Knuckle Joe

Knuckle Joe Artwork of Knuckle Joe from Kirby Super Star Ultra. Details First game Kirby Super Star (1996) Latest game Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe (2023) Other game(s) Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom) Super Smash Bros. Brawl Kirby Super Star Ultra Kirby Mass Attack Kirby's Return to Dream Land Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition (New Challenge Stages) Kirby: Triple Deluxe Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U Kirby: Planet Robobot Kirby Battle Royale Kirby Star Allies Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Kirby Fighters 2 (reference) Kirby's Dream Buffet (reference) Copy Ability Fighter Voice actor(s) Minami Takayama (Super Smash Bros. series; Japanese) Alésia Glidewell (Super Smash Bros. series; English)

"Knuckle Joe" on other NIWA wikis: SmashWiki Super Mario Wiki

This article is about the reoccurring fighting-oriented enemy. For the shark enemy from Kirby's Dream Land 3, see Joe.

“

Heya, fighter! Go give 'em a knuckle sandwich for me!

”

— Knuckle Joe about the Fighter Copy Ability in Kirby Battle Royale

Knuckle Joe is an enemy in the Kirby series. Knuckle Joe appears as a humanoid figure with spiky blonde hair, a face closely resembling Kirby's, a bandana around his head, and a pair of pointy ears. Knuckle Joe is a fairly notable character in the Kirby series, receiving a reoccurring character role in Kirby: Right Back at Ya! and appearing as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and subsequent Super Smash Bros. titles.

Game appearances

Knuckle Joe's video game appearances
Game	Role	Notes
Kirby series
Kirby Super Star	Enemy and playable character	Knuckle Joe can be played when recruited as Helper.
Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)	Opponent
Kirby Super Star Ultra	Enemy and playable character	As this is the remake of Kirby Super Star, his role doesn't change.
Kirby Mass Attack	Cameo	Appears in the sub-game Kirby Brawlball as one of the many enemies spit out from Marx's Black Hole attack. Uses his enemy palette from Kirby Super Star and its remake.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land	Enemy
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition	Enemy	Appears in New Challenge Stages. Kirby Super Star is also ported here, where Knuckle Joe has the exact same role.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe	Enemy
Kirby Fighters Deluxe	Reference	One of the Rare Outfits is based off him.
Kirby: Planet Robobot	Enemy
Kirby Battle Royale	NPC
Kirby Star Allies	Enemy and playable character	Knuckle Joe can be recruited as a friend.
Kirby Fighters 2	Reference	One of the Rare Hats is based off him.
Kirby's Dream Buffet	Reference	Knuckle Joe appears on a Character Treat.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe	Enemy	Same as Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. Brawl	Supporting character	Appears as an Assist Trophy.
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U	Supporting character	Appears as an Assist Trophy.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate	Supporting character	Appears as an Assist Trophy.

Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra

Sprite from Kirby Super Star Ultra.

Knuckle Joe makes his debut as an enemy in Kirby Super Star as well as its remake Kirby Super Star Ultra. Here, he attempts to harm Kirby by throwing punches and kicks at him. When inhaled, he grants Kirby the Fighter ability, and also acts as the Helper of said ability.

Knuckle Joe is also one of the participants of the Megaton Punch contest. He appears as Kirby's second opponent, after Kirby defeats Bandana Waddle Dee.

In the Kirby Super Star Ultra-exclusive main game Helper to Hero, Joe, apart from being playable, appears in the opening sequence and in the boss picture for Wham Bam Jewel. Since Waddle Dee appears on the file select screen and life counter, these two could be considered to be the "mascots" of helpers. Knuckle Joe also appears on a card in Kirby Card Swipe and as a target in Kirby on the Draw, with the target using his design from the anime.

Knuckle Joe can be found in the following places in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra:

Kirby's Star Stacker (Super Famicom)

In the Super Famicom version of Kirby's Star Stacker, Knuckle Joe appears as the fourth opponent in the story mode. When Kirby and his Animal Friends run into him, he punches them all away and challenges them to a fight over the piece of Mr. Star that fell into his possession.

In Knuckle Joe's round, the boards start with the first four rows solidly filled in and a small 3x2 stack placed on the left-hand side, with one pair of each Friend Block nestled in the formation. Knuckle Joe appears to prefer placing his blocks on the left or right sides of his board, only placing them in the middle columns whenever he can cause some stars to be stacked. He is capable of getting rather large combos this way, so Kirby will need to keep on his toes to stay ahead.

