Ability Item

"Gives Kirby a new Copy Ability when swallowed."

- Items

An Ability Item is an item that corresponds to a certain Copy Ability, first introduced in Kirby Super Star. They serve as an alternative way of dropping a Copy Ability.

Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra
In Kirby Super Star, pressing the A button while possessing a Copy Ability will transform that Copy Ability into its corresponding Helper; in Kirby Super Star Ultra, this is done by pressing X. If Kirby obtains a Copy Ability and presses this button again while in the presence of a Helper, Kirby will instead discard his ability as an Ability Item; in Kirby Super Star, this is Kirby's only method of discarding his Copy Ability, whereas Kirby Super Star Ultra also allows the player to drop a Copy Ability as a star by pressing Select. If Kirby performs the Normal Beam nearby a Helper, that Helper will be transformed into an Ability Item.

If Kirby inhales an Ability Item, he will obtain the Copy Ability it corresponds to (except in Milky Way Wishes, where Kirby cannot inhale to obtain Copy Abilities except for limited-use ones). If a Helper touches an Ability Item, it will be transformed into the corresponding Helper (unless that Helper already has that ability, in which case nothing will happen).

When Kirby throws an ability item, it usually follows an arcing path, but most Ability Items have unique trajectories they take when being thrown. Ability Items resemble various objects associated with the respective Copy Ability/Helper.

Kirby Star Allies
With the return of Helpers, Ability Items also return. Kirby can no longer drop his ability as an Ability Item, but he can still transform helpers into them with unfriend. As with before, if a Helper touches an Ability Item, it will become the corresponding Helper (except Player 1's Helper in Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go!); this does not occur with Dream Friends. Kirby can still inhale Ability Items to obtain its Copy Ability, but he can also do this by touching them as well. Defeated Mid-bosses will drop Ability Items, and any ability-bearing enemies will drop them during Friend Star segments, as Kirby and co. have no other methods of changing abilities. Ability Items in this game resemble the Copy Ability's hat.