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Gate

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A Gate is an object that appears in several Kirby titles. It consists of a thin wall, floor or ceiling that blocks off a passage, which can be opened and/or closed by meeting some specified condition. There are two primary types of gates; switch gates are activated by pressing a Switch or other activation trigger and key gates are opened using Keys. The former debuted in Kirby Super Star and the latter did not appear until [[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRDL KAW]].

Switch gates

File:RoMK Stage 7.jpg
Kirby runs through a set of two switch gates in Revenge of Meta Knight (Ultra)

A switch gate consists of a thin barrier or platform which ranges from 2 to 3 Kirbies tall, though all gates in a particular game tend to match each-other in terms of dimensions. They often block passage forward or lock away a bonus item or area. To open them, Kirby usually has to find and press a corresponding Switch or Pull Switch located elsewhere in the area. Some gates will remain open indefinitely after being triggered (until Kirby leaves and re-enters the area they reside in), while others will only remain open for a set interval before shutting again.

Switches are not the only way to trigger these gates. Other actions or mechanisms can do this as well, including the following:

  • Hitting a Bomb Block
  • Defeating a specific enemy or Mid-Boss
  • Approaching the gate
  • Waiting a short while in an area

These gates are also often positioned in ways that they do not act as barriers, but instead as platforms. As such, it may actually be a mistake to trigger these to open, as they may drop important items or objects into a bottomless pit or otherwise inaccessible area. These gates can also be inverted, in the sense that they start open, and shut when triggered instead of the other way around. A single trigger can be responsible for activating multiple gates in various states, which is the case when a single switch opens one gate, but closes another.

Key gates

A key gate tends to match the switch gates in terms of dimensions, but is visually distinguished by a lock on its screen-facing side. These gates can only be opened by contact with a Key and once opened, will not shut again. In most cases, any key will do, but some gates will only accept a key that matches its lock colTemplate:Our.

For the most part, these gates are not as versatile as their switch-based counterparts, though there may be instances where multiple key gates are present and a comparatively smaller amount of keys can be used. In this case, it is important to choose which gates to unlock carefully, as unlocking a gate removes the key as well.