Onion Ocean
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Level 3: Onion Ocean is the third level in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. This level starts in a beach, but mostly takes place underwater. Completion of the boss battle against Fatty Puffer yields the left wing to the Lor Starcutter. There are sixteen Energy Spheres in this level, three in stage 1, four each in stage 2 and 3, and five in stage 4.
Stages
Stage 1
Section 1: The stage starts Kirby off on a beach under a palm tree, with the path leading immediately into the water. The other shore of the pool leads to some trees that yield Coconuts, which can be blocked with the Parasol if Kirby obtains the ability from the Parasol Waddle Dee there as well. On top of the trees are platforms with various foes. A shell arrow sign leads to a cave with a rope across the ceiling and pools of water below with interspersed spiky platforms. Occasional breaks in the cave ceiling hold stars as the rope takes Kirby past a Shotzo firing upwards. After the rope, there is a tree with a Chilly underneath, and an Ice Copy Pedestal on top of the next tree to supply Ice again if Kirby missed it the first time. Then comes another cave section with another rope and spiked floors and pool, with a section of the floor made of Fire Blocks. Kirby can use Ice to get rid of these blocks, uncovering Food, stars and a 1Up. After that, another wooded area is found with a Foley and lots of coconuts, including giant ones, which guard the Warp Star to the next section.
The Warp Star carries Kirby and anyone with him up the sandy cliffs, bouncing off enemies as it does so.
Section 2: Kirby lands on a sandy cliff with more palm trees, as Parasol Dees and a Parasol Copy Pedestal are visible just ahead. Kirby then must go down the cliff side, navigating past blocks and enemies as he does so. Occasionally there are depressions in the cliff wall with items inside, including one that leads to a small cave pool full of stars, but blocked off by a gray block that Kirby needs to Super Inhale to get rid of. At the bottom of the cliff is a pool with some Barracu swimming in it and a door in the water backed by a large Conch.
Section 3: The door leads inside another pool backed by a wall of sand to the left, with some Walfs at the surface. Just out of the pool is a beach area where Kirby can get the Tornado ability from a passing Twister, as well as a Tornado Copy Pedestal. Up the hill leads to a small cave entrance with a shallow pool and a few enemies. This leads to another opening that goes downhill and features a row of giant coconuts on trees. At the bottom of the hill is a deep pool and an entrance to a an area walled off on both sides. Kirby must ascend by jumping on floating canopies and avoiding falling Coconuts from above to find the next door on top of the rightward wall.
Section 4: The next area features squared-off sand cliffs and woven wood fall-through platforms. Immediately visible is a Pierce which can give Kirby the Spear Ability. After walking through a shallow cave, it opens up to a wooden platform floating on a deep pool with Gordos in it. The platform has a button on it which, when pressed, causes the platform to start moving to the right across the water. Bronto Burts are fluttering in the way of the platform's path and must be disposed of to cross safely. On the other side, there is a tree with a Waddle Dee swinging from it and a canopied ladder past that with a Waddle Doo doing the same thing. From here, another deep Gordo pool and button platform await, this time with Spear-wielding flyers and a Coconut tree waiting at the end. From there another pool lies below a walkway made of blocks that fall shortly after being touched. Another swinging Waddle Dee will attempt to get in the way here, and a Whippy waits on the other side. The next water platform section features a button in the ceiling being guarded by a Gordo. Kirby will need to use a long-range weapon that can aim straight up, such as Whip or Spear to push it safely and reveal an optional doorway that leads to an Energy Sphere. One more falling block walkway and button platform await, which takes Kirby at last to the door to the next section.
Section 5: The door leads to a clearing with a multitude of trees, both as platforms and in the background. To the right is a long beach area occupied by flaming tikis and sandcastles of various sizes, garrisoned by Waddle Dees. Kirby will quickly happen upon a Super Chilly and get the Snow Bowl super ability, which he can use to destroy the tikis and the sandcastles. Many of these items will get flattened as Kirby rolls across this section, including a large castle with a Blade Knight and Hot Head standing guard. The next door leads into the next part of the Snow Bowl section.
Section 6: The section starts at a ramp, which Kirby can immediately Snow Bowl down to collect a multitude of enemies along the way. Parts of the section feature bottomless pits, but they are not tricky to avoid. The last sandcastle is located to the right, guarded by two tiki statues. Destroying the castle opens the rift to the alternate dimension.