After being defeated, Knuckle Joe is bruised and beaten, being carried away by a Waddle Dee in a wheelbarrow while insisting that he needed to train harder.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land / Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

A Knuckle Joe from Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe.

Knuckle Joe reappears as an enemy that can be swallowed for the Fighter ability, not appearing until White Wafers - Stage 1 and making sporadic appearances throughout. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, he also reprises his role as a target in Kirby on the Draw.

In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Knuckle Joe can be found in the following levels and stages:

Knuckle Joe locations in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Stage	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4	Stage 5
Cookie Country
Raisin Ruins
Onion Ocean					N/A
White Wafers
Nutty Noon
Egg Engines
Dangerous Dinner				N/A	N/A

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Knuckle Joe appears as he did in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.

In Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Knuckle Joe can be found in the following levels and stages:

Knuckle Joe locations in Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Stage	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4	Stage 5	Stage 6 (EX)	Stage 7 EX	Stage 8 EX
Fine Fields					N/A		N/A	N/A
Lollipop Land					N/A		N/A	N/A
Old Odyssey						N/A		N/A
Wild World						N/A		N/A
Endless Explosions						N/A		N/A
Royal Road						N/A

Kirby: Planet Robobot

Knuckle Joe appears largely unchanged from his previous appearance.

In Kirby: Planet Robobot, Knuckle Joe can be found in the following levels and stages:

Knuckle Joe locations in Kirby: Planet Robobot
Stage	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4	Stage 5	Stage 6 (EX)	Stage 7 EX	Stage 8 EX
Patched Plains					N/A		N/A	N/A
Resolution Road					N/A		N/A	N/A
Overload Ocean						N/A		N/A
Gigabyte Grounds						N/A		N/A
Rhythm Route						N/A		N/A
Access Ark						N/A

Kirby Battle Royale

Knuckle Joe can be seen in the audience in many of the battle modes. He also appears in Dedede's Cake Royale, standing in front of the Training Room tent. If Kirby talks to him, Knuckle Joe will comment on the ability Kirby has equipped. An alternate headgear for Fighter Kirby is also based on Knuckle Joe.

Kirby Star Allies

Menu artwork of Knuckle Joe in Kirby Star Allies.

“

“Gonna be the top fighter anywhere!” He’s eager to prove himself in a legendary tournament and sets off at full speed to find it…wherever it is! He’s up for any battle, no matter how tough!

”

— Guest Star Knuckle Joe The Contender Pause Screen description in Kirby Star Allies

Knuckle Joe appears in this title, and can be recruited as a Friend. As a Friend, he has all of Fighter Kirby's moves, and can also use the Friend Throw. His agility is also arguably greater than that of Fighter Kirby's, since he uses an Infinity Jump which he can act out of immediately with further attacks.

In Kirby Star Allies Knuckle Joe can be found in the following levels and stages:

Kirby Fighters 2

A Rare Hat for Fighter Kirby based on Knuckle Joe appears in Kirby Fighters 2.

Kirby's Dream Buffet

In Kirby's Dream Buffet, Knuckle Joe appears on a Character Treat, depicting his sprite from Kirby Super Star.

Super Smash Bros. series

Super Smash Bros. Melee

While Knuckle Joe does not make a direct appearance in Super Smash Bros. Melee, he is indirectly mentioned in the description of the Fighter Kirby trophy. The description reads: "Kirby dons a warrior's headband and becomes a fierce fighter when he swallows an enemy skilled at physical attacks."

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Artwork of Knuckle Joe from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Knuckle Joe appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, as well as an Assist Trophy character, who uses the Vulcan Jab attack, as well as other attacks on opponents.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Knuckle Joe reprises his role from the previous game as an Assist Trophy and as a collectible trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U. In the 3DS version, the trophy can be obtained by playing ten hours of the Smash mode. In the Wii U version, the trophy can be obtained by clearing Classic Mode on 9.0 without customizations. His attacks remain the same, however he can now be defeated.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Knuckle Joe once more reprises his role as an Assist Trophy in this title. He also appears as a spirit in World of Light. He cannot appear on the following stages: Midgar, Mute City SNES, Norfair and Suzaku Castle.

