Kirby games have evolved in many ways over the years, but one thing that remains constant is the pink puffball's presence in the Smash Bros series. Kirby has stolen the spotlight time and again thanks to his signature copy abilities, which allow him to take on the guise of Smash Bros' cast of famous fighters. I never tire of seeing the cute little blob don distinctive hairdos, wield iconic weapons, and even adorably mimic catchphrases.
When it comes to Super Smash Bros Ultimate, the most recent entry in the series, Kirby continues to upstage the roster. Any time a new fighter has joined the fray since its initial release back in 2018, there's always only been one question on my mind: What will Kirby look like when he copies their powers? Seeing the inhaling hero from Planet Popstar take on the forms of so many much-loved game characters is truly one of the great joys of Nintendo's fighting fest.
The classic fighting game is a part of the pink blob's legacy - having appeared in every Smash Bros title to date. And with Kirby just recently celebrating his 30th anniversary, there's never been a better time to show some love and appreciation for Kirby's very best looks in Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
10. Captain Falcon Kirby
Captain Falcon and Kirby actually have quite a history together - both of them made their debut in the first Super Smash Bros on the N64 and have been staple characters ever since. Honestly, is there anything more adorable than hearing Kirby yell "Falcon Punch!" as the classic F-Zero character? When the pink puffball inhales Captain Falcon, he transforms into the racing bounty hunter with a delightfully cute copy of the iconic helmet. As well as looking and sounding the part, you can also charge up your punch to deliver quite the powerful blow against your opponent. There's nothing quite like a Kirby-Captain Falcon KO.
9. Terry Bogard Kirby
Kirby is bringing the Fatal Fury to the fight with his take on Terry Bogard. Yes, SNK's famous fighter joined Smash Bros Ultimate in 2019 with a surprise announcement from Nintendo and when Kirby's copy was revealed, it certainly didn't disappoint. Complete with Terry's blonde hair, signature baseball cap with the Fatal Fury Logo, and his fingerless gloves, Kirby really faces the fury. In fact, the pink blob even yells "Power Wave!" and "Rock you!" when he's channeling the fighter's moves. If Terry Bogard ever needs to take a break from the fighting games, the little puffball can surely cover for him.
8. Snake Kirby
Look out, Kirby's got a grenade! And a beard? Oh, right. It can only mean one thing: Enter Snake Kirby. The Metal Gear protagonist made a comeback in Super Smash Ultimate, and seeing the adorable pink puffball adopt his guise never gets old. Snake's gruff facial hair looks hilariously out of place on the very cute little Planet Popstar resident, but you just can't help but appreciate the imitation. Along with the signature black bandana to top it all off and some explosives in hand, Kirby Snake is one fighter you don't want to mess with. Now, if only there was a box around here.
7. Mr Game & Watch Kirby
Mr Game and Watch has a very distinguishable look - being a 2D stick figure and all. Happily, this lends itself to a Kirby copy in one very charming way. Kirby mirrors the stick figure style outline and makes use of some of Mr Game and Watch's arsenal of attacks, which are taken from various games on the handheld. As copy abilities and forms go, it's so spot on - it certainly stands out among the various forms Kirby can adopt as one of the most distinctive imitations.
6. Piranha Plant Kirby
We're so used to seeing Kirby consume all, but the famous spotted plant from the Mushroom Kingdom calls into question who is copying who. When the inhaling ball copies the plant Mario's all too familiar with, Kirby transforms into the head of one with its classic spotted red appearance. While it's certainly adorable, the little blob's face is in the maw of the plant's mouth. Is Kirby wearing a Piranha Plant, or is the Piranha Plant wearing Kirby? Maybe we don't really want to know. Either way, it's certainly a very memorable take on the Venus fly trap-like enemy and gives the little pink puff the power to throw spiky balls.
5. Samus Kirby
There are some game characters that are instantly recognizable thanks to a certain iconic feature. For Samus Aran, it's undoubtedly the signature armor that makes her stand out from the crowd. When Kirby inhales the famous protagonist from the Metroid series, the pink puffball's entire form is taken over by Samus' distinctive headgear. Wearing the helmet with only his little red feet and pink arms on show, Kirby can fire out Samus' signature charge shot. It's all very adorable and badass.
4. Cloud Kirby
If there's one hairstyle that's easily identifiable, it's Cloud's spiky mane from Final Fantasy 7. There's just no getting away from it. And sure, it looks great on the former First Class Soldier, but do you know who it looks even better on? Kirby. There's nothing quite like seeing the adorable Nintendo character face his foes with the stylish locks of Cloud Strife. What a combination it makes. To top it all off, Kirby wields the massive, oversized Buster sword to complete the iconic ensemble. Of course, we absolutely have to give an honorable mention to Kirby's take on Sephiroth here, too. Honestly, Kirby can rock so many hairstyles.
3. Joker Kirby
Kirby is here to steal your heart with this delightful guise. There was no stopping the excitement when the leader of the Phantom Thieves got the invite to join the fight in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. And of course, Kirby's copy of Joker from Persona 5 made it all the better. The little blob captures the signature look of Joker perfectly, with his mask and hairdo. When Kirby transforms into the Phantom thief, he even uses a tiny little pistol and does all the poses with the same kind of finesse, as well as swiftly spinning in the air to deliver several shots at once. It's one welcome addition to Smash Ultimate we never saw coming.
2. Bayonetta Kirby
Credit where credit's due, Kirby really does go all out when it comes to copying the looks and powers of other characters in Smash. One of the best imitations by far is Bayonetta. First appearing in Super Smash Bros 4 on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, Bayonetta made a comeback in Ultimate along with Kirby's on-point copy ability. From the beauty mark to the hairstyle and glasses, it's such a great homage to the character from PlatinumGames action series. Oh, and how can we not appreciate Kirby using Bayonetta's gun shoes in battle? Honestly, it's so good that Kirby deserves to make a cameo appearance in Bayonetta 3.
1. Minecraft Kirby
Kirby is known for his distinctive spherical shape that somewhat resembles a balloon. So when Minecraft's very own Steve got an invitation to join the fight back in 2020, we got to see Kirby rock the block by taking on the signature cube-like form. As what is essentially a Kirby block - which is very befitting of the Minecraft world - the inhaling hero uses a little spade to dig up the stage. After building up blocks, Kirby can knock them back right down again with a pickaxe, too. Kirby's imitation of Steve is easily one of the most distinctive and memorable transformations in Smash Bros Ultimate.
For more check out our pick of the 10 best Kirby games, or take a look back with our ultimate guide to 30 years of Kirby games.
