CPU

The term CPU (short for 'Central Processing Unit') in the context of video games refers to elements (such as characters or enemies) whose behavior is controlled by processes programmed into the game itself. More specifically however, it is used to refer to secondary players who have been set to be controlled by the game itself, rather than any human player.

In the Kirby series, CPU players (also referred to as Computer Players) can be set in any multiplayer title to stand in for real human opponents, and they are programmed to simulate how said human opponents would play to a certain degree.

Overview

CPUs often come with difficulty settings as well which the player can set to make them more or less of a challenge. The change in difficulty usually alters how quickly the CPU can react to a given situation, and whether or not they will perform certain behaviors (an example being the CPU players in Kirby Battle Royale, who are programmed to actively pick up their downed opponents and toss them into hazards at higher levels).

In most games in the series, common enemies are controlled at least to some extent by CPU programming. (The original Kirby's Dream Land is an exception; Masahiro Sakurai manually plotted the paths for every enemy in the game, making them completely deterministic.) However, these behaviors are usually quite simple, amounting to little more than holding still, jumping in place, attacking in fixed intervals, or pursuing Kirby. CPU players, on the other hand, are typically given much more advanced algorithms and conditions which will cause them to behave in more complex manners, in an attempt to simulate strategic human play. Given the imperfect (and simplistic) nature of this programming, however, CPU players often have trouble in certain situations, and can be locked in endless behavior loops which get them nowhere.

CPU by Title

Kirby's Avalanche

Kirby's Avalanche inherits much of its CPU behavior from the game it is based upon, Super Puyo Puyo. Aside from the overall difficulty level that can be adjusted manually via the options, each CPU has its own characteristic behavior that affects how it plays. For example, Waddle Dee never turns any of his blobs, and rarely makes them drop faster, causing him to play rather slowly and languidly. In contrast, Meta Knight is especially skilled at making a comeback when most of his playing field is filled with boulders, causing him to play quickly and intelligently.

Some CPUs have particular behavior they will always stick by no matter what, even if it may be impractical to do so; these behaviors are referred to as "first-instinct chains". Whispy Woods, for example, will always start his round by building four rows of blobs at the bottom of his playing field, and will replenish the wall if any of the blobs within it are destroyed. Broom Hatter shows similar behavior, but instead builds two full columns of blobs on the left and right sides of her playing field.

Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra

The CPU Helper will attempt to navigate around obstacles to reach Kirby whenever he gets ahead, but some terrain is a bit too tricky for the CPU to manage effectively.

The Helpers in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra are controlled by the CPU when not controlled by a second player. These CPU Helpers have more sophisticated behavior when compared to common enemies or bosses, most of which operate on a pre-determined set of patterns. This allows the CPU Helper to follow Kirby and help him battle enemies. In some cases, they can also help solve certain puzzles, with a prime example being Burning Leo's tendency to light Fuses that are nearby. The CPU can pick up food items and Invincible Candy, and will move toward Kirby to share them via Face-to-Face, though this is just a side effect of the normal CPU tendency to get close to Kirby, and it will not prioritize this over attacking enemies.

Under normal circumstances, the CPU Helper will approach Kirby and stand close by when he is not moving. The CPU will not be prompted to follow Kirby until he gets a small distance away. When Kirby is in the air, the CPU will generally not follow him up there, preferring to just keep underneath him on the ground, unless the environment prompts it to. Once this happens, the CPU will use its Infinity Jump to continually keep close to Kirby when he is in the air. Certain terrain, particularly tight passages, may confuse the CPU, making it unable to properly follow Kirby (shown in image).

When an enemy is nearby, the CPU will attempt to navigate towards it and attack it, with the type of attack depending on whether the CPU or the enemy is in the air or on the ground, though this can often lead to the CPU crashing into the enemy and taking damage if the path is complicated or if the enemy is moving rapidly. The CPU may alternatively choose to guard, though it rarely holds its guard for long. The CPU's attack options are performed on a timer when choosing between multiple targets, with noticeable pauses between attacks or guards in these instances. In certain situations, the CPU may have difficulty deciding whether to follow Kirby or attack an enemy, so it will run back and forth between the two objectives fruitlessly until the situation changes. When enemy projectiles are approaching, the CPU will either attempt to guard or attack it as if it were an enemy. During boss and mid-boss fights, the CPU will engage the enemy from any position, rather than having to get up close first.

The CPU will not attempt to break blocks, activate switches, or use ladders. The CPU will also not attempt to avoid hazards such as Gordos or spike pits, which can lead to situations where it continually stands on or in the path of such hazards until it is defeated. When the CPU is out of health, it will no longer try to follow Kirby around (unless Kirby gets sufficiently far away) or attack enemies, instead holding in place until it pops out of existence. If prompted to move in this state, the CPU will run frantically around Kirby once it reaches him until it pops.

