the Scarfy gives them a nasty shock by not only No Selling the inhale, but putting on a creepy Game Face and trying to explosively ram Kirby.
- Underground Monkey: Hunter Scarfy is a salmon-colored Scarfy that turns into an Angry Scarfy only when Kirby picks up a key.
Shotzo
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
Click here to see Gigatzo
An indestructible cannon that fires round bullets. They have several variants that fire different types of bullets.
- Animate Inanimate Object: It seems to be a living cannon.
- BFG: The Gigatzo debuting in Kirby's Return to Dream Land is just a Shotzo but bigger.
- Fire, Ice, Lightning: Return to Dream Land introduces three giant versions of Shotzos, the Gigatzo, which fires flaming cannonballs, the Volttzo, which fires electric blasts, and the Coldtzo, which shoots ice. Only the Gigatzo has made appearances in later games, however.
- Invincible Minor Minion: Like Gordos, Shotzos are completely invulnerable to harm. Unlike Gordos, however, Shotzos are affected by gravity, making it possible to drop them down Bottomless Pits or into crevasses to neutralize them.
Sir Kibble
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
Knights in yellow armor that can throw the blade on their helmet like a boomerang. They give the Cutter ability when inhaled.
- Animated Armor: There does not seem to be anything inside the armor other than a dark void.
- Armor Is Useless: Are clad in armor, but they die in one to two hits just like every other enemy.
- Battle Boomerang: They throw the blade on their helmet like a boomerang.
- Determinator: According to their Star Allies description, they just keep coming back again and again, much like the blades they throw.
- Inconsistent Spelling: Its name is spelled "Sirkibble" in some earlier games.
- Sudden Name Change: "Load Kibble" in Kirby's Dream Land 2 (likely a mistranslation of "Lord Kibble", as confirmed in Kirby's Dream Buffet), which also gave it a redesign.note
- Weaponized Headgear: They use blades on the top of their helmets like weapons.
Soarar
Debut: Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Dart-shaped yellow creature that soars through the air.
- Airborne Mook: Flying enemies that soar through the air.
- All Flyers Are Birds: As shown in Mass Attack, they make nests and lay eggs.
- Death from Above: Mono Soarars, black Soarars from Mass Attack, that attack by somersaulting and then dashing straight into Kirbys below.
- Eye Beams: They were able to use it in Amazing Mirror and Canvas Curse, but ever since Mass Attack they lost this ability completely.
- Giant Mook: Big Soarar, a unique enemy that appears in Mass Attack.
- Mama Bear: In Mass Attack, if you're unable to destroy a Soarar egg in time, a Big Soarar will appear and furiously knock Kirbys away before taking an egg and flying away.
- Meaningful Name: Their name is derived from the fact they soar through the air.
Sparky
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A teardrop blob-shaped enemy that grants the Spark ability when inhaled.
- Blob Monster: They're electrified blobs.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: They're called Sparky, and they create electric sparks.
- Shock and Awe: Uses electric attacks and grants the Spark ability if inhaled.
Squishy
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
A squid-like enemy that can come out of the water.
- Aquatic Mook: One of the most basic underwater enemies.
- Expy: Of the Blooper, a similar looking squid-like enemy.
- Misplaced Wildlife: In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, one of these is found in the middle of a desert wasteland. You even complete a mission for beating this particular one.
- Tentacled Terror: Squids that are antagonistic to Kirby.
- Terrestrial Sea Life: It can move around on land with no problem.
- Use Your Head: The Squister, a blue variant of Squishy only appearing in Mass Attack, attacks by trying to ram Kirby with its pointy head. A purple variant of Squister deliberately aims at Kirby and is strong enough to destroy the Star Blocks.
Starman
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
An enemy resembling a Star that grants the Hi-Jump ability if inhaled.
- Eyeless Face: Lack eyes on their face.
- In a Single Bound: Can jump really high and grants the Hi-Jump ability if inhaled.
- Not Quite Flight: Are capable of gliding from place to place.
Sword Knight and Blade Knight
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
Blade Knight
Sword Knight
Warriors clad in purple (Sword) and green (Blade) armor that give the Sword ability when inhaled.
