King Dedede
- For fighter info, seeKing Dedede (SSBB),King Dedede (SSB4), andKing Dedede (SSBU).
| King Dedede | |
|---|---|
  Official artwork of King Dedede fromKirby Star Allies. | |
| Universe | Kirby |
| Debut | Kirby's Dream Land (1992) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | SSB Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Kirby Air Riders (2025) |
| Console/platform of origin | Game Boy |
| Species | Bird[1] |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of origin | Dream Land,Popstar |
| Created by | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Designed by | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Voice actor | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Article on Wikirby | King Dedede |
King Dedede (デデデ大王Great King Dedede) is a character from theKirby series. Following his debut inKirby's Dream Land as a full-fledged villain, King Dedede steadily transitioned into both an antihero andKirby's "arch-frenemy"[2] by willingly allying with Kirby on a number of occasions for the greater good while maintaining their rivalry.
After making cameo appearances inSuper Smash Bros. as a background character and inSuper Smash Bros. Melee as atrophy, King Dedede transitioned into a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, and has remained as such since then.
Origin[edit]
King Dedede is a rotund, blue, penguin-like bird who possesses an egocentric and selfish disposition, which is best exemplified by his status as the self-proclaimed king ofDream Land.[2] His signature attire consists of a red, regal coat with white fur trim and his personal emblem, a stylized version of his hand striking the V sign, embossed on the back. He also wears yellow mitten-like gloves, a redtuque with a white fur pom-pom and gold crown-like brim, and a sash featuring blue and white trim with red and yellow tessellated triangles.
King Dedede is most often defined by his gluttony. He lives ina regal castle staffed byWaddle Dee servants, and he enjoys food to the extent of hoarding piles of it. This behavior, however, is contrasted by his incredible athleticism and ingenuity. LikeKirby, King Dedede is able toinhale enemies and spit them out as projectiles (but he cannot copy a foe's ability like Kirby can). After his first defeat at Kirby's hands, Dedede underwent rigorous training to learn how to puff up and fly like him. Outside of this, Dedede wields a large wooden mallet as his signature weapon; this mallet is depicted in some games as having special features built into it, such as a powerful jet engine, or the ability to fire missiles or a chargeable laser.
In earlyKirby games and spin-off titles, Dedede is depicted as the central antagonist. King Dedede's misdeeds, driven by greed, range from stealing food from the Dream Land residents inKirby's Dream Land to stealing all the stars from the sky inKirby's Dream Course. In other games, such asKirby's Dream Land 3 andKirby: Triple Deluxe, Dedede's antagonism is not of his own volition; he is manipulated by a greater evil through mind control or possession.
In fact, a common misconception about King Dedede is that he is evil. He is merely selfish and mischievous, which renders him too benign to be an outright villain, especially compared to otherKirby antagonists. Beginning withKirby 64: The Crystal Shards, he began being depicted as an anti-hero, possessing a standoffish personality tempered by hidden compassion for others. This depiction is his most consistent portrayal in the series, especially as ofKirby's Return to Dream Land.
However, Dedede's good intentions are occasionally misguided, or undermined by his self-centered nature; inKirby's Adventure, he breaks theStar Rod (the power source of theFountain of Dreams) to protect Dream Land from the villain known asNightmare, but its inhabitants are unable to dream as a consequence, and Kirby later finds him nonchalantly bathing in the Fountain of Dreams' waters.
King Dedede's relationship with Kirby varies from a nemesis to a partner. The king believes himself to be Kirby's "destined rival". Kirby, on the other hand, bears no such grudge. While Kirby regularly foils Dedede's schemes, the duo also partake in friendly speed-eating contests inKirby Super Star's Gourmet Race sub-game, and Dedede even teams up with Kirby as a playable character inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards,Kirby's Return to Dream Land, andKirby Star Allies. In the anime seriesKirby: Right Back at Ya!, he is much more malicious and determined to defeat Kirby, but he rarely succeeds due to his simple-mindedness. However, he retains a form of respect for Kirby, which he rarely shows.
In theSuper Smash Bros. series, King Dedede is voiced by his creator,Masahiro Sakurai, who also voiced him inKirby 64: The Crystal Shards. His appearance in theSuper Smash Bros. series is primarily influenced byKirby Super Star. However, there are additional details original to the series, such as his kimono-like robes and mechanically-enhanced hammer. His more elaborate robes would later make an appearance inKirby Mass Attack, while the idea of an upgraded mechanical hammer is seen multiple times in theKirby series, starting withKirby Super Star Ultra.
InSuper Smash Bros.[edit]
InSuper Smash Bros., King Dedede makes a cameo in the background ofDream Land. However, according to a page onSmabura-Ken (the game's official Japanese website), King Dedede, alongsideBowser andMewtwo, wasplanned to be included as a playable character, but was cut due to time constraints. Aside from this, no other information is available.
The design of King Dedede's sprite closely resembles his design fromKirby's Dream Land 3, except he isn't wearing his gloves, his beak is red, and his eyes are open.