Kirby's Dream Land 3

In Kirby's Dream Land 3, Kirby can call on Gooey to help him, with the cost of some health. When not controlled by a second player, Gooey is controlled by the CPU. Like the Helpers in Kirby Super Star, Gooey will generally attempt to stay close to Kirby and attack nearby threats, possessing almost all of Kirby's moves. Unlike Helpers, however, Gooey's CPU is much more oriented around mimicking Kirby's actions when there are no other considerations on screen. For instance, if Kirby performs a basic action such as jumping, inhaling, crouching, or sliding, Gooey will usually mimic him after a brief moment, granted the opportunity to do so. This includes walking itself, since if Kirby only steps forward a small amount, Gooey will also only move forward that same distance instead of stopping at Kirby's position like the Helpers do.

Gooey's general attack strategy is to approach enemies and eat them with his tongue, and then spit them out as a Star Bullet at another enemy. Gooey will generally hold onto any enemy he has eaten until he spots another enemy to shoot at or Kirby prompts him to by attacking or crouching. Gooey will pursue enemies at greater distance than the Helpers do, but he may still end up colliding with enemies and taking damage if the environment confounds his efforts to run up and eat them. Notably, CPU Gooey will not attempt to swallow ability-granting enemies to gain an ability, despite having that capability when controlled by a player. As such, it does not appear to be possible to have CPU Gooey utilize copy abilities.

CPU Gooey will not attempt to pair up with an Animal Friend, despite having that capability when controlled by a player. When there is a food item nearby, Gooey will use his tongue to get it, and then will send half of it to Kirby as a projectile to heal him as well. Unlike the Helpers, CPU Gooey is capable of activating a Space Jump on his own initiative, and will do so if he cannot find a path to Kirby.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Selecting COM difficulty in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards.

CPU players (here referred to as COM players) will fill in any non-human players in the Mini-Games. The difficulty chosen for the game will affect the difficulty level of the CPU opponents.

For more details, visit the 100-Yard Hop, Bumper Crop Bump, and Checkerboard Chase pages.

Kirby Air Ride

The player's Kirby approaching two CPUs in the distance in City Trial.

In this title, CPUs play a significant role, as many objectives in the Checklists require CPU participation in some form or another. The player can set the difficulty level of the CPUs prior to a race starting, which will affect their behavior and reaction time. In Air Ride and City Trial, CPU level ranges from 1 - 9, while in Top Ride, it ranges only from 1 - 5.

CPUs are generally good at handling the road in racing modes, and can be very effective in combat situations like Destruction Derby. However, particularly in City Trial, CPUs can often be seen stuck against certain walls or obstacles (a good example being the shore just north of the Electric Lounge). They also tend to cheat in power-ups if they don't have enough at the end of a match.

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

When playing in single player mode, the other clones of Kirby will be controlled by the CPU. They are capable of some degree of autonomous movement, but they typically do not venture far from where they are initially placed due to generally being goalless. The player can call the CPUs to Kirby's location using the Cell Phone, where they will automatically attack nearby opponents. When Kirby initiates a Super Inhale, the CPU Kirbys are programmed to recognize this, drop their abilities and join in inhaling.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe / Kirby Fighters Deluxe

In the Kirby Fighters Sub-Game, (and subsequently in Kirby Fighters Deluxe) non-human controlled opponents are controlled by the CPU, with the chosen difficulty setting determining their behavior. They are programmed to attack their opponents, attempt to dodge when being attacked, and go for items that appear.

There are five levels of difficulty for the CPU opponents, with each level having the following basic behaviors:

• Level 1: CPUs generally walk around in semi-random directions without a clear goal most of the time. They never move quickly and throw out attacks in a largely random way, often with no target. They make no attempt to avoid hazards and do not prioritize items that appear. They never dodge or guard.
• Level 2: CPUs are generally aimless when not near an opponent, but start to attack with more fervor when someone else approaches. They do run on occasion, but still cannot dodge or guard, and generally do not avoid hazards or go after items, though they do sometimes seek out food.
• Level 3: CPUs move generally quickly, and gain the ability to guard and dodge, though they only sometimes do this. They are generally aggressive and will seek out items that appear on the stage.
• Level 4: CPUs attack much faster, and make more use of attacks that give them burst or countering options. They are much more likely to dodge, particularly when it comes to projectiles.
• Level 5: CPUs gain near-perfect dodging and guarding ability, and prioritize items with maximum speed. They constantly attack opponents when they are close.

Kirby: Planet Robobot, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe & Super Kirby Clash

In the Clash games, CPU players are given the generic names of "Teammate" 1, 2, and 3, unless a wandering adventurer is recruited.

In the trio of games Team Kirby Clash, Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, and Super Kirby Clash, non-human controlled teammates and adventurers are controlled by the CPU. They will attempt to fight the enemy, pick up Power Tablets and Food, and revive fallen comrades. They will also attempt to dodge certain attacks which the enemy throws out, though not always with success.

