Acro
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Acro is an aquatic boss that has appeared in Ripple Field from Kirby's Dream Land 3 and Aqua Star from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. It is a killer whale, and its name is "orca" spelled backwards. Appropriately to its name, Acro's main attack strategy is by performing underwater "acro"batics to body slam Kirby, but it can also spit various objects and projectiles from its mouth, which can serve as Kirby's means of counterattack.
Game appearances
Kirby's Dream Land 3
- Main article: Ripple Field - Stage 7
The fight with Acro takes place in two phases, in a deep underwater cavern. The first phase takes place in a dry area over a bridge. Here, Acro tries to ram Kirby, causing rocks to fall when it hits the wall. These rocks can be inhaled and spat back at Acro to do damage.
Once Acro has been reduced to half its health, the bridge crumbles, and the fight transitions to an entirely underwater affair. Here, Acro will retreat from Kirby, while spitting out various debris toward him. These can be deflected back using the Water Gun. Acro may also try to perform more slam attacks, causing rocks to tumble in from above, which can also be deflected.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Main article: Aqua Star - Stage 5
Acro is the third boss fought in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, being faced at the end of Aqua Star. As with the previous game, Acro is fought in two distinct phases.
In the first, Kirby has to do battle with Acro in the water, mirroring the second half of the fight in Kirby's Dream Land 3. Acro attacks by spitting various enemies as projectiles at Kirby, including Fishbone, Gordo, and Bonehead while backing away from Kirby (the first and third of which can be inhaled and spat back to do damage). Once they reach the edge of the battlefield, Acro will use one of its acrobatic body slam or charging techniques, which Kirby can do little but dodge. When Acro hits the floor or a wall, rocks will be thrown out which Kirby can inhale and spit at the boss. From here, the cycle of attacks will repeat until Acro's first health meter is depleted, causing it to fall to the floor as the battlefield begins to crumble.
In the second phase, Kirby has to swim up a narrow vertical tunnel and avoid Acro's attacks from below while also dodging or utilizing the enemies along the way. Acro has two methods of attack here: it can either spit Pedos at Kirby or charge him before looping back around in the background. Once Acro's second health meter is depleted, the battle is over.
Other appearances
- Acro makes a cameo appearance as a Keychain in Kirby: Triple Deluxe.
- In Kirby: Planet Robobot, a mechanized version called Metal Acro appears as an invincible enemy and stage hazard in the sea.
- In Kirby's Dream Buffet, Acro appears on a Character Treat, using its artwork from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.
Trivia
- In Kirby's Dream Land 2, the left door at the end of Room 1 in Red Canyon Stage 5 leads to a dark room that requires Spark Kine to illuminate. When this room becomes bright, an image of a killer whale with the caption ORCA will show up.
- In addition, Acro's early design in Kirby's Dream Land 2 can be found in the booklet from Kirby's Dream Collection, suggesting that it was originally meant to be in this game.
Gallery
Artwork from Kirby's Dream Land 3
Sprite of a miniature Acro, spat out in battle
The ORCA image in Red Canyon - Stage 5 from Kirby's Dream Land 2
Concept art of Acro (Kirby's Dream Land 2)
Ado's depiction of Acro from the credits in Kirby's Dream Land 3
The second phase of the Acro fight in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Twitter art of the Channel PPP Crew fishing with Kirby (hooking a Barbar), Sweet Stuff, and Acro
Dedede Directory about Acro
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | アクロ Akuro |
Acro |
| French | Acro | - |
| German | Acro | - |
| Korean | 아크로 Akeuro |
Acro |
| Portuguese | Acro | - |
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