Mid-bosses (also known as mini-bosses) are enemy characters that are stronger than regular enemies but not as strong as bosses. Kirby usually has to fight them in the middle of a stage before he can continue on (which is probably where they get their names from). Usually, during a fight with a mid-boss, Kirby cannot leave the battlefield and thus must fight them to progress.
Fighting mid-bosses
Most mid-bosses, with the exception being the Meta-Knights have a health meter that must be depleted before they are defeated. They also have at least one attack that can be inhaled and spit back at them (this is the only way to beat them without a copy ability).
Copy abilities from mid-bosses
When a mid-boss is defeated, it normally lies on the ground for a few seconds before exploding (except for Sphere Doomers and Super Bonkers, mid-bosses in Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Kirby's Epic Yarn, and Kirby Mass Attack). During this time, Kirby can inhale them and gain their ability. Nearly all mid-bosses have copy abilities and some copy abilities can only be collected from a certain mid-boss (e.g. the Ghost Ability).
List of mid-bosses
A list of mid-bosses, with the game they debuted in. Names in parentheses next to their names are translations of their Japanese names.
B
- Batafire (Fire Bat) - Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Big Metalun - Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Blast Mariner - Kirby's Epic Yarn
- Blocky - Kirby's Dream Land 2
- Boboo - Kirby's Dream Land 3
- Bombar (Aero Star) - Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Bonkers - Kirby's Adventure
- Box Boxer (Bow Fighter) - Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Boxy - Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Buboo - Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Bugzzy - Kirby's Adventure
C
D
E
F
G
- Gao Gao - Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Gigant Edge - Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Grand Wheelie - Kirby's Adventure
H
I
J
K
- Kibble Blade - Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- King Doo - Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Kracko Jr. - Kirby's Dream Land
- Kracko Jr's Revenge - Kirby Super Star Ultra
L
M
- Master Green - Kirby's Dream Land 2
- Master Hand - Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Meta-Knights - Kirby's Adventure
- Moundo - Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Mr. Frosty - Kirby's Adventure
- Mr. Tick Tock - Kirby's Adventure
P
R
S
T
W
- Waiyu - Kirby's Dream Land 2
- Water Galboros - Kirby's Return to Dream Land
- Wicked Willow - Kirby's Epic Yarn