Gordo

"If you touch Gordo, he'll definitely do damage. But I don't think he means to hurt anyone. I asked him once, and he just stared at me with those big eyes of his. Maybe he doesn't even know the answer..."

- Figurine description

Gordo is an obstacle and sometimes a weapon in the Kirby series.

Gordo is a common enemy, but he doesn't really hunt Kirby or any of his allies. He is almost indestructible, and Kirby can't inhale him; all he can do is avoid this foe or force him down to a pit or out of play. Gordos are also used as weapons by certain bosses, such as Whispy's Revenge.

Gordos change very little from game to game, and almost always have the same look and form of attacking.

Physical Appearance
Gordo's appearance, like its form of attack, stays nearly the same from game to game, with a few minor changes. In most games, Gordo is a small, blue, metal ball with two big eyes. He has 8 spikes on him that move in and out in unison. These spikes are colored silver most often, but they have also been red and even gold colored in some games.

Kirby's Dream Land
This is Gordo's first appearance. Unlike his appearances in other games, his spikes appear to have somewhat of a red coloration in artwork, rather than an metallic hue. He appears in every level except Green Greens on normal difficulty. If Kirby is hit by Gordo in this game it will cost him dearly as Gordo takes away three HP, which is half of his maximum health. Gordo can even be found underwater. The only way they can be defeated is when the player is at Mt. Dedede and touches the imposter Kirby.

Gordo is not replaced in Extra Mode, however the Gordos that were already there now move faster and more erratically. Also, many of the bosses and mid-bosses now incorporate Gordo into their attacks such as Whispy Woods dropping them from his branches or Lololo kicking them along with his boxes.

Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
Gordo's behavior hasn't changed from Kirby's Dream Land, except he no longer takes away three HP, making him less of a threat. This behavior is used in all other Kirby games following.

Kirby's Block Ball
Gordo appears as an enemy in Stage 8. He is dropped from Whispy Woods' branches as an attack. If Gordo hits a paddle, he shrinks it, which reduces its usefulness. If the ball hits Gordo, the enemy is knocked away and disappears.

Kirby's Dream Course
Gordos are a special enemy in Kirby's Dream Course that do not need to be defeated for the hole to appear, and do not drop stars in the two-player mode. In fact, they cannot be destroyed at all, not even when using the Spark Copy Ability (unlike Whispy Woods and Kracko). They behave much as normal, moving slowly back and forth on a fixed path. However, they are even more dangerous due to the limited control the player has over Kirby after making a shot, and their high potential to bounce Kirby off course. Gordos are one of the few elements of Kirby's Dream Course that can cause the timing of a shot to make a difference.

Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra
Gordo makes an appearance in almost every sub-game of the original and its remake. They retained their basic styles of either remaining in one spot or moving in a set pattern and flash yellow intermediately with their standard color to denote their invincibility. They are usually in locations that are inconvenient to the player, such as a windy area or a path the player needs to take, thus making it more likely for them to hit and damage Kirby. Gordos also feature as attacks used by Whispy Woods and Twin Woods, and also prominently used by bosses in Revenge of the King from the remake, most noticeably Kabula, who uses them as projectiles shot from her cannon. Lololo and Lalala use boxes and Gordos to hurt Kirby by pushing them.

Kirby's Dream Land 3
Gordo actually appears in a variety of sub-games that Kirby must complete to get Heart Stars. In this version, Gordo comes in a variety of different colors and expressions. For most of the games, Kirby must correctly identify the right Gordo from a group of others.

Also, there is a Gordo mid-boss named Captain Stitch, who, although he is a Gordo, can be damaged.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Gordo appears in a few levels in the game, retaining his characteristics from previous games; he's invincible and moves back and forth, up and down, or remains still, serving as an obstacle. Although Gordo appears rarely in the game, (only about 2-3 levels contain Gordos) mixing the Needle and Bomb Copy Abilities allows Kirby to transform into a Gordo. Gordo can be defeated in the fight with Acro, by beating Acro while there is a Gordo on screen; Acro will occasionally spit out Gordos at Kirby along with other scraps like Bonehead and skulls. Gordo will "pop" the same way any other enemy does when defeated.

Kirby Air Ride
Gordo appears as an item in this game that can be obtained from Green Boxes, however, though it was mistranslated and was erroneously called 'Golden Spikes.' The item allows Kirby to throw three massive, building-sized Gordos at his enemies. These cause massive damage if another racer hits them. If a player is hit by something while holding them, they drop the item and it remains in its original size. Gordo also appears as an obstacle in Air Ride courses, especially in Time Trial Mode.

Kirby Mass Attack
Gordo appears as an enemy in the main game, Field Frenzy, and Strato Patrol EOS. If a Kirby touches him, that Kirby will be instantly KO'd. Gordos rarely move, and big versions of them exist. Examining the game's data reveals that three Gordos went unused: A finished sprite of a Gordo in a bubble, unused sprites of a Gordo-Blipper creature, and unused sprites of a Gordo that would have been an opponent in Kirby Quest.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition
Gordo acts like he does in most games. He is tossed by Magolor's third form (as well as Magolor Soul) during the final boss battle. Gordo appears in the Sword, Hi-Jump, Bomb, Water, Wing, and Item Challenges of Kirby's Return to Dream Land. He appears in the New Challenge Stages in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition as well. He appears in the Wing Challenge, the Smash Combat Chamber EX, and Magolor Race 1, 2, and EX.

Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Gordo appears in the main game as usual, where he appears normally and is also dropped by Flowery Woods DX. Some Gordo's appear to be closer in the foreground (or further into the background), so as to give the illusion that they are an obstacle. Gordo's retain their movement from prior installments, but also gain the ability to move between the foreground and background. He appears as an obstacle in the sub-game Dedede's Drum Dash (and in Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe). In Kirby Fighters (and the downloadable Kirby Fighters Deluxe), Gordo is pushed around by Lololo and Lalala and is one of the projectiles thrown by King Dedede. It is possible to defeat a Gordo by defeating Lololo or Lalala. A spikeless Gordo also appears as an item. When picked up and thrown by a player, he grows in size and his spikes jut out, making him a temporary hazard.

Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Gordo appears in this game. He acts the same as in previous games.

Kirby: Planet Robobot
In Team Kirby Clash Deluxe, a downloadable offshoot of the Team Kirby Clash sub-game, Gordo appears as one of the three enemies in the entire game. He is dropped from Whispy Woods' branches as an attack in the Tougher: Whispy Woods quest.

Kirby's Blowout Blast
Gordo behaves like he typically does. He is most often added to EX stages as a hazard. He, along with Big Gordo and Shotzo, is not counted toward the enemy total, as he is impossible to defeat.

Kirby Star Allies
Gordo appears in Kirby Star Allies, acting the same as in previous Kirby games.

In the Super Smash Bros. series


Gordo appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as part of one of King Dedede's attacks. He will occasionally throw a Gordo instead of Waddle Dee or Waddle Doo. These Gordos are much more powerful and deal much more damage but are much more rare than the other two enemies. Gordos are known to home in on opponents. Gordos also appear in his Final Smash, Waddle Dee Army, along with Waddle Dees and Waddle Doos.

Gordo also appears as a trophy and a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. The sticker uses his design from Kirby: Squeak Squad.

Gordo appears in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS’s Smash Run mode. It either holds perfectly still or moves up and down in passageways, serving as an invincible obstacle. Both the player and enemies can be hurt by Gordo.

Gordos also appears in King Dedede's side special in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. This time he will always throw Gordos instead of it being a rare chance. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Dedede can inhale Gordos and spit them back out, something that is not possible in the Kirby games.

Etymology
Gordo's name may originate from the word "gore," which means to pierce or stab.

Related Quotes
"Gordo moves rather slowly in the vertical plane. His spiked protrusions will quickly damage Kirby if he comes in contact with them."

- Description

"If Kirby hits Gordo, you lose a tomato. You cannot turn Gordo into a star."

- Instruction manual description

"You can't destroy Gordos, so just avoid them when you see them flying up and down or in circles along your path. Also, watch out when Gordos are trapped under floating crates—destroy the crates to set them free."

- Description

"A creature that sits in one place and doesn't even try to move. They won't even budge if Kirby tries to inhale them--they're the definitive obstacle. In addition, they're covered in spikes, so they damage whoever touches them. They're found stopped in groups, blocking narrow passageways, etc. Nothing's harder to get by than an encampment of Gordos."

- Trophy description

"He has a spiky body but soft eyes. It's just better to avoid him."

- Gordo's Cast Description

"This spiky metal ball is one enemy that Kirby can't inhale."

- Official Kirby: Triple Deluxe website

"These little guys from the Kirby series look like metal balls with eyes and eight sharp spikes. They can't be defeated, so don't waste your time. Instead, try pushing your enemies into them! Watch for two kinds: one moves along on a set path, and the other stubbornly sits in place."

- Trophy description

"These spiky little balls are invincible, and just touching one will hurt and send you reeling."

- Hint

"Choose up, middle, or down right after starting this move to hit the Gordo in three different ways, changing how it bounces."

- Tips

"Gordos will stick to any walls they hit. Try doing this on walls close to edges to cause serious trouble to enemies trying to climb up."

- Tips

"With the right timing, an opponent can hit a Gordo back at you. You can then hit it back again, quickly turning a fierce battle into a game of Gordo tennis."

- Tips

Trivia

 * Captain Stitch, who appears to be a large Gordo, isn't invincible if he doesn't have his spikes out. This might mean if a Gordo loses or gets rid of his spikes, then Kirby could defeat him. This cannot be proven, however.
 * Gordos can only be destroyed in a few games in the series. In Kirby: Squeak Squad, if Magic Kirby uses the roulette and stops on a 1UP, any Gordo on screen will turn into a 1UP. In Kirby Mass Attack, Freezy Rex can destroy Gordos by touching them; in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Magolor's third form and Magolor Soul conjure and throw Gordos and Big Gordos, which explode when they hit the ground. Also in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, some Gordos can be knocked off the stage by a Super Ability, but not necessarily destroyed.
 * Although Gordos are usually shown without a mouth, Kirby's Dream Land’s box art depicts one as having a small mouth.
 * Gordo is one of the doodles drawn by Paint Roller in Paint Panic.
 * Unibō, an enemy in Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, seems to be a reference to Gordo; an enemy in that game, Unibō, has sprites that are nearly identical to those used for Gordo in Kirby's Dream Land. Unibō floats in the air like Gordo, and neither enemy can be defeated. Kirby's Dream Land was released in all parts of the world a month before Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins was released in Japan.
 * Sea Urchin, an enemy from The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, appears to be based off of Gordo. Unlike Gordo, however, Sea Urchin is not invincible.
 * The English manual of Kirby's Pinball Land spells his name Gordow.
 * Gordo may be the inspiration for the enemy Jyk in Super Smash Bros Brawl’s The Subspace Emissary, as they share the same purpose; indestructible enemy that floats around, usually in a set pattern.
 * Since Kirby's Dream Land was limited to around 512 kilobits in size, the development team used workarounds to save space. As an example, Gordo's sprite in that game was produced by taking its top left corner (quarter of the whole body) and rotating it around three times to form the whole shape.
 * In Kirby: Right Back At Ya!, a monster named Togeira somewhat resembles Gordo.

Sprites and Models
Gordow Gordo Minérisson Bombospino ゴルドー Gordo 戈多