Stage 9 is the ninth floating island of Blockworld and serves as the ninth level in Kirby's Block Ball. It is a giant hot air balloon with a spinning propeller. It is preceded by Stage 8 and succeeded by Stage 10.
The stage opens with the following animation: A Bouncy bounces back and forth. The ball hits it, causing it to drop a Changer item. The ball touches the item, causing a roulette to begin with Kirby. He demonstrates the Spark, Needle, and Burning Copy Abilities. After a message appears prompting the player to press the B Button, Kirby settles on Stone. As this intro implies, the Changer item is introduced here.
Stage 9 has a border line of 120,000.
Areas[]
Block Area 1[]
The player can control two paddles, at the top and bottom of the screen. The area is filled with two rectangular white blocks; two rectangular gray blocks; five big, square gray blocks; and 18 Ability Blocks. A Bouncy bounces up and down near the center of the stage. Two Pinball Blocks on either side of the Bouncy accelerate Kirby when he bounces off of them.
Block Area 2[]
The player can control a paddle at the bottom of the screen. The area is filled with 12 rectangular white blocks, 14 rectangular gray blocks, six Ability Blocks, and 20 Indestructible Blocks. They are arranged so that the Indestructible Blocks limit the ball's movement and surround most of the vulnerable blocks. They can be cleared by defeating the Blasto near the top of the screen and collecting the Crash item it drops. Three Pinball Blocks are positioned in the area—the ones in either of the upper corners can help the ball break blocks faster, but the one in the center of the area can bounce Kirby into the spiky floor.
The best way to reach the Blasto is to use the Burning ability in the center of the stage, as Kirby seamlessly breaks the Ability Blocks that protect the enemy from underneath. Alternatively, the player can send the ball through thin tunnels on the left or right sides of the screen to reach the Blasto.
Block Area 3[]
The area has a spiky floor and ceiling but smooth walls. The player can control two paddles, at the top and bottom of the screen. The area is filled with 22 rectangular white blocks; two rectangular gray blocks; two big, square gray blocks; and 22 Ability Blocks. Two Switch Blocks are trapped on the left and right walls; when both are hit, they convert most blocks into Through Blocks, which grant Kirby a bonus if he clears them all under the time limit. He can use the the Pinball Block at the center of the area to increase his speed in order to accomplish this. Two Crack-Tweets patrol the top of the area.
Hidden objects: A Warp Star is hidden above the Pinball Block.
Target Shooting Area[]
The area has a spiky floor and walls but a smooth ceiling. The player can control paddles at the bottom and sides of the screen. The area is filled with 26 Star Blocks and six Power Blocks. Kabula flies back and forth in the upper-middle portion of the area; hitting it four times causes it to flee and a Warp Star to descend from the ceiling. Touching it takes Kirby to the boss.
Boss Area[]
Main article: Kabula |
Kabula serves as the boss of the stage. She flies back and forth firing cannonballs at the bottom portion of the area. The cannonballs shrink the paddles if they make contact. The spikes on the walls and floor are covered by whatever Star Blocks the player collected in the Target Shooting Area.