Meta Knight
- For fighter info, seeMeta Knight (SSBB),Meta Knight (SSB4), andMeta Knight (SSBU).
| Meta Knight | |
|---|---|
  Official artwork of Meta Knight fromKirby Star Allies. | |
| Universe | Kirby |
| Debut | Kirby's Adventure (1993) |
| Smash Bros. appearances | Melee Brawl SSB4 Ultimate |
| Most recent non-Smash appearance | Kirby Air Riders (2025) |
| Console/platform of origin | Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Species | Unknown[1] |
| Gender | Male |
| Place of origin | Dream Land,Popstar |
| Created by | Masahiro Sakurai |
| Englishvoice actor | Eric Newsome |
| Japanesevoice actor | Atsushi Kisaichi |
| Article on WiKirby | Meta Knight |
Meta Knight (メタナイト,Meta Knight) is a character from theKirby series. Since debuting inKirby's Adventure as a boss, Meta Knight has steadily transitioned into an anti-hero and friendly rival ofKirby,[1] as he willingly assists or directly allies with Kirby on a number of occasions for the greater good, while maintaining their rivalry.
After making a cameo appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Melee as atrophy, Meta Knight transitioned into a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, and has remained as such since then.
Origin[edit]
Meta Knight is a mysterious character who has been depicted as both a hero and a villain, and more generally an anti-hero, in theKirby series. He is sometimes cast as an antagonist toKirby, but his intentions are not definitively evil. In certain instances, he sends his troops, the Meta-Knights, as enemies against the pink protagonist as a sort of training method. Titles such asKirby & The Amazing Mirror,Kirby's Return to Dream Land, andKirby: Planet Robobot depict Meta Knight as a direct ally to Kirby, often assisting him in his journey.[1]
Meta Knight is a blue Kirby-like being cloaked in armor, with glowing yellow eyes visible underneath a silver mask. His primary weapon is a golden, pronged sword namedGalaxia, which he wields with considerable skill.[1] He wears a cape that he usually casts off when a battle begins. He is often shown with a pair of bat-like wings, which are variously depicted as hidden underneath his cape or as something into which the cape can transform. Meta Knight's mask breaks almost every time he is defeated, revealing a face very similar to Kirby's own. Upon defeat, Meta Knight immediately wraps himself within his cape and flees.
In battle, Meta Knight has a notable code of honor. He always provides a sword to Kirby in order to have an equal duel; in some games, such asKirby Super Star andKirby Star Allies, there may be certain circumstances that cause him to make the first move when Kirby takes too long to get the weapon. However, in contrast to his code of honor, Meta Knight is also occasionally shown to be forceful and arrogant. This is best demonstrated in the "Revenge of Meta Knight" mode ofKirby Super Star, where Meta Knight attempts to use his battleship, theHalberd, to take control of Dream Land and end its carefree lifestyle.
TheKirby: Right Back at Ya! anime depicts Meta Knight as a veteran Star Warrior and an ostensible underling toKing Dedede andEscargoon; in reality, he has his own higher motives, and only uses his relationship with Dedede as a means of accomplishing them. He often acts as a mentor to Kirby, providing cryptic advice and training him to become a Star Warrior in kind. This appearance is the basis of Meta Knight's personality inSmash. In Japanese, he is even voiced by the same actor, Atsushi Kisaichi.
InSuper Smash Bros. Melee[edit]
Meta Knight only appears in this game as a collectible trophy, unlocked as one of the 250+ trophies that can be collected randomly during normal play, such as in the Trophy Lottery and throughout the various Single-player Regular Matches (though it will only be available to start appearing after the player has played over 200 VS mode matches). The trophy has a factual error: while his first appearance was inKirby's Adventure released in May of 1993, the trophy claims that his first appearance was inKirby Super Star, released in September of 1996.
