Kirby's Rainbow Resort

While they toned him down for the Gamecube sequel, Super Smash Bros. Melee, they gave Kirby many more attacks. While he no longer had the dash tackle, he now had Burning. The advent of Smash "B" button moves gave him a chance to use his Hammer swing, though as a modified Hammer Flip, and the Ultragiant Swing if he was airborne. He also had his Quick Stamping (from Suplex), and his aerial attacks were modified. the Up+A spinning kick was now the standard "A" button air move. He also got his forward throw from Backdrop, and retained the Air Drop as an upward throw, though less damaging than before. And in BOTH games, he retained his inhale, so he could fight old-school style, and just exhale his enemies into each other, or copy them. He'd acquire their standard "B" move, which replaced his inhale, and also wore an outfit to match (though, in SSB, that hat he has if eh copies Link was Sword Kirby's hat in the first place, but is missing the pompom). Heck, Freeze Kirby's parka? Ice Climber Kirby from Melee. Many gamers may have been "reintroduced" to Kirby through the SSB series (or introduced for the first time), and as such, they see him as a battler, not just a traveling adventurer that eats his foes and copies their abilities (drop them with his taunt, btw). So this MAY have started the new "era of butt-kicking" for Kirby, at least outside of Japan.

Enter Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. Master Hand is a miniboss, and as in SSB games, you can touch him (only enemy bar Dark Mind final form you can do this to) without getting damaged, UNLESS he's actively attacking. Sadly, he retained his grab move from Melee, and that's HARD to avoid, unless you have Throw (hold something, and as long as it's in your hands, he can't grab Kirby), Stone (just become a stone), Burning, or Tornado. Defeat Master Hand, and you can inhale him for Smash (or better yet, Mix it. Two Noddies, and let it run down, and there ya go). Thus, you can use his Flurry Punch (which is like the Vulcan Jab, but doesn't go into an automatic combo, however, it can trap the enemy if there's a wall behind them), a modified Hammer Flip/Hammer Swing move (knocks enemies skyward, and they crash down later), Final Cutter (with a cutter blade with a handle on it, no less), Stone, Ultragiant Swing, and the spinning kick. No grabs, no Burning Attack, so if you need to light a fuse, drop it. And since what were once just natural Kirby abilities are now PART of an ability, no inhale. Too bad; having the inhale on Smash Kirby would be an ideal opportunity to revive K64's power combo system... Smash+Burning would complete the set, bar the grabs, while Smash+Tornado... lethal! Master Hand himself is rare. You'll find him SOMEHWERE under Rainbow Route, and in Candy Constellation and Radish Ruins. Oh, speaking of Candy Constellation, Master Hand's not the ONLY glove still kicking, er, punching after SSBM. And no, none of their Team Hand moves give you Smash, though you can get Burning (bullets) and Stone (stars from their Stone Fist move) from either Master Hand (alone or not) OR Crazy Hand... and Crazy Hand's downgraded; he attacks EXACTLY like Master Hand (I'll elaborate on THAT later). Ironically, you'll fight Master Hand on the way to facing both Hands, and Smash is a good idea against them. Just don't make the mistake of trying to use any of the SSBM moves that are omitted. Also of note, Smash is more an "all-in-one" type of move, able to break steel blocks, pound pegs, and it has a way of working underwater (use Stone while outside of water). Unless you need to do all or any two of those in one area, you don't need it. It's meant more for fun, as a surprise ability, hence its rarity, and seems to be more meant for humor, since you can more easily continue to beat a dead enemy with this than with Fighter. It becomes REALLY obsolete once you beat the game

Smash may be rare, and a little lacking in some areas, but it's still fun to use, especially against bosses. I rate it a 9/10, and say have fun smashing!