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Knuckle Joe Artwork of Knuckle Joe from Kirby: Right Back at Ya!. Details First episode Here Comes the Son Last episode Fright to the Finish Main role Supporting character Relative(s) Unnamed father Similar characters Sirica Voice actor(s) Kevin Kolack (English) Minami Takayama (Japanese)

Knuckle Joe makes an appearance as a reoccurring character in the anime series Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, first appearing in the episode Here Comes the Son. He is a young rogue fighter whose father was a Star Warrior slain during the great war against Night Mare Enterprises and its monster armies. Not knowing the true circumstances of his father's death beforehand, he believes a Star Warrior to be responsible for his death, and travels to Dream Land with the help of N.M.E. to hunt down Kirby and Meta Knight. Meta Knight then reveals to Knuckle Joe the true story, but it takes a duel with Kirby for Knuckle Joe to truly come to understand this. After this point, Knuckle Joe becomes an ally to Kirby and Meta Knight, aiding them against some of the stronger monsters sent by N.M.E., most notably the titan Masher.

Knuckle Joe has a very similar physique and appearance to his video game incarnation, but he is portrayed with a different color palette in his first appearance (perhaps to reflect the Helper mechanic of Kirby Super Star). His powers include using many of the attacks associated with the Fighter ability, but he also has the ability to fly and cast electric attacks. In Here Comes the Son, he momentarily transforms into a monstrous version of himself which uses needles to attack, thus granting Kirby the Needle ability to retaliate against him. This needle version of Knuckle Joe is unique to the anime.

Filmography

The following is a complete list of all of Knuckle Joe's appearances in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, along with other information regarding his role in each episode:

Knuckle Joe's appearances in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Episode	Image	Role	Selected quote	Notes
Here Comes the Son		Primary character	"I told ya...I'm not a monster."
Monster Management		Primary character	"It took a long time to plan, but it was worth it! I'm a monster hunter now...and I wanted to bag one of the big ones! That meant goin' after Masher!"
Masher 2.0		Primary character	"You may be a good warrior...but you're a lousy driver." (to Kirby after he crashes the Warp Star)
Combat Kirby		Tertiary character	"I took over a Destroya and was hopin' you'd let me join your party!"
Fright to the Finish		Tertiary character	"I hate to tell ya this, Meta Knight, but I got some bad news for ya! Three Destroyas got through. They're headed your way!"

Gallery

• 

  Locket containing an image of baby Knuckle Joe

• 

  Needle Knuckle Joe

• 

  Fighter Kirby and Knuckle Joe performing a Rising Break together

• 

  Kirby and Knuckle Joe shaking hands after defeating Masher

• 

  Fighter Kirby and Knuckle Joe work together to defeat Masher 2.0

In the Kirby novel series

Knuckle Joe Knuckle Joe, as he appears in Kirby Clash Team Unite! Details First appearance Kirby Clash Team Unite! Last appearance Kirby: The Dream Onsen is a Good Hot Spring♪ Role Supporting character Other appearance(s) his video game counterpart

This section is incomplete. You can help WiKirby by expanding it. Missing coverage for most appearances, and general description.

In the Kirby novel series, Knuckle Joe is a resident of Dream Land.

Volume appearances

The following is a complete list of every appearance Knuckle Joe has made in the Kirby novel series, along with the role he plays and its details in the plot of each volume:

Knuckle Joe's appearances in the Kirby novel series
Volume	Image	Role	Role details	Notes
Kirby Clash Team Unite!		Tertiary character
Kirby's Decisive Battle! Battle Royale!!		Tertiary character
Kirby Star Allies: The Universe is in Trouble?!		Tertiary character
Kirby: Super Team Kirby's Big Battle!		Tertiary character
Kirby: Meta Knight and the Knight of Yomi		Tertiary character	In this volume, Knuckle Joe sees Beryl rampaging in Dream Land disguised as Meta Knight, and is attacked when he confronts him. Knuckle Joe seeks out Kirby, asking the latter to protect them. He then offers himself to be inhaled so Fighter Kirby can fight back against the fake Meta Knight.
Kirby: Uproar at the Kirby Café?!		Tertiary character	In this volume, Knuckle Joe joins the staff of the Dedede Café. He works as a bouncer and a waiter.
Kirby: The Mysterious Incident on the Pupupu Train?!		Tertiary character

Profiles

Flavor text

Image	Game	Flavor text
	Kirby Star Allies	Guest Star Knuckle Joe: "Gonna be the top fighter anywhere!" He’s eager to prove himself in a legendary tournament and sets off at full speed to find it…wherever it is! He’s up for any battle, no matter how tough!

