Wheel

Kirby: Triple Deluxe artwork
Wheel
Name (JA)	ホイール (Hoīru)
- Meaning	Wheel
In Games
In the anime	#J36/#E32 - #J91/#E91
Type	Transformational
Appearance	Backwards red baseball cap, features white stripes and a winged star at the front of the cap as of Kirby: Triple Deluxe. Transforms into pink/red wheel with a star on the hubcap.
Properties	None. in Kirby: Squeak Squad, Fire, Thunder, or Ice depending on terrain. Requires Ability Scroll
Other Powers	Rides on water and lava (after Kirby's Adventure), breaks Metal Blocks (Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land only)
Ability Icon
Regular enemies	Wheelie, Yellow Golem, Transformer.
Mid-bosses	Grand Wheelie
Bosses	Wiz's Car, Paint Roller's Car
Helper	Wheelie
amiibo	Wario, Captain Falcon

“	Turn into a wheel and roll around at high speed!”
	— Kirby Battle Royale - Kirby's 25th Anniversary Copy Ability Poll

Wheel is one of Kirby's Copy Abilities, debuting in Kirby's Adventure.

General Information

The Wheel ability is made for getting to places fast and taking out enemies along the way. Normally wearing a backwards red baseball cap, Kirby can turn into a big pink wheel that zooms along the ground, destroying nearly any foe or obstacle and making Kirby almost completely invulnerable - he is susceptible to damage only when turning. An obvious downside to this is that although he is fast and damages enemies on contact, he is very hard to control, especially because he is incapable of jumping in some games. The Wheel ability is best used on flat terrain and in places where projectile-throwing enemies are sparse.

The Helper for this ability is Wheelie. Kirby can board this Helper to become Wheelie Rider, a pseudo-ability that behaves very similar to the regular Wheel ability.

With the Copy Scroll in Kirby: Squeak Squad, whenever Kirby drives over sparks, flames, or ice, he will take on the properties of the element. Ice Wheel can freeze water he rides over, Fire Wheel can burn bushes, and Spark Wheel generates sparks on water and metal. If Kirby is colored using Spray Paint, the Wheel will change to match that color.

In Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Wheel received a charge move which increases Kirby's speed. The ability hat was given extra detail as well; it now has white lines and a star on it.

Wheel is a Mode for Robobot Armor in Kirby: Planet Robobot.

In Kirby's Dream Course

Lets Play Kirby's Dream Course part 1B Demo Videos 16.mp4

In Kirby's Dream Course, Wheel is an ability to be used with planning and caution, though it has a built-in safety feature that no other ability possesses. When activated, Wheel Kirby will continuously drive in a straight line towards the same direction that regular Kirby was moving, and he cannot be controlled in this form. Sand bunkers and water hazards will be ignored and treated the same as regular terrain. It is a risky ability, as Kirby will not stop before driving off the edge of the course, or stop at all without falling off or hitting something immovable. However, when Wheel Kirby hits a bumper or wall, he will immediately lose all speed, then jump and spin in the air before coming to a rest. This makes it a somewhat safer ability than Burning in Kirby's Dream Course.

Moveset

Move	Controls (While facing right)	Description	Element	Damage
Dash	B/Y	Kirby rolls forward rapidly as a Wheel, and can even drive on water. When his path is obstructed by a wall or dangerous obstacles like spikes, he crashes and his roll ends. Having the Copy Scroll allows Kirby to roll over certain terrain and imbue himself with elemental properties.	*Sizzle *Zap *Blizzard	26 (start), 18 (late), 15 (repeat hits)
Stop Dash	B/Y during Dash	Kirby stops rolling.	None	0
Break	Dash + A/Y	Kirby slows down briefly. This move also takes away some of his invincibility frames.	None	N/A
Go Slow	Dash + Hold A/Y	Kirby's speed slows down. This move also takes away some of his invincibility frames.	None	N/A
Jump	A during Dash	Kirby jumps while rolling, allowing him to go up steps or over gaps.	None	22
Downshift	↓↓ while dashing in midair	Kirby drills straight downwards before continuing to dash.	None	22 (first hit), 20 (second hit)
Rocket Start	Hold and release ↓ during Dash	Kirby charges up, then dashes forward at a high speed.	None	8 (initial hit during start-up), 2 (multi-hits during start-up), 30 (release)
Sky Wheel	A during Rocket Start	Kirby sends himself soaring through the air, flying farther and higher than a normal jump, all the while doing flips.	None	30, 18 (combo'd from Rocket Start)
Turn	← while dashing	Kirby turns around to roll the other way. Kirby's speed goes up after a turn.	None	N/A
Turn Jump	While dashing, press ↔ repeatedly	Kirby jumps a little when rolling. This also erases invincibility frames from Kirby, making him open for damage.	None	22, 16 (repeat hits)

Robobot Armor Mode

Move	Controls	Description	Element
Turbo Accelerate	B	The Robobot Armor accelerates forward for as long as the B button is held.	None
Speed Burst	B + A	The Robobot Armor jumps forward and accelerates.	None
Burn Rubber	B repeatedly	The Robobot Armor spins in a circle for as long as the B button is repeatedly pressed, creating fire.	Sizzle
3D Spring Hopper	↑/↓/Left trigger/Right trigger	The Robobot Armor jumps from one plane to another.	None

Kirby Air Ride

In Kirby Air Ride, Wheel can be obtained by inhaling a Wheelie (or Wheelie Bike) in Air Ride mode, or by collecting its patch in City Trial and in several of its Stadiums. As it is a Copy Ability, only Kirby can transform, and not Meta Knight and King Dedede.