Alternate Dimension: The area features a monochrome version of the sandy terrain seen thus far, but boxed into a vertical descending section as the rift comes in from above. Along the way, there are large blocks of sandy ground that move when buttons are pressed, as well as bomb blocks that need to be spat at to clear out walls. The path proceeds in a zig-zag pattern, and soon Super Inhale blocks and Gordos need to be dealt with, as well as floating cubes of water with Blippers and Glunks in them. A 1Up is present over a wooden platform if Kirby can reach it fast enough to avoid getting crushed. After the door is reached, the Tornado and Sword Abilities are offered, and a Fire Sphere Doomer is fought on a platform surrounded on both sides by deep water. Once it is defeated, the remaining two Energy Spheres are revealed. Once Kirby has escaped the rift, he can proceed past the right tiki statue up the hill and immediately find the stage exit.
Enemies, Mid-bosses, and Abilities
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Stage 2
Section 1: The stage begins at the top of a ravine made of coral. A wall blocks passage to the right, and a wooden platform extends partially along the gap, with a ladder going down. Proceeding downward leads to an underwater cave with various aquatic creatures swimming in it, including a Craby scuttling along the floor. This underwater path continues to the right, but there is soon an opening in the ceiling blocked by breakable blocks. This leads to an air pocket cave that contains a Sodory guarding some beached Blippers and some minor collectibles. Here Kirby can get the Sword Ability by swallowing the Sodory. The underwater cave continues past more aquatic creatures and a few tight areas until the water surface is breached on the far right side. A ladder is hanging just above the water, and climbing it leads to a couple of Leafan standing guard, in case Kirby wants the Leaf Ability. The top of the ladder reveals an area more or less identical to the starting point of the stage, but inverted. A door backed by coral sits to the right, leading to the next section.
Section 2: The section starts off at an open ocean area with a coral platform and a large wooden bridge in view to the right. The bridge cannot be passed under by Kirby or his friends, but Blippers and Squishies from the water beneath jump onto the bridge to get in their way. A Sparky is sitting on a star block above the bridge which can provide the Spark Ability. Further along the bridge, a Noddy can be seen resting on a stack of blocks, and a Search is hovering in the air just beyond, which gives the Crash Ability if swallowed. There is also a Hot Head on the bridge just before the first coral pillar breaks it up. Proceeding onto the next part of the bridge leads to a mini boss fight with a Kibble Blade, who must be defeated before any more progress can be made. Another coral platform separates the bridges, but this one contains an underwater inlet on the right side holding an Energy Sphere. If Kirby got the Cutter Ability from the Kibble Blade, he will find he can cut a rope platform on the next bridge and be able to access the water below to get the Sphere. At the end of this bridge is the doorway to the next section.
Section 3: The door leads to cave that, although it is beneath the ocean floor, is not entirely submerged, and water 'windows' can be seen in the cave's walls. A Pierce waits here if Kirby wants the Spear Ability. To the right is a pool with a platform situated above it. Kirby can use the Spear to break some blocks at the bottom to get some stars. Another pool waits further to the right, containing some trapped Barracu and a Poppy Bros. Jr. throwing bombs into the water. It is worthwhile to note that although the Poppy Bros. bombs cannot explode in the water, if Kirby gets the Bomb Ability from him, Kirby's bombs actually can explode in the water. The cave then proceeds into another underwater cave section, but this time with pockets of air at the top containing more Pierce and a few platforms with Food items. Along the bottom of the cave is a reef with a hole in the middle, showing an encased doorway. If Kirby still has Spear, he can use it to press a button lodged in the bottom-right of the reef to open it up, leading to another Energy Sphere. Further to the right, the cave opens up to another air pocket area, where a Poppy Bros. Jr. guards the door to the next section.
Section 4: The door returns Kirby to the surface, showcasing some lumpy coral terrain, and a Stomper Boot waiting to be used. Taking the boot allows Kirby to stomp across the open coral landscape, stepping on various enemies and activating stakes which drop enemies into spike pits. Kirby will need to use certain enemies as stepping stones if he wishes to avoid losing the Boot in pools of water. Another Boot is available halfway through the section which focuses even more on the stepping stone technique, hopping on top of Gordos and Bronto Burts along the way. The first block to be broken by the Boot reveals a 1Up, but the Boot can be carried further. If Kirby successfully hops to a high ledge on the other side of the causeway, he can use the Boot to access an alternate door to the next section. Otherwise he will have to take the regular door.