Super Smash Bros. Brawl trophy description

Name	Image	Appears in	Description
Knuckle Joe		SNES Kirby Super Star	A martial artist known for amazing attacks like the Vulcan Jab. With his bandana, he looks and fights the part of a Muay Thai boxer. When Kirby copies Knuckle Joe, he gains the fighting techniques of a hand-to-hand-combat expert. Knuckle Joe also engages in friendly block-breaking competitions with Kirby. His other famous techniques are the Smash Punch and Rising Break.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophy information

Name	3DS image	Wii U image	Appears In	American English description	British English description
Knuckle Joe			SNES Kirby Super Star 09/1996) Wii Kirby's Return to Dream Land 10/2011	A martial-arts master, Knuckle Joe can be inhaled by Kirby and his Fighter ability copied. If you summon him, he'll leap toward the enemy nearest you and unleash his powerful Vulcan Jab attack. He'll then finish off his target with a devastating Smash Punch or Rising Break.	When Kirby copies this expert in all martial arts, he becomes a pro at hand-to-hand combat. Release Knuckle Joe in this game, and he'll jump towards the enemy nearest to you and unleash his mighty Vulcan Jab, then finish them off with a devastating Smash Punch or Rising Break!
Blue indicates exclusive to the Wii U version.

Trivia

• In Kirby Star Allies, Knuckle Joe can provide the Sizzle attribute with Giga Force Blast. However, a CPU will not acknowledge this if it needs to light a fuse or provide a Power Effect.

Gallery

Main article: Knuckle Joe/gallery

• 

  Artwork from Kirby Super Star

• 

  Sprite from Kirby Super Star (as a helper)

• 

  Artwork of an injured Knuckle Joe being carried on a wheelbarrow by a Waddle Dee, from the Super Famicom version of Kirby's Star Stacker

• 

  Artwork of Knuckle Joe and Kirby posing from Kirby Super Star Ultra

• 

  Knuckle Joe in Kirby's Return to Dream Land

• 

  Model from Kirby Star Allies

• 

  Artwork from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• 

  Artwork from Kirby no Copy-toru!

Quotes

Quotes from Knuckle Joe in Kirby Battle Royale

Kirby Battle Royale "Cool sword you've got there. Hope you're putting it to good use. Spin Slash is fairly unbeatable. Be sure to train every day!" "That pointed hat gives you the Bomb ability! You should use Bomb Dunk if you want to shock your foe!" "Look at that horn on you! The Beetle ability sure looks impressive. Use Rocket Horn to grab foes and Dive to drive them into the ground." "That spear... Did you join the Waddle Dee army or something?! Spears are great for both thrusting and throwing? Get the point?!" "Ah, the Cutter ability! Those slashes sure are satisfying. There's nothing like a good charge session...and a Hyper Cutter!" "Heya, fighter! Go give 'em a knuckle sandwich for me! When you see an opening, use your Giga Force Blast to knock 'em out!" "When you use your Ninja ability, you'll have lots of fierce moves! With those, you can unleash quick attacks for a decisive win." "That whip is cool and all... but the hat is where it's really at. Whip your enemies into shape! Wrap 'em up while you're at it!" "Huh? Carrying a parasol on a nice day like this? I wanna see you pick up your opponents and swing them around!" "A big hammer and a headband. That look really suits you! If you've got a hammer, take a swing! Not at me, though!" "Ha! Are you wearing those glasses to look smart? If I were a doctor, I'd say to get rest and call me in the morning!" "Try the Tornado ability if you want to play cool tricks on your rivals. All that wind will feel mighty nice to you, but not your opponents." "Ice-skating is pretty cool, isn't it?! I just love those spinny jumps! It's fun seeing frozen foes slide to their doom when you throw them!"

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ナックルジョー Nakkuru Jō	Knuckle Joe His name likely derives from the eponymous character of Tomorrow's Joe, a very famous and influential boxing manga.
Traditional Chinese	格鬥家喬 gé dòu jiā qiáo	Wrestler Joe
Simplified Chinese	格斗家乔 gé dòu jiā qiáo
Dutch	Knuckle Joe	-
French	Knuckle Joe	-
German	Knuckle Joe	-
Italian	Knuckle Joe	-
Korean	넉클 죠 Neokkeul Jyo	Knuckle Joe
Brazilian Portuguese	Knuckle Joe Joe Mãos à Obra	- Joe Hands at Work ("Mãos à Obra" is an expression in Portuguese that means "Let's get to work!")
European Portuguese	Knuckle Joe	-
Spanish	Knuckle Joe	-