A couple specific notable behaviors of the CPU include the following:

• When they are near an item such as food or a Team Meteor Power Tablet and are in need of it, they will prioritize it, which may lead to them running into an enemy or its attacks if those are in the way.
  • The CPUs will ignore Power Tablets if a Time Beam is active, as activating a Team Meteor cancels out the Time Beam.
• When the player's Kirby is KO'd and calls out for help, teammates will prioritize reviving that Kirby, again ignoring other hazards.
• Whenever a piece of food is picked up, or Doctor Healmore uses his Science Lab to drink a stamina potion, CPU teammates who are low on stamina will prioritize approaching the Kirby who just used the item and receive a Face-to-Face. CPU teammates who use recovery items will also prioritize approaching wounded allies for this same purpose. They will also prioritize recovering lost stamina by running into Healing Areas, once again ignoring enemy attacks.
• When a CPU teammate is within collision range of an enemy or attack, they will attempt to hold a Guard until this is no longer the case. This can be an issue, as CPU teammates may end up breaking their own guard and becoming dazed, or may be guarding at times when it is more appropriate to dodge or attack.
• CPU teammates are automatically programmed to take specific dodging action for certain moves, such as Pyribbit's fire breath, but do not know how to dodge other attacks such as Aeon Hero's energy sword rain attacks.
• CPU teammates are programmed to charge their special attacks under certain circumstances, such as during invulnerability transitions of enemies, but are not inclined to hold the charge until the enemy is vulnerable again, instead insisting on releasing the attack as soon as the charge is complete. This often results in the teammate whiffing the attack.
  • In addition, CPU teammates will almost always insist on fully charging their attacks, and will often not release them early, even when it is advantageous to do so.
• CPU Beam Mage teammates are programmed to stay away from the enemy (unless the enemy gets too close for comfort) and continuously hit them with Time Beams until the clock is stopped.
• During the Team Meteor meter, CPU teammates will generally follow the player's result, though they may deviate somewhat. As such, it is rare for all four teammates to get a perfect result when playing solo.

Kirby Battle Royale

CPU opponents can be set in Battle Mode, and are also encountered in Dedede's Cake Royale. In Battle Mode, their difficulty can be set between levels 1 - 5. Each different battle mode necessitates different behaviors on part of the CPU opponents, but higher levels generally involve becoming more aggressive as well as giving more priority to the actual objective of the game in question, whether that be simply defeating opponents, collecting items, or going after opponents who have larger scores or stacks of items than others.

The following is a quick rundown of what can be expected of CPU opponents at each level of difficulty:

• Level 1: CPUs waddle about slowly, often in random directions. Occasionally, they throw out an attack in the direction of an opponent. They are capable of bouncing back from being knocked down on occasion, but they do not use charge attacks outside of the specific objective in Crazy Theater. They will not attempt to pick up downed opponents. In teams, these CPUs may attempt to fruitlessly attack each-other. In Crazy Theater, they are likely to stand on the wrong answer in certain panel challenges. In other game modes like Apple Scramble or Rocket Rumble, they will not attempt to sabotage the opposing players.
• Level 2: CPUs place slightly higher priority on the objective of the round, but are still largely aimless outside of plain fighting. Additionally, they will occasionally toss items at opponents to knock them down. They throw out attacks more frequently, and will make some effort to sabotage opponents instead of just trying to attack them. They still do not typically use charge attacks or pick up downed opponents.
• Level 3: CPUs will start to use charge attacks at this level. Their attacks also become more focused and frequent, they become better at dodging, and they recover more often from being knocked down. They still do not have much sense of objective during games like Rocket Rumble, however.
• Level 4: CPUs are more inclined to use items to knock opponents down, and will make a greater attempt to guard important resources and objectives, particularly in games like Crazy Theater and Flagball. They are more inclined to fight in a defensive manner than lower level CPUs, waiting for openings to attack. They are also more likely to make use of charge attacks outside of Battle Arena.
• Level 5: CPUs start to "play dirty" at this level, making much more of an effort to sabotage opponents. In particular, they will pick up downed opponents and toss them directly into hazards, which is most notable in games like Crazy Theater.

Kirby Star Allies

Screenshot of a CPU NESP KO'ing itself on lava due to trying to avoid a falling meteor.

The Friends and Dream Friends which Kirby can recruit can be controlled by the CPU, in addition to human actors. When controlled by a CPU, their behavior is similar to how helpers operate in Kirby Super Star, though they will generally prefer to keep behind Kirby. When Kirby requests a Friend Ability combo, any compatible friend will be alerted to this, and use their ability; if one friend provides multiple combos or there are multiple friends who can provide different combos, they will be performed one after the other as long as Kirby continues to request them. If no compatible friend is present, they will simply display question marks (?) instead and do nothing. In addition, Friends will interact with objects in specific ways in response to Kirby's actions. An example of this is when Kirby hops in a fuse cannon - a friend with a fire-type move will be prompted to go and light the fuse.

The sophistication of the CPU friends in Kirby Star Allies is notable, as they can often be seen attempting to avoid hazards and have decent pathfinding. However, in complicated environments, they can still have difficulty maneuvering, and in some cases, may end up avoiding one hazard only to run into another repeatedly. This is particularly notable in the rare Picture Piece room on Sizzlai Moon, where falling meteors prompt CPU allies to run away, but they may end up repeatedly running into and getting hurt by the lava floor to the right (or accidentally jumping into another meteor) in their attempt to escape. The crushers in The Divine Terminus are another hazard which friends commonly have difficulty avoiding.

CPUs can also appear in Chop Champs and Star Slam Heroes, and their difficulty is determined by the level being played.