Section 5: The doorways lead to a submerged cave deep beneath the ocean surface. Taking the normal door leads to an open area with a platform above the water's surface and an Energy Sphere located in an unreachable location to the left, blocked by a gate that can only be opened by a ceiling switch on the other side. Going through the alternate door places Kirby and his friends in this pocket to the left, and they can get the Energy Sphere and use the gate as their exit into the main area. The platform above serves little function other than respite, as the section actually proceeds downward through some breakable blocks into the cave proper. Here Kirby gets his first good look at a new invulnerable enemy, the Barbar, a giant eel-like creature which will attempt to suck Kirby in and chew on him. The cave continues upward and to the right, as more Barbars are encountered, guarding stars and other items. One such creature guards a hole in the roof of the cave blocked off by breakable blocks, which contains the last Energy Sphere in this stage. The cave zig-zags to the right, culminating in an upward swim past a multitude of Barbar, after which the stage exit can be reached.
Enemies, Mid-bosses, and Abilities
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Stage 3
Section 1: The stage begins as Kirby and his friends fall from a precipice into a coral cave beneath the sea, splashing into a shallow pool. The pool continues downward past a Bomb Block gate which leads into a waterfall that carries Kirby quickly into a lower section of the cave. The path continues to the left out of the water, where a Hot Head and some Babuts reside. The path continues into another pool with a Bomb Block plug, creating another waterfall section. If Kirby is quick, he can grab a red star on the side of the wall as the waterfall carries him downward to the next cave. Here there are stalactites that grow quickly, then fall from the ceiling, adding another hazard to avoid. The next waterfall plug flows through an area that Kirby can access if he jumps out of the waterfall soon enough, blocked by a Super Inhale block. Inside are some Blippers and a Hammer Copy Pedestal. At the bottom is a large pool, with some food in the water to the left (though Kirby will need to be quick to grab it, else he gets hit by a stalactite) and the doorway to the next section in the water to the right.
Section 2: The doorway leads to an underwater cave that continues on to the right, though the way is initially blocked off. A button on the floor can be pressed to open up the path, revealing a current that carries Kirby to the right. The current continues throughout the cave, though not as strong as it was initially. Further to the right are sections of wall that move back and forth. Some are covered in spikes, and others press into each-other, creating a possible crushing hazard. One such moving wall conceals an optional doorway which leads to a 1Up. Continuing to the right, the current picks up again as the cave becomes smaller and Gordos are present and must be avoided. After that, Kirby must traverse by a large moving platform with spikes on the bottom to reach the door to the next section.
Section 3: The doorway leads to a large vertical shaft area, with a path upward on the left side. To the right can be seen two columns that occasionally break, creating two paths that cross each-other. These paths are blocked off by metal blocks and various enemies. After breaking through a breakable block barricade, a current carries Kirby up to the top of the shaft, only having a short time to notice the patterns that the items in the other shafts make. At the top, there are two entrances, one to each shaft, blocked off by a button connected to the metal blocks. Choosing a path will determine how Kirby descends through the shafts seen on the way up, but if the pattern was discerned correctly, Kirby can choose the path with the greater reward. The downward currents prevent Kirby from being able to swim back up and take a different path, and at the bottom lies the door to the next section.
Section 4: The door leads to another underwater cave, with a current going upward. There is an air pocket at the top which holds a platform carrying a Maxim Tomato Box that Kirby can use before the water below transitions to a rightward current. The current leads to a large open cave area above the water, where Kirby can get the Water Ability from a Water Galbo. Using this, he can surf over the terrain ahead, which is littered with Clayns and a Bulby. A pool with some Walfs in it lies further to the right. After that lies a flat plain where Moundo is fought. Defeating him yields the Stone Ability, which Kirby will need if he wants to get the Energy Sphere located in the very next pool. The last pool slopes downward into a room where the door to the next section is.
Section 5: Another vertical shaft room is discovered, much like the one in Section 3, but this time, there are three shafts to the right, and an Energy Sphere located at the bottom of one of them. The pattern to follow here is a bit more difficult to discern, but if Kirby chooses the right path, he can get the Energy Sphere in this section.
