Mumbies is a reoccurring floating bandage-wrapped spherical enemy in the Kirby series, which made its first appearance in Kirby's Dream Land. It is a somewhat uncommon enemy, and is notable for its relatively high durability, along with its immunity to Kirby's inhale (in some games, their bandages will ruffle a bit when Kirby uses his inhale technique). Mumbies are characterized by their nearly perfectly round physique and is almost completely wrapped in white or off-yellow bandages, leaving a slit in the front for their single eye, which is either red or yellow depending on the game.
Mumbies typically hold completely still when Kirby is facing in their direction, but will pursue him slowly when he looks away. This makes Mumbies similar to Boo from the Super Mario games in behavior. Although Mumbies is tough, it can still be defeated using any Copy Ability or item attack, Star Bullet, or even by a few Air Bullets if no better options are available.
Game appearances[edit]
Kirby's Dream Land[edit]
Artwork of Mumbies from
Kirby's Dream Land
Mumbies first appears in Kirby's Dream Land and is mainly seen in the Castle Lololo region, often appearing alongside other ghost-like foes like Booler. It does not exhibit much of its later characteristic behavior in this game, instead appearing suddenly and moving more quickly along with the other flying enemies, and also being just as weak as them.
In Extra Game, Mumbies is replaced by the somewhat more aggressive Skuller.
Kirby's Pinball Land[edit]
Mumbies (known here as Mummy Ball[1]) appears in Kirby's Pinball Land in the lower-most board of Wispy-Woods Land. Bumping into it confers 360 points. Once bumped into eight times, it is defeated, granting a multiplier to the bonus score and revealing the Warp Star which can take Kirby back to the level hub.
Kirby's Dream Land 2[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Land 2, Mumbies are a late-game enemy, not seen until Cloudy Park. In this title, they are capable of moving through walls and blocks in pursuit of Kirby.
Locations[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Land 2, Mumbies can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kirby's Block Ball[edit]
Artwork of Mumbies from
Kirby's Block Ball
Mumbies appears as a common enemy in Kirby's Block Ball, and must be hit three times to defeat, with each hit worth 600 points. Mumbies drops a Block Flip when defeated.
Kirby's Dream Land 3[edit]
Mumbies appears once more in Kirby's Dream Land 3, and are not encountered until Cloudy Park. They behave largely the same as they did in Kirby's Dream Land 2.
Locations[edit]
In Kirby's Dream Land 3, Mumbies can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards[edit]
In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Mumbies are seen primarily in Rock Star, with their bandaged appearance suiting the desert scenery. Here is where they began to exhibit their characteristic shyness, and where they lost the ability to move through walls. Mumbies appears on the 78th Enemy Info Card.
Locations[edit]
Mumbies can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kirby's Return to Dream Land / Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe[edit]
Mumbies in
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
An 11 year gap lies between Mumbies' last appearance and its return in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. Here is where it gained its modern look and characteristics, which can be seen as a joining of its previous depictions. Mumbies in this game and onward can exhibits varied behavior, either stopping when Kirby looks at it, pursuing him regardless of his facing, or holding still at all times. It appears in the remake as well.
The Degout enemy debuting in Kirby's Return to Dream Land can be seen as a tougher robotic version of Mumbies, as both behave in the same generalized way and have a similar physique.
Locations[edit]
In Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Mumbies can be found in the following levels and stages:
Kirby: Triple Deluxe & Kirby: Planet Robobot[edit]
Mumbies returns in Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot, unchanged from its appearance in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
Locations[edit]
In Kirby: Triple Deluxe Mumbies can be found in the following levels and stages:
Mumbies' only appearance in Kirby: Planet Robobot is in Gigabyte Grounds - Stage 2.
Kirby's Blowout Blast[edit]
Mumbies makes an appearance as a common enemy in Kirby's Blowout Blast, being worth 100 points when defeated. Like in its other appearances, it cannot be inhaled, so it must be dispatched using Star Bullets.
Kirby Battle Royale[edit]
In Kirby Battle Royale, Mumbies does not appear as an enemy, but can be seen as part of the audience in the Coin Clash battle mode.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land[edit]
Kirby being chased by a Mumbies in
Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
Mumbies returns as an enemy in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, with the same set of behaviors as in previous appearances. Notably, its red eye has a "searchlight" effect.
