Kirby's Rainbow Resort

Vroom! A discussion about a rather unvaried ability that's also Kirby's fastest... Wheel Kirby

Wheel isn't too hard to understand, though it CAN be tough to control. You tap the button, Kirby rolls up into tire form and zooms full speed ahead, running over whatever is unfortunate enough to get in his way. Very useful in making quick getaways from enemies, and for crashing through tough blocks and walls, but it has a moderate downside. Wheel stops immediately if Kirby hits a wall, and he's vulnerable to spikes. You also can't use Wheel underwater, though it can ride across water.

Kirby's Adventure is where Wheel originated, and believe you me, I wasn't so sure about its usefulness at first. Running wildly through the area wasn't my idea of fun, and Wheelie looked more like a 33" record than a tire. That goes for Big Wheelie (mini-boss) and Mini-Wheelie (Big Wheelie's projectiles) as well. Strangely, Mini-Wheelie could explode. Of course, I thought they were records, and didn't think they'd be useful to copy. So I stuck with Needle. Of course, I eventually came to an impass. I had no ability, and had run across some Wheelies. So I ate one and swallowed. I got Wheel, and decided to try it out. I was blown away by Kirby's speed, but learned that it has a price. Kirby will break blocks below him while rolling, so doing something to he "B Button Boogie" (of Mario games fame) with it was out of the question (and Kirby's dash wasn't good for clearing small gaps after a while, try it in 5-3 to see what I mean). After experimenting, I found that Wheel would end if Kirby tried to cruise across water, and that he'd go zooming ahead a bit before the water pressure stopped him. He'd also revert to normal if you tapped "B" again, dashing instead of walking no less... and ready to curl up and roll out at the next tap of "B" Fun stuff overall, but there was a problem. He could be grabbed and thrown out of Wheel form. As such, I'd usually hock it for a better power if I were near a miniboss... Fire, Ice, Beam, ANYTHING. That's not to say Wheel was bad for that; I'd even forego Tornado and Hi-Jump if there were a battle with Bugzzy, Rolling Turtle, or Fire Lion ahead. For SOME reason, Wheel was in the Orange Ocean Museum but the Arena in Butter Building had a Big Wheelie... was THAT neccessary, HAL? All the powers you could have placed in either spot. A Walky in the Museum, Mr. Tick Tock in the Arena, or maybe Sir Pengy in the Museum... we didn't need Wheel virtually for free TWICE...

Kirby Super Star really tricked out Wheel. Kirby gained his ability to cruise over water in this game, and also could alter his speed... though Wheel didn't seem so fast to begin with in this game, and Kirby lost the auto-dash when he reverted to normal. There's something called a "Park Trick" that I never figured out about Wheel, but it has another hidden trick I do have mastery of: The Close Call Crash. Get REALLY close to a boss enemy (try it on the Combo Cannon or Twin Woods), and roll at them at point-blank range. You'll eath their HP like a poison as you curl up, ram them, and immediately crash and revert... you'll be momentarily invulnerable while reverting to normal, as Wheel Kirby still rolls. Very useful, if a bit risky. Wheel Kirby also gained his backwards red hat with this ability in Super Star, and his "second" Wheel ability... Wheelie Rider.

Wheelie Rider was something to marvel at. Kirby would gain a Wheelie helper that DID NOT look like a record... it looked like a cool red motorcycle. And Kirby wore a spiffy helmet while riding his Wheelie friend. Wheelie Rider was used for Kirby's final escape in Revenge of Meta Knight, and was useful for finding a few treasures in great Cave Offensive (one of them was... a tire...). It could slide, climb, cruise water, and any power ups collected while riding would automatically heal both Kirby and Wheelie. Best of all, if the Wheelie helper was human-controlled, Kirby gained one of his most powerful abilities... the Wheelie Rider Shot. This shot star bullets from the bike, which did damage comparable to the exhaled star... 52/54 HP damage to enemies. Good for clearing The Arena.

Sadly, Simply rolling into an enemy with Wheel did only 14 damage per hit, and 16 for Wheelie Rider.

Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland did little more than include the hat, water cruise, and SLOW DOWN the ability. Kirby wasn't as fast, and still lost his auto-dash revert. However, the levels were smaller, so the toned speed is a bit forgivable. Thankfully, he's invincible to grabs and throws while in Wheel form.

Wheel Kirby appeared in Kirby Air Ride, and if you look closely when you activate Mix, or get hit just as you transform into Wheel Kirby... so is his hat! Wheel Kirby temporarily loses his machine to cruise the course as a tire, rolling mercilessly over anything in his way, and automatically making use of boost panels and trapdoors. he gets it from Wheelie, who is in his helper form... and the ability's mechanics (speed, turning) work much like the Wheelie Bike... one could go so far as to say the Wheelie Bike IS a friendly Wheelie... and so are its "brothers", the Wheelie Scooter (which stops and turns on a dime and leaves you nine cents change, jumps really high, but has low speed unless on a boost panel or grind rail), and Rex Wheelie (which turns REALLY wide, but is very fast and sturdy, and hits pretty hard). Wheel isn't that strong in power, and it also prevents stardrafting (that is, taking the draft behind another racer to catch up... trick was used in one of the animé episodes), but THAT works both ways, so you're safe as well (which means Kirby shouldn't have been drafted by the Mayor in tha episode, he cheated!). Avoid getting Wheel (and to the same extent, Wing) if you're racing on Hydra... the transformations alter your Boost meter (you LOSE it with Wing), and when the ability is lost, you must sit through Hydra's lengthy charge time before you can move again. You'll find Wheelies usually in open courses with lots of straightaways and no drops... so try Checker Knights, Machine Passage, or Sky Sands.

Wheel (and Microphone) are of limited use in the animé. Wheel Kirby has appeared in only race-oriented episodes, and seems to do little more than roll swiftly past the competition... although he CAN jump, and can break Dedede Limousines easily. Kirby needs only inhale a tire to get this ability, and he goe into his cuteness-oozing transformation sequence, and comes out as Wheel Kirby... he'll get rolling by throwing the hat (which results from a tire fusing with Kirby's head) into himself to transform into a tire. Kirby was able to race five laps before Dedede could move five inches, and then he broke the limo... and lost the race anyway (Darn that Mayor Blustergas!). The other episode hasn't aired in the dub at the time of this writing, but Wheelie's in it... evil, no less, but it looks like the HELPER Wheelie... strange.

So far, it looks as if the Kirby: The Large Labyrinth Mirror game has given Wheel Kirby that jump he has in the animé. Nice touch. I rate Wheel a 9/10 for being a great way to just get the level over with, and for getting stardrafters off your back in Air Ride... and for Wheelie Rider's abilities. Roll out!