Meta Knightmare Returns

This article is about the sub-game in Kirby: Planet Robobot. For other uses, see Meta Knightmare (disambiguation).

	This article contains information that does not coincide with the main series canon.	(Similar)

“	The masked knight has returned to fight evil while Kirby takes a much-needed nap. Collect Meta Points, and then touch the lower screen to unleash his special attacks.”
	— Meta Knight's in-game description • Kirby: Planet Robobot

Meta Knightmare Returns is a sub-game in Kirby: Planet Robobot. In it, the player controls Meta Knight and traverses through a slightly modified story mode of Kirby: Planet Robobot. As in the other two Meta Knightmare sub-games (Meta Knightmare in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Meta Knightmare Ultra in Kirby Super Star Ultra), Meta Knight goes on a journey, this time to defeat the Haltmann Works Company to prove his worthiness. The sub-game is unlocked by completing the Story Mode of Kirby: Planet Robobot.

This sub-game is stated to be a sort of "what if" scenario or alternate universe/timeline; the same is likely true for the other Meta Knightmare sub-games.^[1]

Gameplay[]

Meta Knight retains many abilities and attacks from Meta Knightmare Ultra. He is able to use Galaxia (which applies fiery effects) and the Knight Spin (which applies icy effects). Special Moves from Meta Knightmare Ultra also return. Meta Knight has new attacks as well as slightly more power and speed than before in this sub-game. Some aspects of the sub-game are carried over from Kirby: Triple Deluxe’s Dededetour, such as the regularly spaced save room checkpoints, and the presence of stronger versions of bosses and mid-bosses. Players who enable StreetPass for the game will be able to share record times with other players.

Techniques[]

Move	Controls	Description
Overhead Slash		Meta Knight slashes forwards with his sword.
Knight Beam	at full health	Meta Knight's version of Sword Beam; he fires a blade of energy forwards while performing Overhead Slash, which flies forwards a relatively long distance.
Meta Triple Slash	twice after Overhead Slash	Meta Knight's unique follow-up to Overhead Slash; he swings his sword two more times, one for each button press.
Meta Multithrust	after Meta Triple Slash	Meta Knight's version of Mutlisword Attack; he performs multiple jabs/slashes with his sword, rapidly hitting foes in front of himself.
Decisive Slash	after Meta Multithrust	Meta Knight's version of Cleave; he ends his rapid slashing with one final swing.
Piercing Slash	Dash +	Meta Knight's version of Drill Stab; he dashes forward and performs a lunge with his sword. Meta Knight's Piercing Slash is quicker, covers more distance, and is more powerful than Sword Kirby's Drill Stab.
Knight Spin	Dash + in midair	Meta Knight's version of Sword Spin; he spins around with his sword.
Meta Chop	in midair	Meta Knight's version of Chop & Thrust slashes forward with his sword, holding it diagonally downwards after for as long as the button is held or until he lands.
Down Thrust	+ in midair	Meta Knight points his sword to the ground as he plummets downwards. Meta Knight's Down Thrust is stronger and quicker than Sword Kirby's Down Thrust.
Up Thrust	+	Meta Knight thrusts his sword into the air. This move is exclusive to Meta Knight and Sword Knight.
Meta Spin Slash	Press and hold , and then release	Meta Knight's version of Spin Slash; he winds back his sword while charging, then twirls rapidly with it outstretched, hitting enemies to both sides in a close range.
Mach Tornado	Press and hold , and then release +	Meta Knight's version of Twister Slash; he performs the Meta Spin Slash as usual, but leaps into the air while spinning, also becoming much more controllable in midair.
Sky Knight Sword	Hold , and then	Meta Knight's version of Sky Energy Sword; he holds his sword upwards, charging it with energy. He then performs a Crescent Slash upon using Overhead Slash or Meta Chop.
Meta Condor Dive	Dash + press + in midair	Meta Knight dives diagonally downwards similarly to Wing's attack of the same name, sending out two shockwave projectiles to either side on impact.
Shuttle Loop	/ +	Meta Knight flies in a loop like Wing's move of the same name, and enters a gliding state afterwards where he can soar forwards with semi-realistic physics, accelerating when he flies downwards and stalling when he flies upwards.
Hover Flap	in midair	Meta Knight flies by flapping his wings, damaging any enemies he touches.
Underwater Spin	while underwater	Meta Knight spins around underwater with his sword, similarly to Knight Spin.