Trophy[edit]
- Meta-Knight
- The mysterious head of the Meta-Knights, he wields his sword with dignity. He delivered his sword to Kirby and demanded single combat in a show of his knightly honor; his strict adherence to his code of ethics makes him a rarity in Dream Land. Sometimes he throws off his cape in battle. It occasionally transforms into wings.
- Kirby Super Star (9/96[sic])
- Kirby's Fun Pak
InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
Meta Knight makes an official appearance as a playable character inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, and he is available to playfrom the start. Almost all of his attacks involve his sword, Galaxia, and most of these attacks are extremely fast; for instance, his up air comes out in just two frames (1/30th of a second), referencing his swordsmanship in theKirby franchise. Though his overall reach is average, the length of his sword relative to his small body gives him grossly disproportionate disjoints in all of his attacks, giving him excellent spacing options. In addition to fast attacks, Meta Knight is equipped with incredible recovery potential. LikeKirby,King Dedede, andJigglypuff, he has multiple jumps, but, despite physically resembling Kirby, he doesn't puff himself up to fly. Instead, he transforms his cape into wings to propel himself upwards, and in addition, Meta Knight has the ability toglide using his cape wings. Furthermore, Meta Knight is equipped with very versatile special moves that not only improve his already stellar recovery but also heavily define his neutral and edgeguard game.
Meta Knight is widely considered to be the best character inBrawl due to him lacking disadvantageous match-ups (with one documented but heavily disputed even matchup againstPikachu) along with his overwhelming dominance in tournaments. Due to being considered "broken", Meta Knight had been banned since January 9, 2012 on theUnity Ruleset. However, after the disbandment of the Unity ruleset, prohibiting him is up to the Tournament Organizer.
Trophy[edit]
- Meta Knight
- The head of the Meta-Knights, and something of a rival to Kirby. He's quite an accomplished swordsman. Following his code of knightly ethics, he once delivered his sword to Kirby and demanded single combat. His giant cape transforms into wings, giving him the power of flight. He's shown his face briefly before, but his relationship to Kirby is still a mystery.
:Kirby's Adventure
:Kirby Super Star- The head of the Meta-Knights, and something of a rival to Kirby. He's quite an accomplished swordsman. Following his code of knightly ethics, he once delivered a sword to Kirby and demanded single combat. His giant cape transforms into wings, giving him the power of flight. He's shown his face briefly before, but his relationship to Kirby is still a mystery.
- :Kirby's Adventure
- :Kirby's Fun Pak
Stickers[edit]
| Name | Game | Effect | Fighter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Knight | Kirby: Squeak Squad | AttackSlash+032 Attack +32 | Kirby Meta Knight King Dedede   |
| Meta Knight Ball | Kirby: Canvas Curse | SpecialLaunchPower+008 +8 | Kirby Meta Knight King Dedede |
.png) Meta Knight (Kirby Squeak Squad) |
.png) Meta Knight Ball (Kirby Canvas Curse) |
InSuper Smash Bros. 4[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
Meta Knight was confirmed as a playable character on August 13th, 2014. He has been visually updated, with his gloves now sporting gauntlets, a detail seen in official artwork of Meta Knight inKirby: Squeak Squad andKirby Super Star Ultra.
Possibly due to his dominance inBrawl, Meta Knight has been significantly nerfed fromBrawl toSSB4. Many of his attacks are slightly slower, and his range has been noticeably shortened, forcing him to take a more aggressive play style. His attacks no longer havetranscendent priority. He has lost the ability to glide, toning down his recovery.Mach Tornado, a staple inBrawl, has less momentum and higher ending lag, removing his dominance in the neutral game. These changes have also left him more vulnerable to camping strategies.
Meta Knight is currently ranked 16th on thetier list, placing him in the B tier. Meta Knight still has numerous strengths, such as his combos fromBrawl, and his deadly edge-guarding game. He has received several buffs to his KO moves as well, with his forward smash and back aerial now dealing more knockback, andShuttle Loop deals more damage, has increased range and much higher knockback scaling. As a result, he has a powerful punishing ability. Most importantly, his air speed has been greatly increased, now being roughly average, whereas it was tied for the third slowest inBrawl. Even with the loss of many of his advantages, his strengths heavily outweigh his flaws; this has translated to his tournament status, in which he has secured strong representation and noteworthy results.
