Ask Guru Gobbo #27

1) Backdrop is king and forever shall be in my book. Sure, it only got one real appearance, but what an impact it made. Plus, back in Adventure, it held a lot more value than current games' abilities. The variation was something new rather than mundane, Plus, there's something great about smashing foes with your bare ... um, stubs? It's good to get down and dirty.

2) Comedy, thy name is Kine Stone! The poor guy gets his gut busted by bouldered buddy. Oh, the horror! But, he powers through it anyways 'cuz he's a fighter. Or a fish. But not both. Kine's an ocean sunfish not a Japanese fighting fish. Big difference.

3) The most useful ability, throughout any game it has appeared in, is easily Parasol. I'm sure you could nitpick and find an individually better power, but I'm also certain that it would be in either limited appearances or availability. Parasol not only appears in a wide number of titles but also can be found like mad! It's everywhere you turn. This ability is labeled as "most useful" since it is taking effect even when Kirby is just standing there. In fact, when you equip it, you can just stand there. So long as the parasol is lifted over Kirby's head, neither foes nor harmful UV rays can reach him. This is one of the few abilities that functions as a defense, outside of the awkward Stone and still allows for fast and easy moving. Plus, you can use it to lower down slowly. I don't think I have ever needed that, granted, but it's nice to not worry about dropping into death, spikes, and enemies.

You're right! Still, however, his in-game sprite was a single, static, back view image. It barely counted for much of anything and, luckily, most of what I said still holds true. Unless, that is, he was to return as the amazing attacks-without-looking enemy!

Onwards, there is a bit of oddity with the clashing arrangement of the systems. Really, however, there's not much that makes sense on a galactic scale about the entire Dream Land cosmos. For starters, Pop Star is, well, a star, or at least was originally. It gradually grew into being referred to as a planet sometime after Adventure and before/during Super Star. The naming convention, you are right, is off. The Crystal Shard planets all of "Star" visibly attached to their name. This is the thing -- visibly. What we never see, "we" being Americans, is the complete names of the stars. Flow Star Floria and Scorching Star Hotbeat are just some examples of their full, Japanese titles.

Anyways, there really is no reason that the two games don't sync up with one another. The obvious statement could be the directors of each game. Super Star was the trend setter in the edgier, less childish Kirby with hats that has continued through the series today while The Crystal Shards was made in the vein of Dream Land 2 & 3 to be more cute. There are obvious similarities between some of the stars, such as two earth stars, two fire stars, etc.

Of course, Pop Star itself is rarely kept in a consistent form. How many games has its landscape been drastically altered to suit needs? Ripple Field use to be a single Rainbow Island in Dream Land 2 and suddenly upgraded to a full fifth of the planet in Dream Land 3. Kirby isn't really one of those games with a solid, defined system of, well, anything. It flexes and changes as need be. If you need Whispy Woods to be somewhere, then the entire forest is going to be uprooted and moved without question. I know a lot of it could be explained, but I don't even think the game creators put as much thought into this type of thing as fans do.

Now, in a completely nonfactual sense, just my opinion, I've always seen it that the worlds featured in Super Star are more like Pop Star's moons, or, given that it is more like a star, it's orbiting planets. When you compare their sizes to Pop's, it's a huge difference. In fact, the surrounding worlds are about as big as the feuding sun and moon that orbit Pop Star. Orbiting sun. Whew, is that scientifically flawed. Anyways, the Crystal Shards planets would be more equivalent to Pop Star in size. Those other, tiny, bordering worlds would just vanish from view when zooming out to scale.

The reason that surfaced was drama! Yes, the episode was, by the producers' accounts, too much for children to handle, particularly with the fake death scene. They think very, very little of the American youth and feel they have to be coddled with mittens at all times. 'Cuz it's not like anyone ever has to deal with death ever.

I call forth the trial of Pokémon Animé v. Gyarados Mouth. In it, you may remember that the large serpent was unable to close its mouth for the most part, generally depicted with an ever gaping jaw. Similarly, one-dimensional aspects of other creatures could be found in the series, all which vanished in, say, a movie that actually held real production value. This stemmed from the animators being stupid and only having one source picture to go off of.

It really is that simple. The animation teams are, what? Normally in Korea, nowadays? The Clerks: The Animated Series commentary gave some hilarious insight to how hard it is to communicate ideas with them. "Man no sleep behind counter!" was one of their responses. Granted, folks tend not to, but it was part of the joke. Still, that doesn't really translate with the instructions. Anyways, back on track, Waddle Dee does have a mouth. This can be seen in-game with Super Star* and in mangas at several points. Just because the mouth is not readily visible does not mean it isn't there. As of such, folks like Broom Hatter has eyes, they are just small and obscured from view for artistic reasons. I mean, I would assume it does. It can see, I'm taking it, to know where to sweep. I doubt echolocation could help detect particles of dust.

* A correction is made to this answer in Session #77.