While in Wheel Form, Kirby turns into a faceless wheel with two circles containing a star on both sides. He has above average speed, and is slightly less maneuverable than most Air Ride Machines. The player can pick fast machines to cover straights and use Wheel (or Wing) to cover sections with turns - this is especially important in checking off several time attack checkboxes.

In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Wheel Kirby in the anime

Kirby in his Wheel form.

Wheel Kirby appeared in both racing-themed episodes of the anime,where it's naturally the most useful. It keeps the same look, with Kirby turning into a pink tire with a green and yellow hubcab with a yellow star on it, but gains no extra powers - just pure speed. Even when it looks like all is lost, Wheel Kirby can zoom past all opposition. It's his fastest ability after Jet, though he does still get tired after a while.

Transformation Sequence

Wheel Kirby Transformation (English)

Wheel Kirby - Transformation(Uncut)

In the transformation sequence, Kirby waves a checkered flag around until a tire hits him and he spins around, then the tire appears on his head where it turns into the red cap, which Kirby adjusts so it's on backwards.

Flavor Texts

Game	Flavor text
	Kirby turns into a wheel and can move at super speed! But watch for obstacles and excess speed!
	Roll over your enemies! Call a helper and ride the Wheel. Watch out for thorns and don't speed!
	I ride like the wind! Fast! Too fast!
	Use lines to turn sharply!
	I ride like the Wind FAST! TOO FAST!
	Roll to be nearly invincible or ride a Wheel Helper! Beware thorns and holes.
	Put pedal to the metal, and surge ahead with a Dash! As long as you've got speed, you're invincible, baby! Just watch out for potholes!

Related Quotes

“	The legendary racer zooms down the track. 3, 2, 1... Turbo Accelerate!”
	— In-game description for the Wheel Mode of Robobot Armor • Kirby: Planet Robobot

In Other Languages

Names, etymology and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology and notes
	ホイール	Officially romanized as Wheel.
	Wheel
	Reifen Rad	Translates to Tire. Translates to Wheel.
(General)	Roue	Translates to Wheel.
	Ruota	Translates to Wheel.
(General)	Rueda	Translates to Wheel.

Trivia

• Wheel Kirby's artwork for Kirby's Adventure shows the wheel that Kirby turns into as gray instead of pink. The wheel also has a face in the artwork, which is not present in any game.
• Wheel Kirby's hat looks similar to the hats of Yo-Yo, Paint, and ESP Kirby, but with a different color palette in each case (Yo-Yo's is purple, Paint's is gray, ESP's is blue); for the latter two, this is because of the limitations of the SNES.
• Wheel's ability hat in Kirby Air Ride is only used for a few frames, during the flashing when the Copy Chance Wheel is passed through; the hat is not seen while the ability is actually in use, as Kirby automatically transforms into a wheel.

  

  Wheel Kirby's hat in Kirby Air Ride

• Like other Copy Abilities in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad, part of the ability's color is affected by Spray Paint (in this case, the tire Kirby transforms into).
• In Kirby: Squeak Squad, when Wheel Kirby is standing still, every few seconds he will fix his cap.
• While Wheel did not appear in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Needle can roll into enemies with a dash attack similar to Wheel.
• Wheel is the only Copy Ability in Kirby: Triple Deluxe that returned from a previous game that does not make an appearance in Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
• In Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot, Wheel Kirby is completely invincible when using most of its attacks. This includes Turn Hops, which keep Kirby in place, allowing him to constantly attack opponents from one spot. This is very useful for speedruns in The Arena and The True Arena, as well as avoiding damage. The only two bosses that are difficult to beat using this method are Dubior and the fourth phase of Star Dream Soul OS. This is because they are too high above the Turn Hop’s height, and the player must wait for them to reach the ground.
• The "Rocket Start" move may be a reference to the Mario Kart series, although it also bears close resemblance to Sonic's Spin Dash move.

Videos

Kirby of the Stars Copy Ability "Wheel" Introduction Video

Artwork

Kirby's Adventure

Kirby's Dream Course

Kirby Super Star

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

Kirby Air Ride

Kirby: Canvas Curse

Kirby: Canvas Curse

Kirby: Squeak Squad

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Wheel Robobot Armor Mode from Kirby: Planet Robobot

Gallery

Kirby's Adventure

Kirby Super Star

Kirby Super Star

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land

Kirby: Squeak Squad

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Kirby: Planet Robobot

Wheel Robobot Armor Mode from Kirby: Planet Robobot

Sprites

Kirby Super Star

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land / Kirby & The Amazing Mirror / Kirby: Squeak Squad

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Other Ability Icons

Kirby's Adventure

Kirby's Dream Course

Kirby Super Star

Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land / Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

Kirby Air Ride

Kirby: Canvas Curse

Kirby: Squeak Squad

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby Super Star Ultra

Kirby: Triple Deluxe

External Links

• Kirby Portal (Jp)