Kirby Fighters 2

In Kirby Fighters 2, CPU opponents come with their own title, randomly chosen from a pool based on their difficulty level.

The CPU-controlled opponents in Kirby Fighters 2 are similar to those in the previous two Fighters games. When controlling each character, the CPU has a tendency to attempt to utilize those fighters' specific attacks in the way they were intended, with examples including Bell Kirby making frequent use of the Bell Block guard, Archer Kirby shooting from a distance whenever possible, and Water Kirby keeping opponents at bay with the Wave Attack and using Fountain Hover when above an opponent.

As before, CPU difficulty ranges in standard battles from levels 1-5, though more specific levels on a different scale from 1-50 can be found in the Story Mode: The Destined Rivals. Lower level opponents tend to move slowly and rarely attack or guard, while higher level opponents frequently block with perfect precision and always move as fast as they can. CPUs will also tend to Gobble or grab whenever they are up close to an opponent and will prioritize items whenever they appear on stage. Whenever a CPU picks up an item that can be shared with a teammate using Face-to-Face, they will prioritize doing that above all else. The CPU will also attempt to make their way back to the player if the player's character picks up such an item. The same general rules apply when picking up the pieces of the Buddy Star Blaster. Lastly, if the player has used a Gobble or Grab on an opponent, a teammate will attempt to position themselves in order to hit that opponent when he is thrown.

A few significant flaws can be noted with the CPU behavior however. When an opponent has Invincible Candy active, for instance, CPUs will not adjust to this, and will continue trying to attack that opponent as if they were still vulnerable. It is also possible, with certain techniques, to trap a high-level CPU in a corner and use the same attack repeatedly on them, and they will be unable to escape or counterattack, instead opting to occasionally guard or dodge in place as they are gradually defeated. Additionally, while the CPU has its aforementioned ability to guard or dodge with perfect precision, it does not have the ability to anticipate attacks coming their way, meaning it is still possible to defeat them easily by repeatedly using the same move at a distance. Lastly, it is possible in certain instances for CPU opponents to be compelled to hold their Guard for too long and end up breaking it, becoming dazed. This is particularly notable with the CPU buddy in Story Mode: The Destined Rivals, while fighting bosses.

List of adjectives

In Kirby Fighters 2, CPU-controlled opponents in Story Mode: The Destined Rivals and Single-Handed Mode have adjectives attached to their names based on their relative level from 1-50. The following lists off every known prefix in the game by level (note that some level numbers are skipped due to those not showing up specifically in the Story Mode):

• Level 1 - 3: Adorable, Beginner, Bumbling, Caring, Chatty, Childish, Clownish, Cutesy, Dewy-Eyed, Doughy, Dreaming, Famished, Fresh-Faced, Gentle, Half-Baked, Hungry, Laid-Back, Newcomer, Novice, Ordinary, Pillowy, Reckless, Refreshing, Romantic, Scared, Softhearted, Taciturn, Young, Youthful
• Level 5 - 8: Big-Hearted, Cool, Daydreaming, Dulcet, Fetching, Gale-Strength, Ghostly, Gourmet, Graceful, Guileless, Heartfelt, Honest, Jolly, Mysterious, Polite, Puffy, Radical, Rash, Roaming, Sleek, Solemn, Trendy, Vain, Wild
• Level 12 - 17: Boisterous, Bold, Chipper, Competitive, Developing, Fearsome, Flawless, Furious, Great, Hardworking, Omniscient, Perky, Powerful, Professional, Resilient, Rising Star, Serious, Shrewd, Stubborn, Sturdy
• Level 22 - 27: Acclaimed, Brilliant, Classic, Disciplined, Elite, Empyrean, Exceptional, Extraordinary, Fearless, Flaming, Gentlemanly, Historical, Lost, Merciless, Outstanding, Reborn, Revived, Seasoned, Traveling, Unrestrained, Wandering
• Level 30 - 34: Afar-Returned, Balletic, Dangerous, Destroying, Divine, Fake, Grand, Hardened, Juggernaut, Legendary, Loyal, Ominous, Revenging, Stormy, Supreme, Terrifying, Undefeatable
• Level 40 - 50: Aeon, Ally, Breezy, Daredevil, Far-Flung Star, Galaxy-Ruling, Heroic, Master, Mighty, Rainbow, Soulful, Star Monarch, Super-Deluxe, Ultimate, Ultra

Kirby's Dream Buffet

In Kirby's Dream Buffet, the CPU takes control of any Kirbys that are not being controlled by players. CPUs can come in four difficulty settings, those being "Sweet", "Normal", "Spicy", and "Extra-Spicy". In addition, the CPU also controls Waddle Dees in the Race mode, which are not as fast or as competitive as the Kirby racers.

When playing in normal races, the CPU Kirbys will simply go by the names "CPU1", "CPU2", and "CPU3". However, the Waddle Dee racers are given a random name from a pool of possible names for them. Additionally, when playing Online, any slots not filled by human opponents will be taken by CPUs, and will be assigned a random name from a different pool of names, many of which are references to other Kirby-series elements.