I've actually been getting a lot of repeats for a while, as early as the third or fourth sessions. Back then, what were people's reasons? There was only a handful to dig through. I can't blame anyone for asking a repeat now. But, yes, I believe it is coming close to time to make such a thing. I really would, too, love to have it a total homage to the original Gurus and the lovable Generic Kirby Fan #90210, but I wouldn't want to tarnish its name. However, since folks don't bother to read the "Don't ask about the Pengy suit episode" or "Search for answers before asking", I wonder what good it might be? Still, however, I should make one, or, by the time this is read, have made one, why not?

I am quite glad, despite the picture to my side. Now, as to your question, I would naturally say, "Well, of course, if Kirby were to eat Meta Knight and King Dedede, he'd get Sword and Hammer, respectively." I mean, that makes practical sense in game terms. However, with the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, that goes out the window since he can not only eat those two characters but gain the respective individual powers from them. That sure makes my job easier. Heh heh heh.

To use Game Shark codes, you first need a Game Shark. Much like the Game Genie, when you boot up the game, you enter said codes for stated effects. I mean, I don't see how else it would work. I've had my share of code/cheat devices, and that's how they've all worked.

Zero bleeds from his eye, his wings, and anywhere else red stuff is spewing. I guess one could argue, "That's not blood, that's just red fluid leaking from his body." Yeah, that'd be blood then. I don't know if some switcheroo was pulled to not inflate the game's rating, but that stuff is blood, plain and simple.

It was pretty odd that someone would both fake you and hate on you near the same time you posted a question. I guess someone was monitoring your internet activities and secretly hated that your user name was so original and hearty. The password thing, however, won't be necessary. I've started displaying IP addresses for comparison of who's who and such. The false individual, however, did have a lot of nerve or bordom to try and pull that stunt. I'd say bordom.

This question was already answered, or least was already answered before I relocated it to the end of the session.

As for Dedede's symbol, that is not a rabbit. That's what I've heard a lot of people say, but it just isn't true. I've never seen a blue bunny in that image. My take on the logo was a V-shaped hand gesture, for "victory" or "okay", that he use to make back in the old games. His hands are round and bulbous enough to pull off that shape. Now, it seems, he wears mittens or gloves that cover up his ability to pull this off. However, back in the first game, in Castle Dedede, there's lots of portraits of the daio hanging on his walls where he is leaning over, turned a quarter about, and giving this hand signal. Also, before beginning the Egg Catcher bonus game in Adventure, he turns to the player and flips the V. It's a nice homage to vintage king despite it no longer being possible. So, bunny head, no. Victory, for the win.

That seems to be on everyone's minds. Well, the answer is coming soon. Just be patient, young grasshopper.

As for Kirby's weight, his Smash Bros. bio lists him as lighter than air. I don't really think that can be weighed.

Just like the what!? No, really, all of the big, boss battles featured Kirby flying around in some fashion, or at least the battle near that point. Star Rod against Nightmare, Rainbow Sword against Real Dark Matter, Love-love Stick against 0, Crystal Gun against 02, Star Chariot against Heart of NOVA, ... um, shootin' stuff at Dark Mind's core during the credit sequence, I guess? All of these feature free traveling, shooting action-ness stemmed from the Kaboola battle in the first Dream Land. The animated series just used this motif, and, if it didn't have this type of end fight sequence, I would be rather disappointed in it.

Regardless, I've aired my reasons to what would complicate a fully three dimensional Kirby game. While it would have some nice qualities to it, I'm afraid I'm too much a classic gamer and prefer only have two D's to navigate. There's just too many holes opened up, especially for free-flying Kirby, when you introduce a boundless landscape. I mean, unless the entire game was spent inside a system of cavernous tunnels and buildings, there would be way too much space for the puff to go.

Really? Yes, Meta Knight is a playable character in Nightmare in Dream Land. However, to be able to play as him, you first beat the game and unlock Extra Mode, which I believe requires completing the regular mode with 100%. After knocking the bonus mode from your to-do list, then the bonus bonus mode of Meta Knightmare opens up in which you play as Meta Knight. He's basically like Kirby when empowered with the Sword ability except his flight is more like Wing from Super Star, as opposed to inflating, and he can use his blade to demolish blocks, pound stakes, and light fuses.

Meta Knight wears the mask to hide his identity, much like a super hero. He doesn't want people to know that he's just like Kirby. Whether this is due to some family relation, shame from being associated with the people he views as "lazy", or something entirely different has never really been clarified.

His reappearing mask is a puzzled caper. It has come back or been replaced as fast as one scene transition as seen in Super Star where, immediately after the unmasked Meta Knight flees from his losing battle against Kirby, he is seen again flying on bat wings, shooting balls of energy, and wearing a mask! I would guess he just has a drawer full of them. That's where he goes after being bested by Kirby, I guess -- to fetch more face plates.

... What?