This article is about friendly versions of enemies that Kirby can summon or recruit. For the animal helpers debuting in Kirby's Dream Land 2, see Animal Friend. For other helpful characters, see Category:Allies.

Helpers (also called Allies and Friends) are friendly counterparts of enemies that assist Kirby in Kirby Super Star, Kirby Super Star Ultra and Kirby Star Allies. They are considered a type of Special Ability.

Artwork of Kirby calling a Waddle Doo as a Helper from Kirby Super Star Ultra.
This character is called a helper. He'll be a big help to Kirby.
— Tutorial from The Beginner's Show, in Kirby Super Star

Game appearancesEdit

Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star UltraEdit

When Kirby has copied an ability, he can produce a helper. The helper becomes Kirby's ally and will help him defeat any enemy that stands in his way.
— Kirby Super Star manual

When Kirby possesses a Copy Ability, he may create a helper, but loses the ability in the process. However, in want of a Copy Ability, Kirby can use the Normal Beam to transform the helper into an item yielding the ability that was used in its creation, allowing Kirby to regain it. If Kirby attempts to call forth a Helper when there is already one in existence, he instead tosses his ability away in item form, allowing the current Helper to transform into a new one when it touches the item. In Kirby Super Star, creating a Helper is the only way for Kirby to manually remove his ability, while in Kirby Super Star Ultra he can also remove it by creating an Ability Star, evading the creation of a Helper.

Helpers follow the player around and attack any enemies which they encounter. They are usually able to use the same attacks as Kirby can when he possesses their ability, but can use them underwater and are capable of jumping in midair or teleporting in order to keep up with him. Although usually controlled by an AI, Helpers can alternatively be controlled by a second player. They will always have one reoccurring color scheme to differentiate them from the enemy variants.

Kirby's current Helper possesses its own, separate health bar. The health bar can be refilled by having the Helper pick up food or touching it shortly after Kirby himself does so. When a Helper's health runs out, it flashes and begins to explode. During this period, touching any enemy that yields an ability transforms the Helper into a new one that possesses the respective Copy Ability, instantly restoring all its health and keeping it from exploding. Alternatively, tossing a different Copy Ability at a Helper to transform it also heals it completely.

Helpers can be stolen by a Tac just like Copy Abilities. If it does, the player's helper disappears.

Kirby Super Star Ultra introduces two additional modes where Helpers feature outside the context of being summoned to help Kirby:

  • Meta Knightmare Ultra gives Meta Knight the Knight Call move, which summons Blade Knight or Sword Knight, effectively providing helpers but for Meta Knight.
  • Helper to Hero is a Boss Endurance mode with only helpers as playable characters. Notably this mode also includes Sword Knight, featuring a slightly modified Sword moveset.

List of HelpersEdit

Helpers in Kirby Super Star/Kirby Super Star Ultra  
Name Icon Appearance Copy Ability
Kirby Super Star Kirby Super Star Ultra
Bio Spark        Ninja
Birdon        Wing
Blade Knight        Sword
Bonkers        Hammer
Bugzzy        Suplex
Burning Leo        Fire
Capsule J /
Capsule J2
       Jet
Chilly        Ice
Gim        Yo-yo
Knuckle Joe        Fighter
Parasol W. Dee        Parasol
Plasma Wisp        Plasma
Poppy Bros. Jr.        Bomb
Rocky        Stone
Simirror        Mirror
Sir Kibble        Cutter
Tac        Copy
Waddle Doo        Beam
Wheelie        Wheel
Starship Helper       Starship*
Sword Knight
(Ultra only)
  N/A    Sword**
Notes
* The Starship Helper can only be summoned to help Kirby in co-op mode, and only in the battles against the Galactic Nova and Kabula.
** Sword Knight cannot help Kirby, only featuring as a possible helper in Meta Knightmare Ultra (in response to Knight Call) and in Helper to Hero. The playable Sword Knight in Helper to Hero also has a modified Sword moveset including Meta Knight's upwards thrust attack.

Kirby Star AlliesEdit

Helpers return in Kirby Star Allies (which are known as Friends). Instead of needing to give up Kirby's Copy Ability like in Kirby Super Star and its remake, Kirby uses a special item known as a Friend Heart to make friends and up to three can be recruited at any time. As Friends, they will be color coded by player order, and use the same headgear that Kirby does. In addition, they can combine their powers together and with Kirby to perform a Friend Ability, and can be controlled by up to 3 extra players. While CPU friends are following Kirby, he can jump onto their backs and control them directly if need be. If Kirby has an ability and no CPU Friends with him, an extra player joining will force Kirby to give up his ability and turn it into a Friend.

It is possible for Kirby to inhale his friends and use them as projectiles, or swallow them to gain their ability.

Friends who are KO'd will lie on the ground until revived, unless they fall to a hazard or go off-screen, in which case they will be removed from the stage shortly thereafter (or instantaneously if crushed). To revive a friend, the player can press and hold X (or the Up button when holding the Joy-Con sideways). After a few seconds, the friend gets revived by whichever character the player was using at that time with half their stamina.

If a friend is left KO'd when going through a doorway, that friend will be revived in the next area, though with minimal Stamina. This can be used in certain situations to save a friend that has been felled by a hazard or while underwater to save them before they are removed. KO'd allies will also be revived with minimal Stamina if sent flying by certain Boss moves, such as Whispy Woods' jump mid-fight.

List of FriendsEdit

Standard Friends in Kirby Star Allies  
Name Appearance Ability Mid-Boss? Name Appearance Ability Mid-Boss?
Beetley   Beetle   Gim   Yo-Yo  
Bio Spark   Ninja   Jammerjab   Staff  
Birdon   Wing   Knuckle Joe   Fighter  
Blade Knight   Sword   NESP   ESP  
Bonkers   Hammer   Parasol Waddle Dee   Parasol  
Broom Hatter   Cleaning   Plugg   Plasma  
Bugzzy   Suplex   Poppy Bros. Jr.   Bomb  
Burning Leo   Fire   Rocky   Stone  
Chef Kawasaki   Cook   Sir Kibble   Cutter  
Chilly   Ice   Vividria   Artist  
Como   Spider   Waddle Doo   Beam  
Driblee   Water   Wester   Whip  

VideosEdit

Official Kirby Portal video showcasing Helpers

See alsoEdit

Names in other languagesEdit

HelperEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese ヘルパー
Herupā
Helper
Dutch Bondgenoot Ally
French Acolyte Sidekick
German Helfer Helper
Italian Aiutante Helper
Korean 헬퍼
Helpeo
Helper
Portuguese Ajudante Helper
Russian Помощник
Pomoshchnik
Helper
Spanish Ayudante Helper


FriendEdit

Language Name Meaning
Japanese フレンズヘルパー
Furenzu Herupā
Friends Helper
Dutch Vriend Friend
French Ami Friend
German Freund Friend
Italian Amico Friend
Korean 프렌즈
Peurenjeu
Friends
Spanish Amigo Friend