The following are all of the names for CPU opponents in Kirby's Dream Buffet. Note that these are sorted by how they appear internally in the game's files; as references to similar elements are sorted with each other, this is used to clarify certain references that may be unclear otherwise.

Waddle Dee names

English name	Japanese name	Based on
Waddelaney	わどのすけ Wadonosuke
Waddelia	わどこさん Wadokosan
WaWaWaddle	わどわどぅ Wadowadu	Could be a reference to the noises Waddle Dees make in Kirby and the Forgotten Land: "Wa-wa!"
Waddlini	わどるりん Wadorurin	Could be a reference to Squashini
Woddball	わどぼうる Wadobōru	The term "Oddball"
Mr.Waddle	わどわどさん Wadowadosan
Wadana Dee	ばんだなでぃ Bandanadi	Bandana Waddle Dee
Waddlecia	わどるしあ Wadorushia	Drawcia
Waddolor	わどろあ Wadoroa	Magolor
Waddby	わどびぃ Wadobyi	Kirby
WadaKnight	わどないと Wadonaito	Meta Knight
KingWaDeDe	わどどだいおう Wadododaiō	King Dedede

Kirby names

English name	Japanese name	Based on	Notes
PinkPal	ピンクだま Pink ball	Kirby	The Japanese name is what King Dedede calls Kirby in Revenge of the King and Kirby Fighters Deluxe (localized as "pink lump" in the former and "pink puffball" in the latter).
PinkBowler	ピンクボーラー Pink bowler	Kirby	May specifically be referencing Kirby's Dream Course.
Puffball	ずんぐりボウル Stubby ball	Kirby	The Japanese name spells the word "ball" as ボウル, just like how the word is spelled in the Japanese name of Kirby's Dream Course.
Stubby	ずんぐりだま Stubby ball	Kirby	Both Flamberge and Zan Partizanne refer to Kirby as ずんぐり ("stubby").
Kirby-chan	カービィちゃん Kirby-chan	Kirby	Chan is a Japanese honorific typically used for someone young, cute, or endearing.
Kirby-san	カービィさん Kirby-san	Kirby	San is a Japanese honorific roughly equivalent to "dear", "Mr.", or "Ms."
PINKBall	ももだまはっしん Pink ball launch	"Pink Ball Activate!"	The Japanese name is directly the hiragana of the first part of the name of the song.
PeachArmor	ももいろアーマー Pink armor	Robobot Armor
Round Hero	まんまるヒーロー Round hero	Kirby	まんまる has the double meaning of round and cute.
Star Hero	ほしのヒーロー Star hero	Kirby
Maxim #1	マキシム１ごう Maxim #1	Maxim Tomato
Maxim86	マキシム８６ごう Maxim #86	Maxim Tomato and HAL's number: 86
PoweredUp	げんきドリンカー Energy drinker	Energy Drink (indicated by the Japanese name)
FullEnergy	げんきかいふく Health recovery	Energy Drink and health in general
VincyCandy	むてキャン Mutekyan	Invincible Candy	The Japanese name is an abbreviation of the Japanese name of the Invincible Candy, むてきキャンディー (muteki kyandī).
Lickety	ぺろぺろん Peroperon	Invincible Candy	The Japanese name is an onomatopoeia for licking.
Got_a_1UP	１UPゲット 1-Up get	1-Up
0LivesLeft	ざんきなっしんぐ No lives remaining	1-Ups and Game Overs
PointStars	ポイントスターズ Point stars	Point Star
Pink Stars	ピンクスターズ Pink stars	Likely the pink Point Stars from Kirby's Dream Course
Twinkles	きらきらのほし Sparkling star	Sparkling Stars (indicated by the Japanese name)
Glimmer	きらめきぼし Sparkling star	Sparkling Stars and "Suite: The Star-Conquering Traveler - Final Movement: Sparkling Star" (indicated by the Japanese name)
TheStarRod	スターロッドづかい Star Rod wielder	Star Rod
Frightmare	ナイトメアキラー Nightmare killer	Nightmare
RnbwIsland	にじのしまリゾート Rainbow Island Resort	The Rainbow Islands	The Japanese name references Rainbow Resort as well.
RainboSord	レインボーソード Rainbow Sword	The Rainbow Sword
EasyBreezy	はるかぜにふかれて Blown in by the spring breeze	Spring Breeze	The Japanese name is a phrase often used to describe Kirby.
DreamRacer	グルメフェスレーサー Gourmet Fest Racer	Gourmet Race and Races	The Japanese name combines the names of Gourmet Race and Kirby's Dream Buffet ("Kirby's Gourmet Fest").
YourBuddy	おともとしもべ Friend and minion	Animal Friends (indicated by the Japanese name)	The Japanese name references the working name for Animal Friends being "minions".
Animal Pal	アニマルフレンズ Animal Friends	Animal Friends
FromRipple	リップルじん Resident of Ripple	Ripple Star
FactoryFoe	こうじょうだいさくせん The great factory offensive	The Japanese name combines the names of Factory Tour / "Studying the Factory" and The Great Cave Offensive	The Japanese name uses 11 characters, which is over the maximum of 10.
