Rick

"Here's a trick a platypus taught me."

- Rick

Rick is a friendly and energetic hamster that befriends Kirby. Second only to Ribbon, Rick is arguably the most well known of the helpers Kirby has had over the years. Rick first appeared alongside Coo and Kine in Kirby's Dream Land 2. Whereas Coo and Kine are most helpful in the air and in the water, Rick was best suited for land. The name Rick is also derived from riku, a Japanese word for land. In Kirby's Dream Land 3, Rick met his match- Nago the cat. The two were both skilled at trekking the land.

In recent games, Rick has simply been reduced to small cameos. He appeared with Coo and Kine in Kirby's Star Stacker, and in a statue form in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Kirby Super Star Ultra, Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and Kirby: Triple Deluxe as a random result of the Stone copy ability. The statue from Kirby's Return to Dream Land appears sometimes when Smash Kirby uses his Stone attack in Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition. Rick also appeared as a collectible Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee. He also made a surprise appearance in the continue screen of Kirby Mass Attack's Kirby Quest, which includes Coo and Kine as well. The screen itself is based on the game over screen of Kirby's Dream Land 2. Along with the two other original Animal Friends, Rick appears in the Kirby Fighters sub-game of Kirby: Triple Deluxe.

Physical Appearance
Rick is a round little hamster. He has white fur with small patches of orange on him. The orange patches are most noticeable on his head and on his back. He has little pink feet and a small, pink, button-shaped nose. A real hamster would have pink hands, but Rick does not. Rick is almost twice the size as Kirby, so he can't fit into smaller places and tight passageways. He can also jump from wall to wall and crush enemies with his astounding girth. Like Kirby, Rick can inhale enemies (This was later changed to stuffing the enemy into his mouth). However, Rick is unable to harness the power to hold his breath to float like Kirby. Rick can be used to jump on walls.

Kirby's Dream Land 2
Kirby earns Rick's trust and friendship when he saves him from a horde of mid-bosses. Rick is able to withstand treacherous terrain and doesn't skid on slippery platforms such as ice. Like the rest of Kirby's friends in this game, Rick can merge abilities with Kirby to make stronger ones:


 * Burning: Rapid Fireballs (Fire)
 * Cutter: Kirby Boomerang
 * Ice: Snowman Snowfall
 * Needle: Porcupine Back
 * Parasol: Balancing Act
 * Spark: Beam Attack
 * Stone: Rolling Rock

Kirby's Dream Land 3
Rick has gained several new abilities, such as jumping from wall to wall. His inhaling technique however, was replaced by the power to stomp enemies flat. Instead of inhaling enemies, Rick charges forward with his gaping mouth wide open. This game also introduces Rick's love interest- Pick. For transportation Kirby sits on Rick's back for a ride. Rick can once again combine his abilities with Kirby:


 * Burning: Rapid Fireballs (Fire)
 * Clean: Tiny Duster
 * Cutter: Kirby Boomerang
 * Ice: Snowman Snowfall
 * Needle: Porcupine Back
 * Parasol: Balancing Act
 * Spark: Beam
 * Stone: Rolling Rock

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
The ability Animal Statues allows Kirby to turn into a stone Rick. He acts like he normally does, but without an ability to use. He can, however, climb up walls if a player holds the directional pad against the wall and presses jump in rhythmic succession.

Kirby: Canvas Curse
Rick appears in Paint Panic as one of the paintings Paint Roller draws.

Kirby Mass Attack
Rick makes a cameo in Kirby Quest if Kirby loses.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition
Stone Kirby can transform into a statue of Rick, Coo, and Kine. In Kirby's Dream Collection: Special Edition, Smash Kirby can transform into this statue by using the Stone attack.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Though he is not a playable character, Rick appears in the Kirby Fighters sub-game. In the stage based off of Kirby's Dream Land 3, he occasionally steps through doors and attacks the Kirbys by using his Burning attack: flame breath. He then proceeds to reenter the door he came from.

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Rick's once semi-important role has been reduced greatly. Rick quite isn't an acquaintance of Kirby, nor do the two really interact all that much. Rick lives in Whispy Woods Forest inside the roots of the great tree Acore. Rick shows no change in personality though. He also speaks with an Australian voice in the dub. Despite his lack of appearances in the episodes, Rick has still appeared more than any of the other animals, let alone the animal helpers, in the anime. His first appearance in the anime was in A Blockbuster Battle, when he helped to build a treehouse for Kirby (which was wrecked later in the episode by King Dedede and Escargoon). Rick's feet were changed to a light purple color.

Related Quotes
"Rick made his debut alongside Kirby's other friends, Coo and Kine. He looks like a meek hamster, but when he puffs himself up, he's bigger than Kirby. When he's carrying Kirby on his back, he can mimic Kirby's copy powers with some special moves of his own. Rick's claim to fame is his exceptional traction on icy surfaces."

- Trophy description

Trivia

 * Of the three Animal Friends who appear in the anime, Rick is the only one that has any kind of conflict with Kirby. This instance was only in the episode, War of the Woods.
 * When Ado draws Rick in the Boss Butch credits of Kirby's Dream Land 3, she gives him toes.
 * Rick is the only Animal Friend that consumes enemies himself. All others allow Kirby to inhale the foes or, in ChuChu's case, drag the foes into Kirby's mouth.

Sprites
Rick Rick