In an official poll held onSmabura-Ken regarding characters for a potential sequel, Dedede placed fourth with 46 votes, being the highest ranked non-Mario character.[3]
InSuper Smash Bros. Melee[edit]
Like in the originalSuper Smash Bros., King Dedede reappears in the background of Dream Land inSuper Smash Bros. Melee.
Trophy[edit]
King Dedede also makes an appearance as one of the collectible trophies that can be found through theTrophy Lottery.
- King Dedede
- Dedede's the self-proclaimed king of Dream Land. While he says he's king, Dedede performs no administrative functions and the citizens of Dream Land continue to live as they always have. He's able to suck in air and fly like Kirby does, but only as a result of the vigorous training he undertook after being bested by Kirby.
- Kirby's Dream Land (8/92)
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
King Dedede is a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, making him the third playable character from theKirby series followingKirby andMeta Knight. He wields his trademark hammer, swinging it in most of his standard attacks, like theIce Climbers, and has very powerful hammer-based attacks. His special moves areInhale,Waddle Dee Toss,Super Dedede Jump, andJet Hammer. Inhale is very similar to Kirby's trademark move, but King Dedede lacks the ability to copy abilities. Waddle Dee Toss lets him throw his minions at foes, sometimes producing not onlyWaddle Dees, but also more deadlyWaddle Doos andGordos. It is also possible for Dedede to throw out capsules containing items.
Super Dedede Jump is an effective recovery move, sending King Dedede high into the air, then crashing into the ground to damage foes. He can also cancel out of doing this. Finally, King Dedede mechanizes his hammer with Jet Hammer. The hammer's power is charged up by holding the special attack button, and then released for a mighty swing. King Dedede incurs damage after charging for too long, however. His dash attack, forward smash, Inhale, and Super Dedede Jump all come fromKirby's Dream Land.
Like other playable characters, King Dedede retains his core design, albeit greatly enhanced graphically; most notably, his usually-exposed girth (other than his patterned waistband) is now covered by fine robes of a similar color, making his overall wear resemble a kimono. Additionally, his alternate costumes not only change the color of his outfit but the design on his waistband, as well.
King Dedede currently ranks 12th on thetier list in C+ tier. King Dedede possesses a powerful chain grab that can perform infinites on most lower-tier characters, which is complemented by his fast and long-reaching grab. He also overcomes his poor speed through his high vertical endurance, boasts one of the best recoveries in the game, and has a strong aerial game (with his back aerial in particular being very useful).
Trophy[edit]
- King Dedede
- The self-styled king of the amazingly peaceful Dream Land. He continually does things unbecoming a king, like stealing the kingdom's food supplies or all the stars from the sky. He's not all bad, though, and sometimes performs good deeds. While he and Kirby often battle, they've been known to compete good-naturedly at speed-eating contests and minigames.
:Kirby's Dream Land
:Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Stickers[edit]
| Name | Game | Effect | Fighter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Dedede &Kirby | Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards | AttackSpecialsDirect+021 Attack +21 | Kirby Meta Knight King Dedede   |
| King Dedede | Kirby Super Star | AttackLeg+028 Attack +28 | Kirby Meta Knight King Dedede |
| King Dedede | Kirby: Squeak Squad | AttackThrowing+030 Attack +30 | |
.png) King Dedede & Kirby (Kirby 64) |
.png) King Dedede (Kirby Super Star) |
.png) King Dedede (Kirby Squeak Squad) |
InSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
King Dedede returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. 4. He has a more cartoonish look than his appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, reminiscent of his appearance inKirby: Right Back at Ya!, and gained a new Final Smash calledDedede Burst.
King Dedede has seen a large fall from his previoustier list spot forBrawl, now ranking 52nd out of 55 characters forSSB4. While still maintaining his high power anddisjointed reach with his hammer, he lost his effectivechain grab, a technique removed fromSSB4. This removes what made him so effective inBrawl. His back aerial was also changed for the worse, no longer being as versatile as it once was. King Dedede also has a new side special:Gordo Throw. Since he now throws only Gordos, the new move has consistent power compared to the random nature of Waddle Dee Toss. However, this new attack can also be a hindrance for Dedede, as the Gordos are easily sent back to him byreflectors or any attack that does 2% or higher. The combination of his large size and slow mobility also makes him vulnerable to combos and camping.
Due to his flaws heavily outweighing his strengths, Dedede is regarded poorly in competitive play despite some notably high tournament results from players likeBig D andZaki.
Trophies[edit]
- King Dedede
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.
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 five jumps. His Jet Hammer will leave a mark on everyone he meets.
Being a self-proclaimed king, Dedede clearly doesn't care too much about the whole "politics" thing. He's just a bit greedy. In this game, his weight and hefty hammer make him slow, but he can still jump four times in mid-air anyway, making it easy for him to get back to the stage. Fully charge his Jet Hammer for ultimate destruction.- :Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
:Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)
- King Dedede (Alt.)
- 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!
- 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 the Gordo, it'll bounce back toward you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
- For the Gordo Throw side special, King Dedede hits a Gordo with his hammer, sending it bouncing along the stage. It'll bounce off walls, or sometimes get stuck in them. Then, after a while, it'll disappear. If an enemy hits the Gordo with an attack, it'll fly back towards you. Use the special again to whack it back at them!
