Health

Vitality (also sometimes called health or hit points) is the visual representation of how many hits Kirby can take before he loses a life. All playable characters have this and bosses, mini-bosses, and in some games, enemies have their own separate vitality bars shown while fighting them.

Vitality Meter
Most of the time the vitality meter is represented by bars that disappear as Kirby takes damage while boss characters get a gauge; though in Kirby Super Star, its remake, Kirby: Squeak Squad, and Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby and his helper use a gauge for their vitality as well.

Kirby's default vitality is often 6, but changes from time to time. In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, when played on extra mode, Kirby has only 3 bars of health. In Kirby's Dream Land 3, he has 10 health points. In Kirby & the Amazing Mirror he could raise his vitality up by 4. In Kirby: Squeak Squad, Kirby could also raise his vitality.

Recovering Vitality
Most games have food items that recover lost vitality by various increments. The most famous of these is the Maxim Tomato, a large red tomato with an M on it that recovers all of a characters vitality and is said to be Kirby's favorite food. Another common health item is Pep Brew, a bottle of soda that recovers only a third of Kirby's health.

Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Hidden in certain treasure chests are Vitality Hearts. There are four of them, and they each increase Kirby's health bar by one hit point.

Kirby: Canvas Curse
Vitality return as a item that increases Kirby's health. However, is not seen as an actual item, and is only obtainable through Medal Swap. The iconic vitality heart also makes an appearance as a painting by Paint Roller in the sub-game Paint Panic.

Kirby: Squeak Squad
In Kirby: Squeak Squad, while Kirby searches all over Dream Land for his Strawberry Shortcake, he collects treasure chests. Eight of these chests have half a piece of vitality. If Kirby collects 2 pieces, he will gain additional health permanently.