As a costume[edit]
Meta Knight's mask is also available as headgear for all Mii Fighter types.
Trophies[edit]
- Meta Knight
Kirby's mysterious rival, this masked swordsman appears in several Kirby games. His cape transforms into wings to grant him flight. In Smash Bros., his quick sword skills and aerial agility set him apart. He can jump up to five times in a row, and he has a special move to soar higher.
Kirby's mysterious rival, this masked swordsman appears in several Kirby games. His cape transforms into wings to grant him flight. In Smash Bros., his quick sword skills and aerial agility set him apart. He can jump up to six times in a row, and he has a special move to soar higher.- :Kirby's Adventure (05/1993)
- :Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
- A mysterious masked swordsman from the Kirby series. His cape can turn into wings, which gives him the ability to fly. His swift swordplay and ability to stay in the air give him an edge in this game. He can combine five mid-air jumps with a special move to make recovering a cinch. If you use him, try to keep the battle airborne!
- :Kirby's Adventure (12/1993)
- :Kirby's Fun Pak (01/1997)
- Meta Knight (Alt.)
- Meta Knight's Dimensional Cape lets you teleport, changing where you'll reappear with directional inputs and attacking by holding the button! His Mach Tornado special can draw in and attack multiple opponents. Rise by pressing the button repeatedly, and press left or right to move.
- :Kirby's Adventure (05/1993)
- :Kirby Super Star (08/1996)
- Meta Knight's Dimensional Cape lets you teleport. After vanishing, you can move to reappear somewhere else. You can also keep holding the button to turn it into an attack! His Mach Tornado special can mix up multiple opponents in the fray. Press the button repeatedly to rise up, and move left and right to create extra havoc.
- :Kirby's Adventure (12/1993)
- :Kirby's Fun Pak (01/1997)
InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
As a playable character[edit]
Meta Knight returns as a playable fighter, as with all previous characters, inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, now as an unlockable character. Meta Knight has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to Ultimate, but has been nerfed overall, albeit significantly less so than in his transition fromBrawl toSmash 4, hisMach Tornado now only hits once. He also received a new Final Smash in the form ofDarkness Illusion.
As a costume[edit]
Meta Knight's mask is once again available as headgear for Mii Fighters.
Spirit[edit]
324.Meta Knight
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
 Japanese | メタナイト,Meta Knight |
 English | Meta Knight |
 French | Meta Knight |
 German | Meta-Knight |
 Spanish | Meta Knight |
 Italian | Meta Knight |
 Chinese (Simplified) | 魅塔骑士,Meta Knight |
 Chinese (Traditional) | 魅塔騎士,Meta Knight |
 Korean | 메타 나이트,Meta Knight |
 Dutch | Meta Knight |
 Russian | Метанайт |
 Portuguese | Meta Knight |
Trivia[edit]
- Meta Knight was the first newcomer confirmed forSuper Smash Bros. Brawl and the last veteran starter confirmed forSuper Smash Bros. 4.
- Meta Knight is the only fighter that has appeared in theSuper Smash Bros. series whose wholespecial moveset aids in hisrecovery.
- BarringKirby's cameo inArcana, which was released prior toKirby's Dream Land, Meta Knight is the only fighter from theKirby series to debut on a home console.
- Meta Knight's appearance slightly differs between theKirby andSuper Smash Bros. series. Specifically, the ends of his visor slightly curve inward, the letter M is printed on his left pauldron, and his attire features purple sabatons that previously only appeared in his in-game design fromKirby's Avalanche, a dark purple cape with a bat insignia and a white ridged collar and, as ofSSB4, silver gauntlets. Starting withKirby: Planet Robobot, his appearance as ofSuper Smash Bros. 4 has been carried over into theKirby games, although the gauntlets were shown in official artwork of the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DSKirby titles, and inKirby Air Ride.
