| “ | This stage requires you to soar through the skies. Duck into holes in clouds to avoid getting hit by those spiky balls!” |
| — Official European Kirby's Return to Dream Land website |
Nutty Noon is the fifth level in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
General Information
Nutty Noon is the final level on Planet Popstar, and combines all the game's previous elements in its levels. Nutty Noon also introduces abstract and odd enemies, like Juckles and Gemras. Since the majority of Nutty Noon's levels takes place in the sky, most of the enemies have the ability to hover or fly, such as Owgulfs, Ceruleans, and Pactos. Kirby can use Super Abilities to clear the way in some stages, revealing dimensional rifts.
Stage 5 is a huge mid-boss rush that takes place in a tower that resembles the Mid-Boss Tower in Kirby's Adventure (and its remake). In order to obtain the Energy Spheres in the next room, Kirby must inhale the previous room's mid-boss. If Kirby goes through a hidden door in this level, he will have to fight different mid-bosses than normal, the Energy Sphere puzzles will be more challenging, and he will have to move right to left, instead of left to right.
Nutty Noon contains six stages. The mid-bosses of the second stage are Moundo and Spark Sphere Doomer, the mid-bosses of the fourth stage are Super Bonkers and Spark Sphere Doomer, and the fifth stage contains every mid-boss in the game other than Sphere Doomer and Super Bonkers. The boss of Nutty Noon is Grand Doomer, who guards the Mast of the Lor Starcutter.
Copy Abilities
  Beam |   Bomb |   Cutter |   Fighter |   Fire |
  Hammer |   Hi-Jump |   Ice |   Leaf |   Needle |
  Ninja |   Parasol |   Sleep |   Spark |   Spear |
  Stone |   Sword |   Tornado |   Water |   Whip |   Wing |
Super Abilities
  Flare Beam |   Grand Hammer |   Ultra Sword |
Energy Spheres
Stage 1
- In the windy room, destroy the Star Blocks and enter the optional room.
- In the room with the platforms suspended by ropes, float to the alcove in the ceiling near the Ceruleans. Cut the rope above the optional door using Cutter, Spear, or Wing.
- In the room with the Tornado Copy Essence, enter the alcove to the left in the vertical section.
- In the room with the spike balls, reach the area with the Energy Sphere before the large spike ball destroys the Bomb Block on the ceiling.
Stage 2
- Use the Balloon Bomb to destroy the Durable Blocks hiding an optional door. Using Bomb from the Copy Essence, stand on the Switch to open the gate and throw a bomb at the Bomb Block.
- Use Stone from Moundo to pound the first and second stakes.
- Use Flare Beam to light all of the star boxes. After lighting the star boxes which create a smile, the dimensional rift zone will be revealed. Enter the Dimensional rift zone and defeat the Spark Sphere Doomer at the end.
- Defeat the Green Sphere Doomer at the end of the Dimensional rift zone.
Stage 3
- Race the Key Dee to the bottom. Defeat him before the platform below is destroyed.
- While scaling the tower, use Beam to destroy a Bomb Block in the building, allowing access to an optional room. Make it past the Cloud Pactos and pull the Ceiling Switch.
- Using Hi-Jump from Starman, press the red Switch to open the gate above, Hi-Jump and pull the red Ceiling Switch to open the gate to the right, let go of the Ceiling Switch before the gate below closes, Hi-Jump through the right gate before it closes.
- In the last room, occurred by one of the clouds above.
Stage 4
- Use the second Stomper Boot to destroy the Durable Blocks and bounce on the Gordos.
- Locate between the two Gigatzos.
- Use Grand Hammer's Super Hammer Plus to pound the giant stakes and one of the giant Strike Boxes. After reaching the top of the elevator, use Super Hammer Plus on the spring. After destroying the bell, the Dimension rift zone will appear. Enter the Dimensional rift zone and defeat the Green Sphere Doomer at the end.
- Defeat the Spark Sphere Doomer at the end of the Dimensional rift zone.
Stage 5
- Use Sword from Gigant Edge to cut rope.
- Use Stone from Moundo to destroy Metal Blocks.
- Use Water from Water Galboros to destroy Fire Blocks.
- Use Spark from Dubior to hit Bomb Block.
Secret Entrance
- Use Water from Water Galboros to destroy the Fire Blocks and hit the Switch.
- Use Spark from Dubior to hit Switches using Thunderbolt and Lightning Strike.
- Use Cutter or Sword from Kibble Blade & Gigant Edge to cut rope.
- Use Hammer or Stone from Bonkers & Moundo to pound the second stake.
Stage 6
- Defeat Grand Doomer to obtain the Mast.
Trivia
- Stage 5 of Nutty Noon pays homage to Stage 2 of Rainbow Resort from Kirby's Adventure and its remake.
- The background music that plays inside the tower in Stage 5 is a remix of King Dedede's theme.
- The music for Stage 2, "Sky Tower", has been in every Kirby title since. It was directly recycled in Kirby: Triple Deluxe in Old Odyssey's Extra stage, and was remixed as part of the end credits theme in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition, as collectible music in the Music Room in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, as the music for the Laboratory in Stage 3 of Resolution Road in Kirby: Planet Robobot., and as part of Magolor's Morpho Knight boss fight medley in Kirby Star Allies. It was also remixed in Kirby Café's soundtrack.
- Additionally, the opening is remixed for the beginning of the title screen theme and the beginning of Star Dream's (phase 3) theme in Kirby: Planet Robobot.
- The music for Stage 3 is a remix of Grape Garden's music from Kirby's Adventure. This particular remix would be later used as the music for the extra stage of Old Odyssey in Kirby: Triple Deluxe.
- In Kirby Star Allies, when playing the Guest Star ???? Star Allies Go! sub-game as Magolor, some stage layout in Level 3 is changed to reflect Stage 2 of Nutty Noon from Kirby's Return to Dream Land. The dimensional rift sequence from Stage 4 of Raisin Ruins is replicated, and Sphere Doomer is represented by a Bronto Burt Room Guarder and Vividria.
Gallery
