King Dedede
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King Dedede (デデデ大王, Dedede Daiō) is one of the main characters in the Kirby franchise. He first appears in Kirby's Dream Land, and has appeared in nearly every other game except Kirby & The Amazing Mirror. He usually appears as an antagonist at first, but sometimes helps Kirby out when facing against a more evil entity.
| King Dedede | |
|---|---|
 Artwork for Kirby's Return to Dream Land | |
| Franchise | Kirby |
| First appearance | Kirby's Dream Land (1992) |
| Created by | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Species | Penguin-like |
| Gender | Male |
| Residence | Castle Dedede |
History
Kirby's Dream Land
His first appearance was in Kirby's Dream Land, where he and several thieves acting on his part stole the majority of Dream Land's food, and in either an attempt to crush morale, or simply to cause needless mischief, he stole the inhabitant's treasured Sparkling Stars. Appearing as the final boss of the game, his actions are reversed by Kirby upon his defeat, with a finishing blow sending him flying through the ceiling of his castle.
Kirby's Adventure / Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
In Kirby's Adventure and Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, he has broken up the fabled Star Rod from the Fountain of Dreams, causing the people of Dream Land to be unable to dream, and Kirby is dispatched with the task of recovering all the pieces. In a key plot revelation, defeating Dedede makes it apparent that he was actually trying to protect Dream Land from the sinister Nightmare whom he sealed in the fountain by breaking the Star Rod. King Dedede even goes so far as to spit out Kirby into outer space so Kirby can give chase and defeat Nightmare. This is one instance where he is seen as helping Kirby as opposed to hindering him. Nonetheless, this started a popular trend in the series where Dedede would serve as the apparent final boss, but collecting all the pieces of some key item would reveal the true instigator of Dream Land's problems.
Kirby Super Star / Kirby Super Star Ultra
In Kirby Super Star, King Dedede is fought four times. he is first fought in the sub-game Spring Breeze at the last stage, Mt Dedede. Here he is fairly easy to beat, but, after all, he is quite stubborn when it comes to being beaten. The next time you see him is in the sub-game Revenge of the King, where some of the bosses are tougher, especially King Dedede (or in this case, Masked Dedede). You once again fight King Dedede in The Arena and Masked Dedede in the True Arena in Kirby Super Star Ultra.
Kirby's Dream Land 3
In what is seen as one of the darker points of the series, a possessed Dedede fights Kirby in Kirby's Dream Land 3, his stomach tearing open and revealing a set of teeth with which he attempts to devour Kirby. Defeating Dedede once all 30 Heart Stars have been found reveals Dark Matter as the true final boss of the game, and the source of Dedede's surreal abilities.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
In Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Dedede is fought very early on in the game, and is possessed by Dark Matter once again. His attacks are similar to the ones from previous games; using his hammer and spitting out Dark Matter. After the Dark Matter is driven out, he allies with Kirby, allowing him to ride on his back in some areas.
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Interestingly enough, Dedede is also fought very early in Kirby: Squeak Squad, as he is actually the very first major boss in that game, making this the first Kirby platformer to place him in such a capacity. After his defeat, the Squeaks attack and take his treasure chest thinking it contains an ultimate power and begin to run off with it, but the furious King Dedede grabs and throws Kirby at them, knocking all of them in a rather large pit (which seemingly appears from nowhere).
Kirby's Epic Yarn
In Kirby's Epic Yarn, King Dedede is not the main antagonist, Yin-Yarn the sorcerer is. Dedede does not even enter Patch Land until very late in the game, when he is sucked into it by Yin-Yarn. He is fought soon after he enters this world, and therefore has a pretty minor part in the game. When he is fought, he is being puppet-controlled by Yin-Yarn and has no control over his actions. After being defeated, he is seen in a short cutscene with Kirby, Prince Fluff, and Meta Knight as they return to Dreamland to undo the damage that Yin-Yarn has caused. After that, Kirby never has to come across him again. Dedede is the boss of Snow Land, the third-to-last boss of the game.
Spinoffs
Though he has been relegated to a position of relative inferiority in the main series, Dedede often is the main instigator and final boss in the side series of puzzle and handheld arcade games, such as Kirby's Dream Course, where he operates a giant robot made in his own likeness at the end of the series, or Kirby's Block Ball, where he has built a castle atop the Fountain of Dreams, essentially defacing a symbol of pride for the people of Dream Land. These actions often appear as more harmless as an inconvenience for Kirby and the other Dream Landers, often fueled by a rivalry with Kirby, but it demonstrates a capability to cause trouble outside of the influence of Dark Matter.
Super Smash Bros. series
King Dedede was originally intended to be a playable character as far back as Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 64, and Super Smash Bros. Melee, however, he was cut both times due to time and storage constraints, and instead appears as a cameo on the Dream Land stage and as a collectible trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee.
King Dedede made his debut as a playable fighter in the Super Smash Bros. series with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, King Dedede is a heavyweight fighter wielding his trusty hammer, which has been mechanized with a jet engine for stronger swings. Although quite slow, his forward smash attack is the strongest in the game. He can also jump multiple times like his rival Kirby summon minions such as Waddle Dee, Waddle Doo and Gordo. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, King Dedede's Final Smash is calling a Waddle Dee Army to attack his opponents. He's one of the heaviest characters in the game, and he wields a gigantic mallet as he does in the series.