Special moves[]

Name	Cost	Description	Damage
Meta Quick	8	Meta Knight's movement speed is increased for a short period.	N/A
Healing	10	Completely replenishes Meta Knight's health.	N/A
Galaxia Darkness	18	Meta Knight flings his cape, turning the stage black for a few seconds before unleashing a full force slash.	144
Meta Knightmares	35	Meta Knight summons the Meta-Knights for a devastating full-screen attack.	336

Differences from Story Mode[]

There are fewer recovery items in this mode. Some of them have been replaced with other items.
Point Stars are replaced with collectables in the shape of Meta Knight's emblem that have the same function.
Enemies are more frequent and can appear in varying sizes.
Code Cubes and Assist Stars are replaced with a group of 8 Meta Points.
Mid-bosses and bosses have new cosmetic changes, have 2.0 added to their names and have received new attacks and attacks from their original versions are now much more deadly.
- The only exception to this is Mecha Knight, who has been replaced by Stock Mecha Knight. Stock Mecha Knight's attacks are taken from both Mecha Knight and Mecha Knight+.
President Haltmann 2.0 is fought immediately entering the final boss room. After that, instead of fighting Star Dream, clones of Dark Matter and Queen Sectonia are fought, and later, Galacta Knight.
Some stickers have been replaced with other items and others have been moved to other locations.
Amiibo figures provide food items only as Meta Knight cannot use Copy Abilities.
Sections that require the Robobot Armor to proceed are skipped. Some sections aren't skipped in which Meta Knight's sword, Galaxia, can destroy most of these obstacles in these instances.
- Because of this, the Invader Armor is never fought at all.
Meta Knight's sword can solve any puzzle (i.e, lighting a fuse to blast out of a cannon).
All of the EX stages are played just before the boss stage.
Some Treasure Chests that contain Code Cubes are replaced with 1UPs.
Stages are compiled in one level and at the end of each, a time will be shown.
As in Kirby: Triple Deluxe’s Dededetour, each level contains two save points that also refill all of Meta Knight's lost health. One will be near the halfway point of the level, and another will be at the end. In the case of Level 6, its second save point is located just before the boss. The save switches are decorated with Meta Knight's emblem, and the save rooms are all set inside of a gigantic hangar in which the Halberd has been docked.

Trivia[]

This is the only Meta Knightmare sub-game in the series that is not from a remake.
Kirby takes a nap during the events of this mode, explaining his absence from the sub-game's story.
Galaxia Darkness, one of Meta Knight's special moves in this mode, is the same as his Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
- Similarly, Meta Knight also has techniques that share names with his regular special moves from those games, including the Mach Tornado and Shuttle Loop. This is to be expected, however, as his moveset in Kirby's Return to Dream Land is nearly identical.
Unlike previous Meta Knightmare sub-games, Meta Knight rides Warp Stars like Kirby in this mode instead of flying on his own.
Despite the fact that Meta Knight lost the ability to glide after using Shuttle Loop in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, he regained it for this game.
Unlike in Dededetour, there are no added shortcuts, perhaps due to them being deemed unnecessary with Meta Knight's greatly superior speed.
On the New Nintendo 3DS system lines, the X and Y buttons coincidentally correspond to Meta Knight's special moves by their color. Pressing the blue X button will activate Meta Quick, represented in blue, while pressing the green Y button will activate Heal, represented in green.
The credits of the Story Mode tease Meta Knightmare Returns by showing one of the clones, and the credits of Meta Knightmare Returns tease the true final boss.
The boss fights with the clones of Dark Matter and Queen Sectonia could be a reference to Meta Knight's absence from Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby's Dream Land 3, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and Kirby: Triple Deluxe, and therefore was not physically in a game with these characters.

Gallery[]

References[]

↑ Miiverse

[1] Miiverse

[1]