GoGoKirby	カービィでゴー Go with Kirby	The Japanese name parodies the naming scheme of the various time attack modes like Meta Knightmare, which all use でゴー ("Go with...").
Yo_Tornado	たつまきみたいさ Like a tornado	A Japanese commercial for Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land	The Japanese name is part of the lyrics to the song from said commercial.
KirbyPhone	テレフォンマン Telephone man	Cell Phone
MirageNite	ミラージュナイト Mirage knight	"Dark Mirage"	May also be referencing Dark Meta Knight in general.
DededeSoul	デデデソウル Dedede Soul	Masked Dedede; matches with "MaskedMarx".
MaskedMarx	マスクドマルク Masked Marx	Marx Soul; matches with "DededeSoul".
UrOverlord	しはいシテアゲルひと Your overlord	Magolor	Refers to the following dialogue in the "Let Me Explain Everything" cutscene: "Prepare to bow, Popstar! Welcome your new overlord!"
Crafty Egg	イカサマたまご Deceptive egg	Magolor	This is Zan Partizanne's nickname for Magolor on the Kirby JP Twitter feed.
Q.Joronia	タランザ＆ジョロニア Taranza & Joronia	Queen Sectonia	"Jorō" refers to a specific species of spider significant to Japanese folklore; see here for more details.
SkyPeople	てんくうのたみ People of the Sky	People of the Sky
Patrya	ファミリアさん Familiar-san	Susie	"Patrya" ("Familiar" in Japanese) is Susie's middle name.
P.Haltmann	いだいなハルトマン Great Haltmann	President Haltmann	The Japanese name is part of the lyrics to "The Noble Haltmann".
HeartFwend	ハートフルフレンズ Heartful Friends	Friend Hearts
ZanParWho?	ザンパルルなんとか Zan Par-something	The running gag of nobody being able to remember Zan Partizanne's name
Neichel	NEICHEL	Neichel	The singer of "Welcome to the New World!"
BeastPack	しんせかいアニマルズ New world animals	Beast Pack
TeaCup	タロロン Taroron	Possibly the Teatime stage
JiroJiro	ジロジロ Jirojiro		May be a reference to Galbo's cry in the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! episode Hatch Me If You Can.
Minigamer	サブちゃん Sub-chan	Minigame	The Japanese name references Sub-Games in general.
Shirleelee	シローウ Shirōu
Anna	アンちゃん An-chan
Yetta	イェッタ Yetta
Wisdom	ウィズダム Wisdom	Wise Waddle Dee
Amy	エイミー Amy
Otto	オットー Otto
Kyle	カイザー Kaiser
Kiddo	キッド Kiddo
Cook	クック Cook	Cook
Katie	ケイティ Katie
Chauncey	コルスタッド Kolstad
Samuel	サミュエル Samuel
Sylvaria	シルヴァリア Sylvaria
Suzanna	スザンナ Susanna	Susie	"Susanna" is Susie's proper first name.
Sebastian	セバスチャン Sebastian
Sophie	ソフィー Sophie
Tyler	タイラー Tyler
Chelsea	チェルシー Chelsea
Dreamstalk	ツリーズ Trees	The Dreamstalk	The Japanese name is "Trees", which appears in the Japanese name for the Dreamstalk ("World Tree"), but it is sorted with generic names.
Tina	ティーナ Tina
Thomas	トムソン Thompson
Nyaoko	にゃおこ Nyaoko		Variant of Japanese name "Naoko" and "nya" (a cat's meow).
Nikita	ニキータ Nikita
Nurmela	ヌルメラ Nurmela
Nedry	ネローニ Neroni
Nordin	ノーディン Nordin
Ricky	ハインリックス Heinrichs
Fedor	ヒュードル Fedor
Fauser	ファウザー Fauser
Herrlich	ヘアリッヒ Herrlich
Hopkins	ホプキンソン Hopkinson
Maggie	マギー Maggie
Mitchel	ミッチェル Mitchel
Moore	ムーア Moore
Melanie	メラニー Melanie
Monika	モニカ Monika
Janice	ヤニス Janice
Julian	ユリアン Julian
Johan	ヨハン Johan
Lionel	ライオネル Lionel
Ricardo	リカルド Ricardo
Luisa	ルイーザ Luisa
Leon	レオン Leon	Leongar's real name
Roxanne	ロクサーヌ Roxanne
WhySoWise	ワイズ Wise	Wise Waddle Dee
Springer	スプリンガー Springer		One of four season-based names.
Summers	サマーマン Summerman		One of four season-based names.
Autumn	ふぉーるん Fallun		One of four season-based names.
Winterly	ウィンティア Wintia		One of four season-based names.
DrumDasher	デデデデデン Dedede de den	Dedede's Drum Dash / Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe	Possibly also a reference to King Dedede in general, as it is sorted with characters from Kirby's Dream Land.
LoLoLaLa	ロロララン Lololalan	Lololo & Lalala
KingKracko	オオクラッコ Big Kracko	Kracko
TheBright1	ブライトはどっち Which one is Bright?	Mr. Bright	The Japanese name references how Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright are often confused.
RoRoRoller	ローリング Rolling	Paint Roller	The Japanese name may also reference Rolling Turtle.
Sr.Heavy	がんそヘビー Original Heavy	Heavy Mole; matches with "Jr.Heavy" and "HeavyIII"
Metal G.	メタジェネラル Meta General	Metal General	The Japanese name is a more general reference to Meta Knight, as it is sorted with names from Kirby's Adventure.