King Dedede returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. He is slightly faster and stronger than his Super Smash Bros. Brawl counterpart. His side special was also changed, as in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Dedede would randomly throw either a Waddle Dee, Waddle Doo, or Gordo. In this game, King Dedede will only throw a Gordo. His Final Smash was also changed from the Waddle Dee Army, to the Dedede Burst. King Dedede inhales enough air, which results in the creation of a mini-tornado. Anyone caught in the mini-tornado will be sucked towards King Dedede. Dedede will then hit the opponent(s) with his hammer two to three times, while it is engulfed in fire. He then finishes the Final Smash by throwing a bomb at the opponent(s).
King Dedede returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While his moveset and abilities remain the same compared to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, he is slightly faster and heavier than before and his moves have larger hitboxes. His Final Smash has changed yet again, this time featuring Masked Dedede called Dede-Rush. He will trap one player into a caged wrestling ring and fires missiles and jets from his hammer, before using his hammer to smack the opponent out of the ring. His Classic Mode campaign is called "Royal Rumble", where Dedede battles other fighters with royal titles before a showdown with Master Hand.
Attacks
His specials are:
- Neutral Special: Inhale
- Side Special: Waddle Dee Toss (Brawl) / Gordo Throw (3DS/Wii U)
- Down Special: Jet Hammer
- Up Special: Super Dedede Jump
- Final Smash: Waddle Dee Army (Brawl) / Dedede Burst (3DS/Wii U)
Trophy descriptions
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. for 3DS Character
- "He calls himself the King of Dream Land, but he doesn't have a lot of interest in ruling. He really loves to eat, so it's no surprise he's a heavyweight fighter. Despite his size and low speed, he can easily recover with his four jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets."
Super Smash Bros. for 3DS Alternate
- "For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede sends a Gordo bouncing with a hammer strike. It bounces off walls --- or sometimes gets stuck in them. After a while it'll disappear, if an enemy hits one, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!"
King Dedede's theme
King Dedede is widely recognized for the theme song that often plays during battles against him. The song was used for the Dedede battle in Kirby's Dream Land 1, 2, and 3, Kirby Super Star, and Kirby: Squeak Squad. Although it was not in the original NES version of Kirby's Adventure, it was added in the GBA remake, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, for the Mini Boss Tower stage. A remixed version of the song was also used during the races against the Dedede Painting in Kirby: Canvas Curse. The version of the song from Kirby Super Star also appears in Kirby Air Ride, as an unlockable song for the FIRE track. Another theme associated with King Dedede is the theme from the Gourmet Race mini-game in Kirby Super Star Ultra. An orchestral version of this theme is employed during battle against him in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, as well as the Fountain of Dreams stage of Super Smash Bros. Melee.
Playable appearances
Dedede has had a handful of playable appearances in some of the more recent games.
- In Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu, he is playable in the VS mode of the game. Both Player 1 and Player 2 can select him at the character select screen.
- In Kirby 64, in addition to being a playable ally in some levels of game, he is a playable character in the mini-games.
- In Kirby Air Ride, he is an unlockable character, obtained after defeating 1,000 or more enemies scattered across the game's racetracks.
- In Kirby Super Star he is playable in the two-player version of quick draw, only Player 2 can play as him. As Player 2, the player may need to start the game many times to play as Dedede, since every time he plays a match, Player 2's character is chosen at random while Player 1 is always Kirby.
- In Kirby: Canvas Curse, he is a Medal Swap unlockable after obtaining Waddle Dee, and for a third time allies himself with Kirby in an endeavor to take down a common enemy. However, Dedede also appears in that game as an enemy in the Truck Chase mini-game.
- In Kirby's Return to Dream Land, King Dedede is playable by players 2, 3, or 4, alongside Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee. He uses his hammer instead of copy abilities.
- In Kirby: Triple Deluxe, King Dedede becomes playable after completing story mode as Kirby. He is played through a mode called DededeTour, which is just the regular story mode but with portals, allowing to skip less important parts of Story Mode, and go straight to more powerful versions of the bosses fought in Story Mode as Kirby.
Abilities
King Dedede possess great physical strength. He is almost never seen without his signature massive wooden mallet, which he is able to swing with enough force to send foes flying and easily smash stone walls and boulders. Despite his portly appearance, King Dedede is surprising agile, able to run nearly as fast as Kirby and jump many times his height. Aside from his strength and agility, Dedede has a handful of abilities. One of them is his ability to suck in objects, similar to Kirby, but is not able to consume and copy the enemy's powers, which Kirby can do. Dedede is even capable of flight by inhaling air, again, like Kirby. Dedede is also able to summon Waddle Dees and Gordos to assist him in battle.
King Dedede always wields a hammer in battle, and he can swing it with great strength. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, his hammer has become mechanized, so he can perform Jet Hammer, which attacks foes with its engine. Dedede can charge it up for greater power, even while waddling, but if it is charged too much, it will overheat, continuously damaging Dedede until released. In other versions, the overcharged hammer will explode, instead of overheating. The explosion damages Dedede and knocks him back.