Section 6: The door leads to another cave opening to the right, but this one is only half-filled with water. Hitting the Bomb Block Plug reveals a wind current that pushes Kirby quickly along to the right. The water becomes shallow, and Kirby must jump to dodge obstacles like Gordos and Sodories. A waterfall carries Kirby down to a lower section of cave, where this time the current goes left. Following the stars leads Kirby past a Tick and he can get a Maxim Tomato if he jumps at the right time. Another waterfall leads to the lowest section of cave, where once again the wind blows to the right. The last section features a plethora of Gordos, as well as plenty of stars placed in precarious positions. The last jump carries Kirby over a bottomless pit and to a platform where the door to the next section is.
Section 7: The door leads to a cave with no visible pools of water, instead bearing bottomless pits. At first nothing seems to be around, but a Super Hot Head appears not far in, granting Kirby the Monster Flame Ability. Ahead are strange walking tiki statues with barrels in their mouths. If Kirby hits the barrel with a flame dragon at the right time, it breaks, and the tiki statue collapses into stars and other collectibles. At some points, Kirby will need to make use of his option to steer the flame dragon in order to hit all the targets at once. Later on, some platforms are found suspended by giant coiled ropes that can be cut with Monster Flame, causing the platform to drop and crush whatever is beneath. At the end of the cave is a large wooden wrecked ship, with a big octopus hiding underneath it. The timing is difficult, but if Kirby can hit the octopus with Monster Flame, it will burst into blue fire and disappear, leaving a rift to the alternate dimension.
Alternate Dimension: The rift wall pursues Kirby from the left side of the screen in a section consisting mostly of suspended water, with Gordos and Barracu swimming in it. Interspersed are occasional air pockets with stars and wooden platforms in them. Later in, Kirby has to traverse a cave area with blocks to Super Inhale and use to clear the way forward. If aimed correctly, the spit out projectile can go a long way and clear through many subsequent obstacles. The Spear and Parasol Copy Pedestals are available in the next room for the fight with the Sphere Doomer, which takes place on a platform sandwiched between two walls of water. After obtaining the two Energy Spheres and leaving the rift, the stage exit is located down a hall right below the shipwreck.
Enemies, Mid-bosses, and Abilities
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Stage 4
Section 1: The stage begins in a large coral cave with no visible ceiling. Immediately to the right is a large body of water with Walfs swimming on top of it. The water continues to the right past the playing field, so Kirby must dive to the bottom of the pool. Along the way, he encounters Blippers, Squishies and Barracu trapped in Bomb Block cells, which, unless the stars inside are desired, he should ignore. At the bottom is a button embedded into the left wall. Pressing it causes the floor to lift up, revealing a new path through a cave with stone blocks embedded in it. At the bottom of this cave is the door to the next section.
Section 2: The door leads to a seemingly man-made stone hallway underwater. Ahead is a Bomb Block Wall and just beyond a pair of spiked shafts spin in the middle of the hallway. Dodging these leads to another Bomb Block Wall in the floor leading downward. Beneath the next spiked shaft is an air pocket to the left containing a Parasol Waddle Dee. From there it proceeds into a labyrinth with more spiked shafts and Bomb Block Walls. One in particular blocks another air pocket that contains a Sword Copy Pedestal and an optional doorway into a room containing an Energy Sphere. Passing through many more spiked shafts leads to the bottom of the section, where the door is guarded by some Barracu.
Section 3: The door leads to another submerged hallway, this time going up. The path is initially blocked by some breakable blocks, and above is a button embedded into the right wall. Pressing it causes the wall to open up, allowing Kirby to proceed to the right. From here, more openable walls are found and sea creatures are warded off in the process. In one of the chambers is an air pocket containing Food and a Water Galbo. Further to the right is an optional door, which leads to a room with some Invincibility Candy. Visible on the same screen, but inaccessible from the room Kirby is in is a hallway full of Barracu and an Energy Sphere at the end. To enter this part of the room, Kirby will have to find a hidden doorway in the main section. Further right is another air pocket with some Food and a Sodory, and beyond that, one more wall opens up to reveal the door to the next section, once again guarded by Barracu.