IceLizard	アイストカゲ Ice Lizard	Ice Dragon
MaxSpeed	ちょとつもうしん Rush like a boar	Nruff & Nelly (indicated by the Japanese name)
LiteMatter	ホワイトマター White Matter	Dark Matter
MskdWhspy	マスクドウィスピー Masked Whispy	Whispy Woods's masked appearance in Kirby's Dream Land 2
DynaWings	しろきつばさ White wings	Dyna Blade	The Japanese name is part of the Japanese name of the Dyna Blade game (White Wings, Dyna Blade).
BamWhammy	ワムバムパンチ Wham Bam Punch	Wham Bam Rock	The Japanese name is the same as the "Wham Bammer" from Team Kirby Clash Deluxe.
Jr.Heavy	にだいめヘビー Second Heavy	Heavy Lobster; matches with "Sr.Heavy" and "HeavyIII"
HeyHowdyHi	ヘイヘイヘーイ Hey, hey, hey	Marx's "Hey, hey, hey"
PonCon	ぽんコン Pon-con	Pon & Con
Ado-Chan	アドちゃん Ado-chan	Ado or Adeleine	Chan is a Japanese honorific typically used for someone young, cute, or endearing.
ZeroOne	ゼロワン Zero One	Zero
EyeBelly	おなかのめだま Eye on the belly	King Dedede when possessed by Dark Matter
Magmister	ようがんじん Magma person	Magman
VibrantPix	カラフルピクス Colorful Pix	Pix
HeavyIII	さんだいめヘビー Third Heavy	HR-H or HR-E	"HR" is implied to stand for "Heavy Robot".
Zero2sOwie	てんしのばんそうこう Angel's bandage	0²	Likely a joke on 0²'s bandaged head ("owie").
NightMareS	ナイトメアーズ Nightmares	Nightmare; possibly Nightmare's Power Orb or "Nightmare's Battle" in specific
Knightmare	メタゴー Meta go	Meta Knightmare
ElephanFan	エレファン Elephan	Phan Phan
GippiG	ピッグ Pig	Gip
Titan Arm	タイタンのうで Titan arm	Mega Titan
QuestnMark	ハテナハテナ Question mark, question mark	Dark Meta Knight	While other foes are marked with question marks, this one is sorted with characters from Kirby & The Amazing Mirror.
BatafireBB	バタバタファイア Batabatafire	Batafire
Gobbler	ガブリストーン Gobble-stone	Gobbler	The Japanese name references how Gobbler can be defeated easily with Stone.
Drawcian	ドロシアン Drawcian	Drawcia	"Drawcian" is used in the name of the "Drawcian Garb" and "Drawcian Magic Staff" equipment in Team Kirby Clash Deluxe.
Paint_Soul	えのぐのソウル Paint soul	Drawcia Soul
CacklinPnt	ケタケタ Cackle	Cackling Painting
UnknownArt	なもなきかいが Nameless artist	A reference to the "unknown artist" who created Drawcia and Paintra, described in Paintra's special page
MouseMob	どろちゅ〜 Dorochu~	The Squeaks	The Japanese name references an early name for Daroach, as well as the early title for Kirby: Squeak Squad (どろちゅ〜団とおなかのひみつ, The Dorochu Gang and the Secret of the Stomach).
SneakSnack	おなかのひみつ Secret of the stomach	Copy Palette	The Japanese name is part of the aforementioned early title for Kirby: Squeak Squad.
CakeTaker	ケーキをもとめて Searching for cake	Strawberry Shortcake, and the general plot of Kirby: Squeak Squad
Neb-u-la	ネビュラ Nebula	Dark Nebula	Sorted with the names for Kirby: Squeak Squad, though Dark Nebula is called "Dark Zero" in Japanese.
Galaxys#1	ぎんがさいきょう Greatest in the galaxy	Galacta Knight	Known as "the greatest warrior in the galaxy".
BoomKapow	ワムバムのほうせき Wham Bam's Treasure	Wham Bam Jewel (indicated by the Japanese name)
WhoaKabula	まさかのカブーラー Surprising Kabula	Kabula	Sorted with the Kirby Super Star Ultra names, though the Japanese name is shared with that of "Core Kabula Surprise!".
SoulScream	だんまつソウル Death throes soul	Marx Soul's bloodcurdling screech
Kindolor	やさしいマホロア Kind Magolor	Magolor
Adorabolor	かわいいマホロア Cute Magolor	Magolor	May be a reference to a Twitter post which asked who was having an anniversary on October 27th, and one option was かわいいマホロア.
Sweetolor	しんせつなマホロア Sweet Magolor	Magolor
Troubolor	おちゃめなマホロア Mischievous Magolor	Magolor
ThankYou	カンシャするヨォ Thank you	Magolor	Refers to the following dialogue in the "Let Me Explain Everything" cutscene: "You even helped me repair my Starcutter. I really did appreciate that, by the way."
YourServer	ウェイタークラウン Waiter Crown	A pun on the Server Hands and the Master Crown (indicated by the Japanese name)
Lil_Landia	コランディアーズ Little Landias	Landia	Likely refers to how Landia splits into four smaller copies.
TunaBlade	まぐろソード Tuna Sword	One of Ultra Sword's alternate swords
TaranzaFan	タランザのおもい Taranza's feelings	Taranza
DreamBloom	ワールドフワラー World Fwoler[sic]	The Dreamstalk