Locations[edit]
In Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Mumbies can be found in the following stages:
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya![edit]
- Main article: Mumbies Madness
“
|
The Mumbies are vicious monsters sent throughout the universe to hunt down and exterminate Star Warriors! When the containers that hold them are discovered, they are automatically unsealed, and they begin looking for Star Warriors to destroy!
|
”
|
— Meta Knight, in Mumbies Madness
|
Mumbies appears as a monster in the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! episode Mumbies Madness. It is discovered in an archaic-looking urn by Professor Curio, who appears to be influenced by the monster into an uncharacteristic hostility. After freeing Mumbies, however, Curio returns to his normal self, and attempts to seal the creature away when he realizes he was tricked by King Dedede using a forged book about the creature. Due to a misunderstanding and his own apprehension, however, Curio is interrupted in his effort to contain the monster by Tiff and Tuff, and Mumbies is free to antagonize Kirby on two separate nights.
Meta Knight explains that Mumbies are creatures which are specifically made to hunt down and destroy Star Warriors. Since it locked on Kirby, Mumbies will not cease its attacks on him until he is destroyed, halted only by sunlight, which its its biggest weakness and what stopped it from killing Kirby on the first night. During its second attack, Kirby tries and fails to inhale the monster, being forced to spit it back out, and is only given a means to fight back when King Dedede foolishly tosses a bomb at Kirby which he inhales for the Bomb Copy Ability. Despite this new ability, Kirby is once again overpowered by Mumbies, but Kirby manages to turn things around when he uses the Warp Star to carry him and Mumbies high into space, where the monster is unable to evade the rays from the Sun and is reduced to dust.
Mumbies is depicted very differently to its appearance in the games, only sharing its basic appearance. In the anime, Mumbies has many different powers, and is defined primarily by its huge mouth with sharp teeth; a trait it lacks in the games. It attacks by biting and dragging its target around with its mouth, and when this fails, it uses black laser blasts from its eye to blow up its target, making it similar to Dark Matter. Mumbies also possesses a hypnotic gaze, which it uses to both influence Professor Curio and lull Kirby into fatigue during its fight with him. Unlike in the games, Mumbies can be inhaled, but its abilities cannot be absorbed, and Kirby is forced to spit it back out again. Its only weakness is to sunlight - giving it vampiric qualities - and this is how it is ultimately defeated.
Gallery[edit]
Video games[edit]
A ring of Boolers and Mumbies in Kirby's Dream Land
Model of Mumbies from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Screenshot of Mumbies in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Illustration of Mumbies along with Maw, I³, and Ghost Knight from the true ending credits in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Model of Mumbies from Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Screenshot of Mumbies in Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Screenshot of Mumbies in Kirby: Planet Robobot
Screenshot of Mumbies in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Screenshot of Mumbies while dormant in Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Figure of Mumbies from Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Screenshot of Mumbies from Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Ghost Story Day illustration from the Kirby JP Twitter featuring Mumbies
Halloween 2020 illustration from the Kirby JP Twitter featuring Mumbies
Dedede Directory about Mumbies
Mumbies being forced to halt its near-victory over Kirby by the morning light
Mumbies using its hypnotic gaze on Kirby
Mumbies attempting to blast Kirby with its black laser beam
Mumbies being exposed to the light and held there by Kirby
Names in other languages[edit]
Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Japanese
|
マンビーズ Manbisu
|
Mumbies Combination of "mummy" and "zombies"
|
Chinese
|
芒比尸 Máng bǐ shī
|
Mumbies
|
Dutch
|
Mumbies
|
-
|
French
|
Mumbies
|
-
|
German
|
Mumbies
|
-
|
Italian
|
Mumbies
|
-
|
Korean
|
맘비스 mambiseu
|
Mumbies
|
Spanish
|
Mumbies
|
-
|
References
- ↑ Name taken from Kirby's Pinball Land Instruction Booklet (American release), Page 9
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition |
---|
| Characters | | | Modes | | | Classic Titles | | | Anime episodes | | | Manga samples (Japanese version only) | | | Copy Abilities (New Challenge Stages) | | | Stages (New Challenge Stages) | | | Enemies (New Challenge Stages) | | | Mid-Bosses (New Challenge Stages) | | | Extra | |
|
Kirby: Triple Deluxe |
---|
| Characters | | | Levels and stages | | | Bosses | | | Mid-Bosses | | | Copy Abilities | | | Enemies | | | Sub-games | | | Items and objects | | | Kirby Fighters Battle Stages | | | Dedede's Drum Dash stages | | | Extra | |
|
Kirby: Planet Robobot |
---|
| Characters | | | Levels and stages | | | Bosses | | | Mid-Bosses | | | Copy Abilities | | | Enemies | | | Sub-Games | | | Kirby 3D Rumble levels | | | Items and objects | | | Extra | |
|