Section 4: The door leads to a cramped area, still submerged. To the right is a Bomb Block Wall, and behind that is a large spiked ammonite-like shell that bounces back and forth in its own section of hallway. Kirby will need to avoid this as he presses onward, only to find more shells bouncing along the walls, often guarding stars and food items. A Spear Copy Pedestal is stashed away in one of the side passages, which Kirby will need to maneuver around a shell to get. Swimming upward past the shell leads to a large hallway blocked by a gate. A very large shell is seen bouncing behind a barrier to the right, and the gate prevents any attempt to wait the shell out. Kirby then has to swim to the left to avoid getting steamrolled by the giant shell, all the while breaking through breakable blocks and defeating enemies that get in the way. A path upward allows Kirby to escape the hallway before being smashed. To the right, a Gordo defends a food item, and above lies another big shell hallway, in much the same vain as before, going to the right. This time, however, there is a depression in the floor that allows Kirby to wait out the shell and swim behind it. Doing so will allow Kirby to get an Energy Sphere, which the shell uncovers by breaking away some strong breakable blocks. Otherwise, it would have had to be passed up to avoid getting hit by the shell. The upward path carries Kirby on a current to an air pocket, where the door to the next section is.
Section 5: The door leads to the top of a vertical chamber, adorned with aquatic-themed stone walls and pillars. Below are a series of star block platforms with various enemies walking along them, including a Waddle Doo, a Noddy, a Scarfy, a Needlous and a Broom Hatter. Below this room is a hallway with a Balloon Bomb at the start. Kirby will need to run along the zig-zagonal hallway with the bomb in hand, dodging enemies and jumping spike pits as he goes, in order to throw it onto a large block with a Craby colony on it to uncover a bunch of stars, food and a 1Up. From there, a ladder leads downward to another Balloon Bomb section. This time, buttons that extend platforms will need to be utilized to get over spike pits to uncover a chamber with a Maxim Tomato and an Energy Sphere. The last ladder goes down into a shallow pool, and the door to the next section sits at the bottom.
Section 6: The door leads to another flooded hallway, this time with a great deal of Barbar in it. A strange underwater city can be seen in the background, though it is not clear who or what lives there. Along the path, an air pocket opens up, where Kirby can get the Spear ability from a Pierce. The Barbar ahead are generally much larger than ones faced earlier, and as such, their influence when sucking in water is much greater. The next chamber features a great many Barbar that reside in squares in the middle areas and along the walls. If Kirby can keep his Spear Ability long enough to hit a Bomb Block formation on the ceiling, he can uncover the stage's last Energy Sphere in this room. The next room features more huge Barbar that make safe travel very difficult. Bomb Blocks can be triggered to open safe havens in the walls as Kirby ascends this room. Eventually another air pocket is reached, and a Bomb Block wall can be triggered to open the hallway leading to the stage exit.
Enemies, Mid-bosses, and Abilities
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Stage 5 (Boss: Fatty Puffer)
The stage starts in the same sort of underwater ruins that populated the previous stage. From a platform, Kirby drops down into a shallow stream, which carries him to the right into the next room. Here, Kirby can use a Maxim Tomato and get the Parasol Spear or Ice abilities from pedestals. The current then goes diagonally downward into the water, leading Kirby to a lavishly decorated room where the door to the Boss Room is.
The Boss Room consists of a flat floor and ceiling with a prominent window showing the underwater city. Luminescent shells stick out of both the floor and ceiling, one of which reveals itself to be Fatty Puffer upon getting too close.
Fatty Puffer attacks by both using its girth to do body slams and rolling up to do spinning dash attacks. When slamming into a wall, Fatty Puffer releases stars that Kirby can use to attack if he has no Copy Ability. Fatty will also throw small fish that Kirby can dodge or inhale. Once Fatty is reduced to half health, he puffs himself up to increase his size, thus taking up more of the screen and making his rolls harder to dodge. He can also now shoot a concentrated stream of water from his mouth and cause stalactites to fall from the ceiling. (these can also be inhaled) Additionally, Fatty will ricochet of the floor and ceiling in an attack that is tough to dodge if Kirby is in the air. Finally, Fatty can shoot out globs of water that can grant Kirby the Water ability if swallowed.
Once defeated, Fatty yields the Lor's Left Wing and the level is completed.
Trivia
- This level bears similarities to the Ripple Field stage in Kirby's Dream Land 3, and is likely the same location, as both are in Pop Star.
- The song that plays in Stage 1 is a remix of Kine's theme from Kirby's Dream Land 2.
Names in Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
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| Japanese | オニオンオーシャン Onion Ōshan |
Onion Ocean |
| French | Remous Renversants | "Stunning Swirls" or "Turning Swirls" |
| German | Obst-Ozean | Fruit Ocean |
| Spanish | Ribera Roquefort | Roquefort Riverbank |