- Adaptational Heroism: They're purely enemies towards Kirby (and his allies) for the most part in the games, in the anime they're Meta Knight's disciples (replacing the game's Meta Knights) and firm allies of Kirby and friends.
- Armor Is Useless: Are clad in armor, but they die in one to two hits just like every other enemy.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Blade Knight's original design in Kirby's Adventure has insectoid antennae that it lost in later games.
- Elite Mook: In Super Star Ultra, Sword Knights play this role when compared to Blade Knights, as they are more aggressive and deal more damage, and their helper versions have an additional attack Helper!Blade Knights lack.
- Mythology Gag: A promotional anniversary artwork depicts them trying to deliver a gift to Meta Knight who is getting gifts from the Meta Knights, referencing them being his disciples in the anime.
- Oddly Shaped Sword: Downplayed, Sword and Blade Knight swords are mostly normal save for the two branches they have at the tip.
- Purple Is Powerful: Sword Knights are purple and serve as Elite Mooks in Super Star Ultra.
- Put on a Bus: Apart from a sticker cameo, the Sword Knights hasn't had an appearance in 3D Kirby games (bar Air Ride).
- Shadowed Face, Glowing Eyes: Sword Knights have their faces obscured by shadow, with only their eyes visible underneath.
Twister
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A golden top that gives the Tornado ability when inhaled.
- Art Evolution: They go from being rounded in Kirby's Adventure to looking more like an actual top in Nightmare in Dream Land and subsquent games.
- Blow You Away: Grants the Tornado ability if inhaled.
- The Bus Came Back: They return in Kirby and the Forgotten Land after their last appearance in Kirby's Return to Dream Land almost 11 years prior.
- Tornado Move: Its sole attack is whirling up a tornado.
UFO
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
A floating UFO that gives the Copy Ability of the same name.
- Airborne Mook: It's a UFO that flies.
- Art Evolution: Was originally light blue in color in Kirby's Adventure before gaining the white they have in all future games starting in the remake Nightmare in Dream Land.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Understandable, as there aren't many options for the name of a flying saucer.
- Flying Saucer: It's a sentient flying saucer. If Kirby eats it, he can change into one too.
- The Cameo: In Return to Dream Land, Triple Deluxe, and Planet Robobot they show up in the bonus screen to give Kirby various items depending on the cloud he lands on. In Planet Robobot, one appears in the Ability Testing Room at 100% completion to grant Kirby the UFO ability if you don't have an amiibo.
- Energy Weapon: Their primary mode of attack is firing lasers.
- Metal Slime: Among the rarest enemies in the Kirby series, you have to act quickly to inhale them before they fly off-screen and aren't seen again.
- Ramming Always Works: Their other mode of attack is ramming Kirby.
- Respawning Enemies: Subverted. Unlike most other enemies, UFOs do not respawn.
- Sapient Ship: A flying saucer with eyes.
Waddle Dee
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
See here.
Waddle Doo
Debut: Kirby's Dream Land
One-eyed variants of Waddle Dees that grant the Beam ability when inhaled.
- Ascended Extra: One particular Waddle Doo is a playable character in Kirby: Canvas Curse.
- Cyclops: A one eyed, Waddle Dee-like creature.
- Eye Beams: Fire energy beams from their eyes.
- Magic Wand: They use one as a friend in Star Allies.
- Oculothorax: They're mostly an eye and a torso.
- Waddling Head: A head attached to stubby arms and legs.
Walky
Debut: Kirby Super Star
An enemy resembling a walking microphone, it gives the Mike ability when inhaled.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: In Kirby's Adventure, a walking microphone that may or may not be Walky appears as one of Paint Roller's drawings.
- Super-Scream: Attacks with sound waves and grants Kirby the three-use Mike ability when inhaled.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: To the microphone item from Kirby's Dream Land.note
- Waddling Head: The "head" in this case is a microphone with a mouth and feet.
Wheelie
Debut: Kirby's Adventure
- Animate Inanimate Object: They're living tires/motor unicycles in Super Star.
- Art Evolution: Go from being just tires in Kirby's Adventure to motorized unicycles.
- Helpful Mook: In some games they're ridable by Kirby.
- One-Wheeled Wonder: Exaggerated. They are the wheel.
- Vehicular Assault: Attempts to run Kirby over.