- :Kirby's Dream Land (08/1992)
- :Kirby: Triple Deluxe (05/2014)
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
King Dedede returns as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. He once again features a newFinal Smash calledDede-Rush, which features him launching an opponent into a steel cage, assuming hisMasked Dedede persona, and then attacking any trapped opponents with a barrage of missiles and hisJet Hammer. UnlikeBrawl andSSB4, he is an unlockable character instead of a starter character.
Spirits[edit]
Fighter spirit[edit]
325.King Dedede
Primary spirit[edit]
| No. | Image | Name | Type | Class | Slots | Base | Max | Base | Max | Base | Max | Ability | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 353 |  | Masked Dedede |  | ★★★ | 2 | 2835 | 8550 | 1531 | 4617 | 1304 | 3933 | No Effect | Kirby Series |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese | デデデ,Dedede | — |
 English | King Dedede | — |
 French (PAL) | Roi DaDiDou | King Dedede |
 French (NTSC) | Roi Dadidou | King Dedede |
 German | König Dedede ( onwards)König Nickerchen (  ) | King Dedede King Nap |
 Spanish | Rey Dedede | King Dedede |
 Italian | King Dedede | — |
 Chinese (Simplified) | 帝帝帝大王,Dedede | Great King Dedede |
 Chinese (Traditional) | 帝帝帝大王,Dedede | Great King Dedede |
 Korean | 디디디 대왕,Dedede | Dedede the Great |
 Dutch | Koning Dedede | King Dedede |
 Russian | Король Дидиди | King Dedede |
 Portuguese | Rei Dedede | King Dedede |
Trivia[edit]
- King Dedede's name is pronounced in two ways: the English, Korean, Dutch, and Russian versions read his name as "Dee-Dee-Dee", while the Japanese, Spanish, German, and Italian versions read it as "Day-Day-Day".
- Additionally, theannouncer does not say King Dedede's title in Japanese; he is simply referred to as "Dedede".
- King Dedede uniquely uses two different announcer voice clips in the Chinese versions ofUltimate depending on the setting; the simplified version uses the English "King Dedede" clip, while the traditional version uses the Japanese "Dedede" clip like the rest of the roster.
- King Dedede is one of the two playable characters to appear in every game of the series who was not playable in every iteration, the other beingCharizard.
- When counting both versions ofSSB4 as the same game,Ridley also shares this distinction.
- InKirby's Return to Dream Land, the Hammer ability received a new move called Hammer Twirl, which is directly inspired by King Dedede's down aerial fromBrawl in which he twirls his hammer below himself. Ironically, King Dedede's down aerial was changed inSSB4, which was released afterReturn to Dream Land.
- King Dedede is one of the four characters to have a different Final Smash across every entry since Final Smashes were introduced; the other three arePit,Zero Suit Samus, andR.O.B.
- Ever since his debut inBrawl, King Dedede has had the worst air speed of any fighter.
- King Dedede is also the heaviestBrawl veteran as ofUltimate, thoughSnake was heavier than him inBrawl.
- If King Dedede is present when playing onDream Land, the sprite of King Dedede in the background will not appear.
- However, inSmash 3DS'sTraining Mode, it is possible for both of them to appear at the same time.
References[edit]
| Playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Super Smash Bros. | Captain Falcon ·Donkey Kong ·Fox ·Jigglypuff ·Kirby ·Link ·Luigi ·Mario ·Ness ·Pikachu ·Samus ·Yoshi |
| New inMelee | Bowser ·Dr. Mario ·Falco ·Ganondorf ·Ice Climbers ·Marth ·Mewtwo ·Mr. Game & Watch ·Peach ·Pichu ·Roy ·Sheik ·Young Link ·Zelda |
| New inBrawl | Diddy Kong ·Ike ·King Dedede ·Lucario ·Lucas ·Meta Knight ·Olimar (Pikmin) ·Pit ·Pokémon Trainer (Squirtle ·Ivysaur ·Charizard) ·R.O.B. ·Snake ·Sonic ·Toon Link ·Wario ·Wolf ·Zero Suit Samus |
| New inSmash 4 | (Alph) ·Bayonetta ·Bowser Jr. (Koopalings) ·Cloud ·Corrin ·Dark Pit ·Duck Hunt ·Greninja ·Little Mac ·Lucina ·Mega Man ·Mii Brawler ·Mii Gunner ·Mii Swordfighter ·Pac-Man ·Palutena ·Robin ·Rosalina &Luma ·Ryu ·Shulk ·Villager ·Wii Fit Trainer |
| New inUltimate | Banjo &Kazooie ·Byleth ·Chrom ·Daisy ·Dark Samus ·Hero ·Incineroar ·Inkling ·Isabelle ·Joker ·Kazuya ·Ken ·King K. Rool ·Min Min ·Mythra ·Piranha Plant ·Pyra ·Richter ·Ridley ·Sephiroth ·Simon ·Sora ·Steve (Alex,Zombie,Enderman) ·Terry |