FatalBloom	きょうかすいげつ Blooms of Madness and the Moon Reflected in the Water	"Fatal Blooms in Moonlight"	The Japanese name is directly the hiragana of the song title.
Miracle4	きせきのみ４つ Four Miracle Fruits	The four Miracle Fruits Soul of Sectonia consumes
LastLander	ラストランド Last Land	Last Land
BringItOn	もっとチャレンジ More Challenge	The Japanese name references New Challenge Stages	The Japanese name is part of the name of New Challenge Stages, which is もっとチャレンジステージ (Even More Challenge Stages).
Kirbistory	カービィヒストリー Kirby History	Kirby's History
HeartStar	ココロプラネット Heart Planet	"Planet Heart", a song from Kirby: Planet Robobot	The English name also references Heart Stars.
SusieSuit	NEWリレインバー New Business Suit	Susie's Business Suit	The Celebration Picture "Break Time Breakdown" suggests that Susie rebuilt her Business Suit after it was destroyed in Kirby: Planet Robobot.
Haltmann$	86おくハルトマニー 8.6 billion Haltmanns	Haltmanns (the currency of the Haltmann Works Company)	The Japanese name is a reference to the cost of Gigavolt II.
Star_Dream	ほしのゆめのゆめ Star Dream's dream	Star Dream
Nyaooon!	にゃお〜〜ん Nyaooon	Star Dream's cry
MageSister	さんまかんず Saury fish cans	The Three Mage-Sisters	The Japanese name is a pun on how the Japanese title of the Three Mage-Sisters is homophonous with "saury fish can".
ShakenSoda	シェイキングソーダ Shaking Soda	Francisca's Shaken Soda Blaster
BigBigBBQ	バーベキュー Barbecue	Flamberge's BBQ Skewer attack
DrumNWaste	カミナリオコシ Thunder Candies	Zan Partizanne's Drum N Waste attack
Bonjam	ジャマハローア Jamaharōa	Hello in the language used by Hyness and The Three Mage-Sisters.
Jambuhbye	ジャマサラーバ Jamasarāba	Farewell in the language used by Hyness and The Three Mage-Sisters.
Voidalike	にるににる Nil resembles	Void's nature	The Japanese name is a pun on how Void's Japanese name, ニル (Nil/Niru), is spelled the same as the verb 似る (niru), "to resemble".
Carol	キャロル Carol	Clawroline's real name
Leongar	レオンがるふ Leongarf	Leongar
FlutterBy	バタフライ Butterfly	A butterfly, likely the one that becomes Morpho Knight
HeyWhatHuh	あれ What?	The Japanese name is one of Fecto Forgo's lines of dialogue
ID-F85	F88	Fecto Forgo	Fecto Forgo is also known as "ID-F86". The Japanese name uses "F88" because "ID-F87" is Elfilin.
Psychmedlr	サイコメトラー Psychomeddler	Fecto Forgo	"Faded Dream of a Psychomeddler" is the stage theme for Isolated Isles: Forgo Dreams.
BandanaRun	バンワドのぼうけん Banwaddle's Adventure	Bandana Waddle Dee	Sorted with the names from Kirby and the Forgotten Land, so it likely refers to his role in this game.
HeartDrive	ハートいろのくるま A car as pink as your heart	Car Mouth	Specifically, the lyric from "Welcome to the New World!": "Just let your heart take the wheel and show you the way." In Japanese, the lyric is ハート色の　クルマ乗りこみ ("Riding off in a car colored just as pink as your heart").
MeowMeow	ニャォン、オォン Nyaon, o'on	The "Meow, Meow! (Wake Up, Leon!)" figure in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
New World	NEW WORLD	New world

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

Player 1 and three CPUs prepare to play Booming Blasters.

Despite not being present in the original game, CPUs return for Merry Magoland, giving a competitive aspect to games with fewer than 4 players. The CPUs can take on the role of King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee or a different-colored Kirby, following the restraints of the selection in multiplayer. They can also wear Dress-Up Masks. The behavior of the CPUs depends on the difficulty level of the selected game. They are absent from the Ninja Dojo, Egg Catcher and multiplayer Samurai Kirby sub-games under normal circumstances, but are present in said games during a Magoland Tour.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	CP	-
Canadian French	ORDI	Abbreviation of ordinateur ("computer")
European French	IA	Abbreviation of intelligence artificielle ("artificial intelligence")
Brazilian Portuguese	COM	Abbreviation of computador ("computer")
Latin American Spanish	ADV	Abbreviation of adversario ("adversary", "enemy")
European Spanish	CPU	-