- Meta Knight's sword is inspired by its appearance in the anime series. Prior toBrawl, the sword did not have a consistent design and was referred to with generic terms, such as "Master Sword". ItsBrawl design, which first appeared inKirby Air Ride, features four prongs as opposed to the anime's six. Along with the name "Galaxia", this design was incorporated into later games.
- Regardinghelpless animations, Meta Knight is the only fighter in theSuper Smash Bros. series:
- Whose entire special moveset renders him helpless.
- To have two variations of his helpless animations, one being winged and the other being wingless.
- Meta Knight is the only sword-wielding fighter in theSuper Smash Bros. series who lacks both aprojectile and acounterattack.
- He is also the only fighter from theKirby series to have the former trait.
- Meta Knight is one of twoKirby characters to be voiced in the Japanese version of the series by the actor who played them in theKirby: Right Back at Ya! anime, the other beingKnuckle Joe. Both of them are also voiced by different actors in the English version of the series than they were in the anime.
- As a possible callback to the anime's English dub, Meta Knight's English voice inBrawl features a slight Spanish accent, similar to Eric Stuart's portrayal of Meta Knight.
- Meta Knight is one of two fighters that leave the victory screen in their victory animation, the other beingSephiroth.
- Meta Knight is the first of only two fighters in the entireSuper Smash Bros. series to have been ranked in SS tier, followed byFox McCloud.
- Meta Knight is the first fighter in theSuper Smash Bros. series (and also the only fighter inBrawl) to have a different victory fanfare than other fighters from his universe.
- Kirby's dark blue alternate costume inSSB4 andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate is intended to resemble Meta Knight without his mask and other regalia, giving Kirby dark purple skin, purple feet, and entirely yellow eyes while also removing his cheek blush.
- Prior to this costume, Meta Knight was actually depicted as having silver eyes behind his mask and pink cheeks. The mask, in particular, turned Meta Knight's eyes yellow while it was worn, and this trait was further reinforced inBrawl when Kirby, upon copying Meta Knight, sports green eyes while wearing the mask. However, allKirby games followingSSB4 now depict an unmasked Meta Knight with yellow eyes and a lack of cheek blush. According to the developers ofKirby: Planet Robobot, this was partially a result of palette limitations in sprite-based titles. Although they considered using the pre-SSB4 design, they decided that it did not look right on Meta Knight's 3D model.[2]
- In an official poll held onSmabura-Ken (the game's official Japanese website) regarding characters for a potential sequel to the first game, Meta Knight placed 19th with 11 votes, tied with the PokémonLugia. Notably, he received fewer votes than fellowKirby character Gooey.[3]
Notes[edit]
^ According toOfficial Nintendo Magazine, the considerable resemblance between Meta Knight (as well asGalacta Knight by extension) andKirby implies that they are ofthe same species. However, this has not been officially confirmed nor denied withintheir home series.[4]
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 |
| Character Inspirations forMii FighterCostumes inSuper Smash Bros. 4 | |
|---|---|
 Mii Brawler | Akira ·Captain Falcon ·Flying Man ·Heihachi ·Jacky ·King K. Rool ·Knuckles ·Toad |
 Mii Swordfighter | Ashley ·Black Knight ·Chrom ·Dunban ·Gil ·Link ·Lloyd ·Monster Hunter ·Takamaru ·Viridi ·Zero |
 Mii Gunner | Fox ·Geno ·Inkling ·Isabelle ·K.K. Slider ·MegaMan.EXE ·Proto Man ·Samus ·Tails ·X |
| Headgear only | Barbara ·Chain Chomp ·Chocobo ·Daisy ·Inkling Squid ·Luigi ·Majora's Mask ·Mario ·Meta Knight ·Peach ·Red Shell ·Sheik ·Shy Guy ·Spiny ·Super Mushroom ·Waluigi ·Wario ·Zelda |
