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But while this is a different kind of Kirby game, Kirby’s Dream Buffet does carry over a core element of the main titles: copy abilities. There are a total of eight different abilities that can be wielded during a Gourmet Grand Prix, but there are some that stand out as more useful than others.
8 Needle
A longtime ability in the Kirby franchise, Needle shows up in the form of a spiky ball that appears to be made out of honey. This power allows Kirby to become a spiked ball, with anyone running into him being knocked back or even off the stage.
Using the needle ability with no other actions results in Kirby just standing there, but by hitting the ability button again, Kirby will do a short dash in a random direction that can further cause an opponent to plunge to their death. But because that dash isn’t always reliable and the ability is so stationary, it is easily among the least useful powers in the game.
7 Drill
A copy ability that was first introduced in Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Drill makes its second ever appearance in this spin-off game. It shows up on the stage as a twisted carrot, which matches the theme of all the copy abilities in the game as they are all based on a food item.
Kirby can use this ability to go underground and may be able to deal damage to opponents when entering and leaving underground. That said, it doesn’t appear much during the Gourmet Grand Prix even though it should, given the fact that it can severely damage opponents when Kirby digs a circle around an opponent.
6 Hi-Jump
Jumping is an important part of navigating the delicious courses of Kirby’s Dream Buffet, but what if players can skip a large portion of it with a sizable leap? That is the role of the Hi-Jump copy ability, which looks like a gummy worm before being picked up.
Like the Drill, Hi-Jump does not show up frequently enough to be put higher on this list, but there is something to be said about being able to gain a huge advantage when racing. Landing after a Hi-Jump can also deal damage to opponents, which works for keeping opponents from advancing temporarily.
5 Wheel
While racing in Kirby’s Dream Buffet is all about rolling around as normal Kirby, there is the occasional opportunity to race around as an actual wheel. Another staple of the Kirby franchise, the Wheel ability does what players would expect it to.
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When activating the wheel, which looks like a donut, players will move quicker and will knock opponents out of the way. This ability is similar to some of the speed pads that players may come across in the levels, only it’s something that can be activated at any time. This is one of the handful of abilities that works well in both the races and the battle royale.
4 Burning
Fire is always among the first abilities players are confronted with in Kirby games, and there is good reason for it. Over the years, the ability has continued to involve to incorporate new ways to breath fire on opponents, such as dashing forward as a fireball.
The Burning ability, which looks like a red pepper, acts similarly to the Wheel as it projects Kirby forward while knocking out opponents. The only difference is that those knocked out by Burning seem to be knocked out a little bit longer, which is why this power has the edge over Wheel.
3 Stone
There are some abilities that really serve one purpose and don’t have much variety to them, but Stone is such a powerful ability that it is hard to not rank it among the better powers in the game. Stone, presented as a chocolate bar, mainly shows up during the battle royale mode.
When activated, Kirby will jump into the air and turn into a chocolate bar and slam down, creating a wave that could knock enemies off the course. Not only that, but holding down the button will create an even bigger wave that is almost broken unless opponents actively attempt to jump over it.
2 Jelly
The only ability in the game that hasn’t appeared in other games, Jelly may seem like a strange ability at first until using it more in different circumstances shows how valuable this ability can be. When picking up a plate of Jello, Kirby will be able to activate this ability and become jelly himself.
While moving around, there are jelly puddles that are left behind that may cause opponents to slow down. Jelly can phase through blocks, including the cookie barriers over the course of a race. It can also be used to avoid all attacks, but its effect doesn’t last long, so there is a strategy to when to activate it. It is a great defensive ability.
1 Tornado
The game is all about rolling on various food items, but mainly cake. So it makes sense that one of the abilities is a cupcake. Picking it up will give Kirby the Tornado ability, and it can be used in any mode for a lot of different purposes.
When racing against opponents, activating Tornado is perfect for picking up strawberries in the surrounding area and stunning other Kirbys. During the battle royale, it also can stun enemies and potentially knock them off the stage. Holding down the ability button creates a bigger area to grab strawberries. All around, it is quite powerful.
Kirby’s Dream Buffet is available now on Nintendo Switch.
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